Thanks, all - agree with and appreciate your thoughts.

It'd be one thing if paying a daily rate got the deductible down closer to $0 - then you're spending money but at least that removes the worry factor. But spending $500 to only get the deductible down to ~$2.5K -- when most of the 'more common' damage scenarios are probably below that amount (ie, you'd still be paying) -- doesn't seem like a good exchange for an experienced/conservative boater.

Love input from anyone else with thoughts or perspective - particularly someone that have had a deductible-eating event on a bareboating trip.

(P.S. To keep superstition at bay, I'm knocking wood the entire time I'm typing this whole post - to make sure none of us ever have an issue! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" /> )