On Mar 11, 2:47*pm, "Wilbur Hubbard"
wrote:
Tsunami damage . . .

http://www.ktvu.com/slideshow/news/27162990/detail.html

I say these dock rats asked for it. Real sailors are out sailing or moored
in an uncluttered area.

Wilbur Hubbard

I agree completely. I have many similar pictures of what hurricane Ike
did to Marina Landings
in Galveston. I left my Coranado 25 to go to Dallas not expecting the
direct hit that we got. If I had
expected it, I would have anchored out in the Bayou. Still I made
preparation for a storm surge
which saved my boat while the ones around me got smashed, sunk or
deposited upland.
I backed my boat out of the slip and laid a spread of two anchors
astern. I had seventy yards of clearance.
Then I tied off two differing length dock lines from the bow to the
dock pilings. Plus I dropped a pig of balled up chain astern.
(this may be why my engine got dunked)

My engine got dunked and I had to use my oars to reposition her when I
got back but she was unharmed.

Here's what I learned and photographed.

1.) Dont trust dock pilings.

You can never tell their integrity. Just because you can't move it
doesn't mean a boat can't.


2.) Dont trust risers

These things pop off like toys.

3.) Dont trust docklines

If the slip isn't sized right, you simply cannot tie them off
effectively due to the surge.
They'll chaffe and break or hold your boat down while the surge sinks
her.

4.) Don't underestimate storm surge

Pilings that were generally taller that boats in good times went thru
the bottoms
of the hulls and sank them after the surge hit.



5.) Don't trust others to tie their boats safely.

Many of the boats had too tight of dock lines. Either the lines broke
or the cleats got pulled out or the risers got pulled off.
In all cases where the dock lines were too tight something bad
happend. The dockline that didn't somehow come loose
sank many boats. I have pictures of all this. Almost all these boats
were too big for the slips they were in.



My friend anchored his 32' Allmand out in the bayou and she never got
a scratch. I was horrified when he described his
anchoring technique against only one direction but it worked this
time.

A sailboat is best suited to a mooring or a set of anchors. She will
be in harmony with the universe as she lines up with and does not
resist wind or current. Not to mention, it's less likely some other
boat will smash into her. I suppose this goes for motorboats too. But
as
I think of it, I can't remember any motoryachts at all that didn't go
down in the marina. Maybe 15 sailboats survived.

Marina Landings never opened again.