Face it. You have spent a small fortune for that boat of yours. Whether it was a $2,000 rowboat, or a $30,000 speedboat, it's a lot of cash spent on that little luxury of yours. Yes, it is a luxury. Unlike automobiles, which have become a necessity of life for many, boats are just for fun, for enjoyment. How many times do you take a boat to work?

You can't legally drive a car in Minnesota if you have no insurance. While the car may have cost 13 grand, doesn't your boat deserve the same protection as your car?

I know of nobody in this state who actually carries boating insurance. But when you consider the facts, it becomes apparent that boating insurance is wise.

A wind storm blows your boat into the lake and capsizes the boat. Bye-bye money, right? Not if you have the insurance. Some people think that their homeowners insurance will cover it. Maybe it will. But are you willing to take that risk?

If you're out driving, you might get hit by a drunk driver. Never happens on the lakes, right? Think again, buddy. Some people carry beer with them in a boat. Who's to know? If they have no insurance, you have no insurance - what if that "Never happens" thing occurs? Some people tend to think that the laws of the road when pertaining to drinking and driving do not apply on the lakes. Think again, folks. That boating insurance can restore your boat if it's pounded by that drunk boater. There have been many cases of boats being impounded on the St. Croix River because of drunk drivers.

That insurance could save you a fortune if you accidentally hit someone's boat, or worse, the boater or water skier.

Better safe than sorry. And when you think of it, the chances on the water to be sorry are actually greater than on the road. There are no clearly marked lanes, no stop signs. There are no turn signals, and lights are not as illuminating for after dark boating. If you have that 110 horse power motor get tangled in an unexpected barbed wire, breaking the prop, what do you do?

Sure, the insurance is expensive. But a lawsuit could be a heck of a lot worse. Use your head, not your wallet when you think about this!

Learn more about this author, Chabu Bowler.
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