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Sandy's a comin'

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OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3462 Posts

Response Posted - 10/28/2012 : 13:33:38

I was going to go sailing on Saturday morning and then get my boat ready...for things to come ! But never got to sail due to coincidental issues !! First, as I was about to get on, my Blackberry (office cell) went kerplunk into the 6-7' water aft of the stern between the boat and the finger slip. The marina could not find their net w/long pole and I really wanted to retrieve the cell - bring it in this week and get a new one from work. As I tried in vain using a telescopic pole and a pail which was really pitiful and no way I was going to get it that way, I hear a knock on my boat !! Here we are pre-Sandy with 5-10mph max breeze and the motorboat in the adjoining slip broke thru his really old stern dock line and hits my boat - but no damage. I temporarily secured his boat with the remaining old rope and then went to West Marine to purchase another fender for my boat, a telescopic pole & net and a docking line for his boat since I had no confidence that the answering machine msg the marina left on the owner's home phone would reap any benefits with the owner getting down to secure his own boat.

Got back, secured his boat ...he never did show up and the boat neighbor next to him told me that he had recommended that he replace that old dock line last July !!! Which he obvioulsy never did !

So, then I spent 20 minutes fishing with the net pulling up only mud but eventually I was successful in retrieving my cell!! In addition to my normal docking lines, I hooked up 3 addl ones with 2 having snubbers on them. I also stored my main and furling rig genoa in the cabin. By the way, once at home, I used a heat gun on low temps to help dry the phone and then stuck it in a seled bag of rice to dry it out further overnight. A battery light does come on but...it is basically toast ! It may take a week or more to get my office to issue me a new cell.
Well ! now that I am passed all that...it is the calm before the storm waiting to see just where it starts heading west toward VA/DC/MD.

Edited by - on

TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

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2272 Posts

Response Posted - 10/28/2012 : 15:00:00

Today I went down to my boat (now on the hard) to pull off a few accessories that I might need at home during the storm. I have a couple of spare ground anchors (used to tie down sheds), so I tried to insert them to tie down the boat (as BoatUS recommends). Unfortunately, I could not get them to engage in the gravel lot at my boat club. They just loosened the gravel and never engaged in any dirt. So I just need to hope we're secure enough. But nobody else's boat is tied down, so there's just as much risk of another boat falling onto mine anyway.

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by GaryB
 ...If you're on a floating dock tie your lines tight so the boat does not jerk against the cleats...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I have heard this advice many times, and it has worked for many people. But if your boat is snug up against a finger pier or T-end, it is very important that you have some basic understanding of the resonant frequency at which your docks move with the waves, and that of your boat. In general, the heavier the boat or dock, the slower its resonant frequency. Concrete floating docks will be very stable and move very slowly, so tying up a small 25 footer too tightly to them could be a real problem.

I know a guy who misjudged this last year with Irene, and he tied up very tight to a heavy floating dock (maybe concrete I don't know). His boat pitched with the waves at a relatively high frequency, but the dock pitched at a much slower rate. The cleats pulled out of his boat and it pounded the hull to bits. The boat was a total loss.

This was the second boat in two years that this guy had lost. The previous one was tied up too loosely to the dock, and was pounded to bits. He thought he was doing the right thing with this second boat.

I should mention that this guy was in Lewes the past two years, so I did not meet him until after those other boats were destroyed. I've just relayed his story as he shared it with me. Maybe Willy knows the guy (Monsignor Joe).

Now Joe's on his third boat (a nice early model Pearson 28), and moved up the Delaware to my marina, I think to get more protected waters. I went out to check on his boat today. Our marina has double slips, and he has lines on both sides of the boat to hold it away from the finger piers. The lines are all long enough that they should provide enough play if the dock moves at a different frequency from his boat. Plus the inner slips get very little wave action because the outer docks and other marinas knock down the chop a lot.

The other thing that can help a lot is snubbers, because they cause the tension in the lines to increase gradually instead of a sudden tug. They can really save your cleats. Last year before Irene I picked up six of them ($240 - ouch!). They cost more than a haulout would have been, but I couldn't find anyone willing to haul me out. Here's a pic of my boat just prior to Irene last year. I pulled into a double slip much like Joe did this year:

Edited by - TakeFive on 10/28/2012 19:58:13

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4304 Posts

Response Posted - 10/28/2012 : 15:26:53

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by TakeFive
 ...If you're on a floating dock tie your lines tight so the boat does not jerk against the cleats...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I have heard this advice many times, and it has worked for many people. But if your boat is snug up against a finger pier or T-end, it is very important that you have some basic understanding of the resonant frequency at which your docks move with the waves, and that of your boat. In general, the heavier the boat or dock, the slower its resonant frequency. Concrete floating docks will be very stable and move very slowly, so tying up a small 25 footer too tightly to them could be a real problem.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Good point! Never thought about that. I was on a concrete dock. The marina I used during Ike was so well protected there was no way there could be any appreciable wave action. I guess I was lucky!

One of my new dock mates that's in a slip perpendicular to mine said he changed slips so his boat is more in line with prevailing winds and waves so his dock lines would not chafe as much. He said when you sit in a slip with a cross wind or waves all the time the rolling action of the boat causes the lines to chafe more. If you think about it, the boat moving up and down in waves and/or wind is slower down the length of the hull VS the motion across the beam of the boat.

I'm much more exposed in my new slip but I have a trailer now and will haul out if another storm heads our way.

This is why I said not to blindly take my experience and use it. I got lucky and might have had a different outcome with the tight lines if my boat had been more exposed to wind and waves.

Edited by - GaryB on 10/28/2012 15:29:37

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 10/28/2012 : 16:10:54

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">So, then I spent 20 minutes fishing with the net pulling up only mud but eventually I was successful in retrieving my cell!! In addition to my normal docking lines, I hooked up 3 addl ones with 2 having snubbers on them. I also stored my main and furling rig genoa in the cabin. By the way, once at home, I used a heat gun on low temps to help dry the phone and then stuck it in a seled bag of rice to dry it out further overnight. A battery light does come on but...it is basically toast ! It may take a week or more to get my office to issue me a new cell. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

You might consider taking it back out of the bag of rice, taking the covers off (if you can, unfamiliar with Blackberrys), and soak it in alcohol (90% USP, Everclear, the highest alcohol content you can find). Since alcohol is hydrophilic (likes water), it'll soak up what water is left in the phone. Shake out as much alcohol as you can, then blow the rest out with a can of compressed air. Then put it into the bag of rice to continue drying out. If you were able to get any covers off, leave them off during the drying process. The damage is likely done, but it might bring it back to life, and you've lost nothing in the trying.

Edited by - on

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4304 Posts

Response Posted - 10/28/2012 : 16:19:52

Put it in the oven with the temperature set as low as it will go. Leave in there for 6 - 8 hours. My set-daughter dropped hers in the toilet and after 8 hours it worked. The screen is dim but it's been working for 3 years now.

Edited by - on

jerlim
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1484 Posts

Response Posted - 10/28/2012 : 16:34:54

I can report that at 16:30 today (10/28), with low tide expected at 17:30, the water height was above the typical high tide level. I calculate there will be three high tide cycles before the winds abate (midnight tonight, noon and midnight tomorrow - timing approximately). I am very concerned the high water mark will exceed prior marks by several feet, and bring the floating docks perilously close to their limit and they will float off their pilings...not at all comfortable...

Edited by - on

TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

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2272 Posts

Response Posted - 10/28/2012 : 16:43:24

Is anyone else with boats on the hard tying them down? As I mentioned before, I tried to tie mine down but the ground anchors would not grab into the gravel surface. I could possibly go back with a shovel and try to dig through the gravel, but it's pitch dark now and by tomorrow may be too hazardous to go - if roads aren't already closed by then.

Edited by - on

BCG-Woodbury
Mainsheet Editor

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USA
396 Posts

Response Posted - 10/28/2012 : 17:11:24

We are on a pretty protected lake but I was down there today tying off the dock to the adjacent seawall in both directions and adding extra lines and bumpers to the boat. I removed the sails (we are done for the season and they were dry). I plan on pulling the boat next Sunday if weather permits. Stay safe everyone, I hope the preparation is enough for those that are actually on the big water.

Edited by - on

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5369 Posts

Response Posted - 10/28/2012 : 21:59:27

Looks like the 11pm tidal surge on this, Sunday evening, flooding was relatively mild. Monday at midday will be around the height of Irene. On Monday night at midnight we will not be so lucky. I assume, short of a miracle, the high tidal flooding will put the dock over the top of the pilings. The prediction is for 7-11 ft.
We tied the docks to several telephone poles upwind, and that might prevent catastrophe. I noticed a few boat's on regular moorings today, but it was pointed out that even if Passage were on the floater, the entire marina just may come crashing by.
That would take out my boat completely.
I might just tie my boat directly to the standalone pilings tomorrow and hope for the best

Edited by - on

redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3476 Posts

Response Posted - 10/29/2012 : 03:46:34

Pics... fenders... Prayers... It's gonna be a long night.

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 10/29/2012 : 04:11:19

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by redeye
 Pics... fenders... Prayers... It's gonna be a long night.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Hope it's not too late to take pics just in case you guys do have to go to the Insurance company

Be safe, family is more important than the boat, even if the boat is one of the family!

Paul

Edited by - on

zeil
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
1314 Posts

Response Posted - 10/29/2012 : 04:56:08

Our thoughts are with you people... keep safe!!

Edited by - on

redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3476 Posts

Response Posted - 10/29/2012 : 05:00:22

Wish yall had a critter cam on a timer lookin at it...

Edited by - on

redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3476 Posts

Response Posted - 10/29/2012 : 05:25:33

Crap.. that is huge.. and look at all those lines.. talk about a pressure change. That looks like a big storm surge.

That is a big storm... We are getting +10mph to our normal cold front blowing in here. It would normally blow in with 15mph winds and we are seeing 25+.

Edited by - on

islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4024 Posts

Response Posted - 10/29/2012 : 07:02:17

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Crap.. that is huge.. and look at all those lines.. talk about a pressure change. That looks like a big storm surge.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Had on the weather channel that even the great lakes will have a storm surge and waves of 20-25ft...Amazing. 10AM and the winds are up to 45mph, Trees are really moving but we still have power. My boat is well tied and I'm not worried about that, It's the storm surge and the docks going over the pilings. I will be amazed if they don't.

Edited by - islander on 10/29/2012 07:12:48

pfduffy
Captain

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USA
317 Posts

Response Posted - 10/29/2012 : 08:50:48

My boat in her slip effectively just north of the direct path of the storm (Lanoka Harbor, NJ). I've double tied the lines with as much slack as I could (docks don't float.) I've stripped off everything I could. All I can do now is pray. I've resigned myself to the fact that losing my boat is kind of a privileged problem.

Camden, NJ which is 2 short miles from my comfortable middle class home suffered their 54th and 55th murders in 2012 yesterday. This is an enormous amount of suffering for a city of only 77,000 people. (More about this problem can be found here: http://www.facebook.com/camdentrauma)

I've decided that I am going to be thankful for what I have.

Edited by - on

redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3476 Posts

Response Posted - 10/29/2012 : 09:57:25

<< kind of a privileged problem >>

Great way to look at it... and I've never known anyone that didn't end up getting a better boat.

Edited by - on

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 10/29/2012 : 10:16:15

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by islander
 <blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Crap.. that is huge.. and look at all those lines.. talk about a pressure change. That looks like a big storm surge.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Had on the weather channel that even the great lakes will have a storm surge and waves of 20-25ft...Amazing. 10AM and the winds are up to 45mph, Trees are really moving but we still have power. My boat is well tied and I'm not worried about that, It's the storm surge and the docks going over the pilings. I will be amazed if they don't.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I think that surge may be an eggageration. All regional Works staff havebeen put on standby for washed out roads here, and we have been told to be ready to go to standby power to keep the traffic system running adn signals working. We are expecting some wind damage but not too much more than a few signal heads being blown around.

According to Environment Canada we should expect winds of 45 to 55 km/h gusting to 100 km/h (http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/hurricane/track_e.html) Which isn't a lot worse than an average storm. The surge after teh storm may bring surprises though. The marine forecast suggests 60 knot winds and 5 metre waves (http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/marine/forecast_e.html?mapID=11&siteID=08200) I suppose a storm surge on top of that could get interseting. I should go to the Yacht club to check things out.

Edited by - on

TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

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2272 Posts

Response Posted - 10/29/2012 : 10:30:19

As of right now, the Delaware is at high tide near Philadelphia, and the residual has actually dropped from 2' above normal to right at normal. A quick scan at the wind vectors shows that the NNW wind is probably blowing a lot of water out of the Delaware Bay. However, Lewes (at the mouth of the bay) is 5' above normal, and growing steadily.

This will all change for the worse when the winds swing around to southerly overnight. Then we'll see a surge work its way up the river.

Edited by - on

JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

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1520 Posts

Response Posted - 10/29/2012 : 11:29:20

Yesterday I doubled the docklines, removed the lifesling & life rings, tied up the sail cover, tied down the bimini cover, added a tarp over the anchor locker, and criss-crossed my cabin cover with 100 ft of clothesline. I slackened all the lines a bit. I added 2 stern lines to my slip neighbor's boat, which has not been used in 5 years! That's to keep it from breaking free and damaging my boat.

Monday at 2 PM we now have steady 30 mph winds with gusts to about 50 mph. Wind gusts are projected to increase 70 mph in the DC-Baltimore area and batter us over the next 18 hours.

On the bright side, the storm surge on the upper Chesapeake Bay is expected to be only 1-3 ft.

I'm hoping that we don't lose power here in MD, but I won't be surprised when we do.

May all you east-coasters stay safe during Hurricane Sandy!

Edited by - on

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5369 Posts

Response Posted - 10/29/2012 : 11:41:23

Checking NOAA I found that the difference above predicted tide was 4 ft in Milford. So today high tide was about 11 ft. There was about 6 ft left on the pilings. Tonight's astronomical high tide should be about a foot lower, so I assume the surge can be 10 ft or less and I should be okay. unfortunately, they are predicting a 6-11 ft surge.

I also took a look at the boats on the standalone floating docks (where Passage normally resides). They were all fine and secure but are only rated for a 10 ft surge, then they submerge.

I'm keeping an eye on the measured surge and if it begins to exceed by 10 ft or more, it'll be nervewracking. Too late to move the boat now as gusts are building to 40+ and expected to go beyond.

Edited by - on

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5369 Posts

Response Posted - 10/29/2012 : 11:49:01

The surge has accelerated since noon. At 5 ft and increasing.

Edited by - Voyager on 10/29/2012 12:03:02

binky
Navigator

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USA
115 Posts

Response Posted - 10/29/2012 : 13:28:07

Let's go see if my boat is still floating...will let you know in a bit.

Edited by - on

PCP777
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1225 Posts

Response Posted - 10/29/2012 : 15:04:45

Guys,

My prayers are with you, looks like a beast.

Edited by - on

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5369 Posts

Response Posted - 10/29/2012 : 19:50:22

Looks like the winds out at the Race (the eastern opening of LI Sound) have now veered to the south, so the Atlantic Ocean is no longer trying to fill up the Sound.
Dave - I'm wondering how things went at high tide at Mystic?

I'm seeing the surge lessening in New Haven, although the tide is still rising, but the increase seems to be slowing down. The tide height is about 13 ft right now, with another 2 ft until high tide. My magic number is about 16-17 ft.

Can't tell what's happening on site at the dock but I'm hopeful that we won't be overtopping the docks. Can't drive over to see the boat since local officials have imposed a curfew. Wish I could check it out. Hope to get some photos tomorrow at dawn.

Edited by - Voyager on 10/29/2012 19:57:40

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