I have heard of marinas that insist on vacating during storms and I
think that is reprehensible. During such events all available
hurricane holes are filled. Around here, there is only a single
sometimes working travel lift 35 miles away and they do not seem to be
able to haul more than 4 boats/day. I suppose that if I lived in a
place with working lifts I would want her hauled if it really looked
like high probability of a hit.

Some old timers have their boats out of the water in time to avoid a big
storm or hurricane.
One of my mentor from Portland Maine when the forecast was for a heavy storm
he would have his boat out of the water. After the storm he would have it
back in the water. No body can predict the behavior of floating docks close
to moored boats during a surge. I have seen many piles popping out loose
during big blows and high waves. One year most of the members from our club
went ,in heavy fog, to a local safe heaven to weather the storm. When we
returned to our club after a few days we found the harbor devastated with
boats on the beach. Surprisingly our docks were found in good shape. Since
then I was never criticized for spending the extra money on heavy hardware
for the docks
Now the trend is to use lighter hardware to build bloating docks Only time
will tell if the later approach has a good pay back.


"boatgeek" wrote in message
ups.com...
When isabelle remnants came up the Chesapeake, we had a bit of a storm
surge. Those at the marinas survived fairly well, but if we had
another foot of surge, ever single boat would have been destroyed as
the floating piers would have come off the pilings (they went to the
top of the caps on the pilings as was).

Those on the moorings would have survived a strong surge better, but
had the wind been stonger, they too would have been very vulnerable.

In a hurricaine, you don't want your boat to be around other boats so
both aren't great. Most marina's make the point moot by forcing you to
evacuate you boat anyway. Should I have to choose one, I'd pick a
marina, then I could have the insurance agent drive to the wreckage
fairly easily ;)

I wish we had a travel lift at our club.
Here every boat has its own cradle and the mast is removed before haul out.
Some boat even have their cradle mounted on two and three axles trailers.
Using heavy boom truck and crane we have haul out (without the mast) 4 - 6
boat an hour.
When the working group is well in tune and under pressure we have haul out
as much as one boat every 6 - 7 minutes. Having your boat on land during a
big blow is not a guarantee that you will avoid damages. One year a tree
felt on my house but not on my boat.
wrote in message
oups.com...
I have heard of marinas that insist on vacating during storms and I
think that is reprehensible. During such events all available
hurricane holes are filled. Around here, there is only a single
sometimes working travel lift 35 miles away and they do not seem to be
able to haul more than 4 boats/day. I suppose that if I lived in a
place with working lifts I would want her hauled if it really looked
like high probability of a hit.

In article . com,
"boatgeek" wrote:

When isabelle remnants came up the Chesapeake, we had a bit of a storm
surge. Those at the marinas survived fairly well, but if we had
another foot of surge, ever single boat would have been destroyed as
the floating piers would have come off the pilings (they went to the
top of the caps on the pilings as was).

Those on the moorings would have survived a strong surge better, but
had the wind been stonger, they too would have been very vulnerable.

In a hurricaine, you don't want your boat to be around other boats so
both aren't great. Most marina's make the point moot by forcing you to
evacuate you boat anyway. Should I have to choose one, I'd pick a
marina, then I could have the insurance agent drive to the wreckage
fairly easily ;)


This was just about what I was going to say, same storm, probably the
other side of the Bay. Our marina was rebuilt to a foot higher than the
last 100-year storm. The surge went a foot above that. The worst damage
was a bent stanchion and a radar dome destroyed by a roof. Had it gone a
foot higher, they would have had to cut a few of the boats free.

A couple of marinas not so well built are still not operating.

At Kent Narrows, boats hauled for the storm --usually the best idea--
floated off their stands.

One funny story: A floating dock with a bunch of boats in Baltimore's
Inner Harbor floated over the pilings to freedom. A couple of
liveaboards motored for some hours to keep water under everyone's keel.

Had the storm not tracked 100 miles west of the orginal prediction, I'm
not sure that boating on the Chesapeake would have survived.

I'm usually most comfortable when the boat's on a mooring that I have
inspected and trust, but when Momma's feeling nasty, there's no such
thing as safe. I think I'd like to be in a good mangrove or canal with a
lot of LONG lines tied to a number of strong anchor points.

--
Jere Lull
Xan-a-Deux ('73 Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD)
Xan's Pages: http://members.dca.net/jerelull/X-Main.html
Our BVI FAQs (290+ pics) http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/

This morning I was watching (CNN) the storm Arlene hitting Cuba. All you
can do is your very best, good mooring, good breakwater and well designed
docks. After that you have to put your hand in the hand of god and hope for
the best.
As for the insurance, the last time my boat got damaged, the broker started
to invoke the act of god to avoid paying. After a long battle I finally got
paid. So better check the fine print on your insurance policy. You may not
be covered for wind over 60 knots unless its well specified?? Or it may say
no coverage's are provided for any act of god?

"Jere Lull" wrote in message
...
In article . com,
"boatgeek" wrote:

When isabelle remnants came up the Chesapeake, we had a bit of a storm
surge. Those at the marinas survived fairly well, but if we had
another foot of surge, ever single boat would have been destroyed as
the floating piers would have come off the pilings (they went to the
top of the caps on the pilings as was).

Those on the moorings would have survived a strong surge better, but
had the wind been stonger, they too would have been very vulnerable.

In a hurricaine, you don't want your boat to be around other boats so
both aren't great. Most marina's make the point moot by forcing you to
evacuate you boat anyway. Should I have to choose one, I'd pick a
marina, then I could have the insurance agent drive to the wreckage
fairly easily ;)


This was just about what I was going to say, same storm, probably the
other side of the Bay. Our marina was rebuilt to a foot higher than the
last 100-year storm. The surge went a foot above that. The worst damage
was a bent stanchion and a radar dome destroyed by a roof. Had it gone a
foot higher, they would have had to cut a few of the boats free.

A couple of marinas not so well built are still not operating.

At Kent Narrows, boats hauled for the storm --usually the best idea--
floated off their stands.

One funny story: A floating dock with a bunch of boats in Baltimore's
Inner Harbor floated over the pilings to freedom. A couple of
liveaboards motored for some hours to keep water under everyone's keel.

Had the storm not tracked 100 miles west of the orginal prediction, I'm
not sure that boating on the Chesapeake would have survived.

I'm usually most comfortable when the boat's on a mooring that I have
inspected and trust, but when Momma's feeling nasty, there's no such
thing as safe. I think I'd like to be in a good mangrove or canal with a
lot of LONG lines tied to a number of strong anchor points.

--
Jere Lull
Xan-a-Deux ('73 Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD)
Xan's Pages: http://members.dca.net/jerelull/X-Main.html
Our BVI FAQs (290+ pics) http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/

Jere Lull wrote in news:jerelull-
:

Had the storm not tracked 100 miles west of the orginal prediction, I'm
not sure that boating on the Chesapeake would have survived.


The floating docks topped the pilings long before Hugo got to Charleston.
Lots of the boats were floated across Lockwood Drive from the city and
Ashley marinas over into the parking lot across the street.

--
Larry

You know you've had a rough night when you wake up and your outlined in
chalk.