Hurricane Preparation

[Paul Erb]

I think we all have to hope for the best to all those that are in the path if Isabel. To all that are in Barnegat Bay it will just be a bad Northeaster. We will be getting the wind from the NE then out SE.  

We decide to keep the boat in the water strip the boat down and double and tripple lines. I have seen many Northerasters and storms come through here. Luckly we have faired out well in all, the big thing is just keep on adjusting lines for the surges and winds. Also nobody has mentioned watch the spreaders so they don't tangle in the boat next to you (if it is another sailboat). I know we do!!!

Good Luck to All

Paul (Yachta Yachta Yachts #1634)

[rwilkinsii]

Just got off the phone with family in the RTP (Raliegh (sp) Durham ) area and thye are with out power.. the winds are strong and expecting to get real stong later in the afternoon....

Rich Wilkins
Houston Tx
86 c34
S/V Lil Tiger
Geaux Tigers!!

[BillR]

Good luck to you Easterners.  Growing up in Florida I understand the challenges.
...but leaving the boat behind is hard.

[shelton]

:eek:We put Tenacity in Inner Harbor to ride out the storm mainly because the marina has floating docks and we felt it was a better protected area than our home marina. The power has been out since yesterday afternoon. Larry has been on the boat all week.  He just called 3:30 AM) and said the floating docks are only 6 to 8 inches below the top of the pilings and the water taxi dock has already broken loose. Hopefully the tide (and surge) will go out before we break loose. There is so much debris in the water it would be very difficult to drive out at night.

[Norris Johnson]

I hope everyone made through the hurricane ok. Let us know something when you get caught up. Like my earlier post stated, I just went through Claudette with 100 mph winds, so I have a good idea what y'all are dealing with.
Be safe and good luck!
Norris

[Steve S.]

Made it through with flying colors at Herrington Harbour/North in Deale, MD.  I was at a baseball game in Denver while my wife was stuck securing the boat.  We couldn't get it hauled so she used the slip next to us and faced the boat kitty-corner in the two slips and attached about 16 double lines.  (Dock mates that were pulled donated the lines).  Heard from people that the gusts hit 70 mph and surge was about 1 to 1 1/2 feet above the dock (that's about 6-8 feet in total).  The dock itself floated about 6-8 inches up the pilings.  Some folks tried to stay with their boats, but I think that was bit foolish.  A boat is never worth a serious injury.  We are on E dock and docks A-D were completely destroyed.  About 10-15 boats sunk and about 100 or more are beyond repair.  (I'll try to get a picture.)   Those that were double lined made it, although some were totaled by loose boats floating in among the piers.

We moved her back Saturday, put all the canvass back on, and went sailing Sunday in a lovely 10-15 knot breeze.  We were about the only boat on the Bay that day.  Sailed by whole docks 30-40 long, logs 50-60 feet, and more than one propane tank. I would not recommend that powerboats venture out there for a while.

Good news is that because we stayed in, we get to stay in.  People that were hauled were told that they would not be splashed again this season.  Bad news is that there is no expectation to restore electricity or water this year.  I'll have to keep a sharp eye on battery use as I can no longer recharge.

[reedbr]

Wohoo, we made it through.  "Ambitious" weathered it at Zahniser's in Solomons, MD OK.  My thanks to Sharky and a great staff there that manned the docks all night.  They even doubled the lines on my absentee neighbor, which was my biggest concern.  I doubled my lines, added more springs, removed the sails, dodger, and bimini.  Came down Saturday afternoon and all was dry, even the bilge.  Not a scratch on the hull but I did have to wash her down since it was crusty with saltwater and leaves.  It took me about 3 hours to get everything back on and cleaned up, and Sunday I went sailing.  My daughter and I played litterbug patrol and grabbed what we could catch in the crabnet out from the Bay.  I saw pilings, pieces of dock, tons of crab pot floats and a million branches floating around.  A lot of empty plastic quarts of oil floating around too.  I had a garbage bag full when I returned.  Even the wind picked up in the afternoon so we had a great sail.  Power is back on at the marina too, but they are keeping it off on the docks for a week until everything dries out.

I'm ready to sail the fall away now.  I am SO releived.

p.s. - Judging by the tide line in the parking lot, I am guessing we had 1-2 feet of water over the docks, which is about 4-5 feet over normal high tide.  Also, although I have the bigger cleats on my '97, I still had to be creative to get 13 lines cleated on the boat in preparation.  And when I went to remove some of the lines, they were like iron.  It took me close to 5 minutes to work the stern lines off one cleat.  I can only guess what kind of load does that to a braided line.

Brian Reed
1997 C34 mkII "Ambitious"
Solomons, MD