Why a Cyclone-Proof Marina Is a Good Idea

[dirkdig]

Damage by cyclone Lasi last night in Queensland Australia

[nemoofsweden]

Sad to see!

But must be a great opportunity to call some insurance companies and make an offer on "used boats D.I.Y"

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by nemoofsweden

Sad to see!

But must be a great opportunity to call some insurance companies and make an offer on "used boats D.I.Y"

Cyclone proof moorings on the other side of the channel and they were free
Hinchinbrook Island, Queensland 4849 - Google Maps
Pleeeenty of warning was given

[downunder]

Agree with cat man do.

The massive mangrove system of the Hinchenbrook channel right next door.

lazyness

Pity about the boats. make you cry.

[dirkdig]

Very sad for people that could not get there or relly knew the best holes to shelter in.

Big job to unpack that mess

[beau]

I assume all boats were from from NSW or VIC too lazy to fly up and move their boats to a hundred very safe anchorages inside Hinchinbrook island, but they are all insured and now we will have to pay larger premiums.

What happened to the old days when you relied on your wits alone, no socialist goverment to pretend they are looking after you.

First said in 1475 ( the new generation are not up to the times) in Venice Italy

[troppo]

My boat was on a mooring in Townsville, about 1.5 hrs drive south of the marina where the 70 boats are doing the big group hug thing, and I didn't move my boat to anywhere safer. The reason was I needed to fit motor parts which are on my desk 800 km away where I live to get it going and even then I would need to de-barncle the prop to get more than 3 km/hr out of it. So, I never went up to rescue my boat. Oh, I also got distracted as our river was in flood and the city basically marooned and my son became homeless in Brisbane because of the floods down there. I was planning to go up to Townsville but did not make it.

Thankfully, the storm surge in Townsville was not as bad as predicted so my boat survived. Was I lazy for not going up to try and move my boat? I don't think so, nor do I think the owners of two other boats I know of who could not get their boats away from Townsville were lazy. Sometimes it just happens. So, in my opinion, while some of the 70 boats damaged on the marina up near Cardwell may be due to lazy owners, all the owners can't be condemned as lazy.

I hope the Cardwell marina is going to have a garage sale of used boat parts as there looks like plenty which I could use on my old boat. Even if a bit dented and bent it would probably be better than some of the stuff currently on my boat .

[ozskipper]

Let me think about this from the perspective of one of those boat owners.

My house vs my boat... The house with all the family stuff, the kids photos, grandmas heirlooms, its the place where my family lives.

Then theres the boat. Hmmm.

I only have two days to prepare and possibly evacuate for the cyclone.

Hmmm, which one do I focus on?

F*&k the boat. I am going to focus on the house and family as much as I can!

In Troppo's (and other distant owners) situation. Why leave the relative safety of a distant town to enter a cyclone area for the sake of some tuppeware?

Sure its a shame that boats got smashed. But I think we all need to understand priorities a little here. Most of the boats in the pic would have been weekend toys. Not liveaboard. Of course a liveaboard, with no house to consider, would have skidaddled a couple of days earlier Eg Troymclure.

Cheers
Oz

[lyfbond]

oh my...i would really cry if one of my boats got smashed like that.
Too much damage for sure. Poor owners.

[downunder]

Lasy was perhaps an ill concidered comment - easier to spell than complacancy- I just hate to see vessels smashed when there is an alternative.

My apologies.

More vessels are lost a anchor than for any other reason. SEEMS MORE VESSELS ARE LOST IN CYCLONES IN MARINAS THESEDAYS.

Knowing Pt Hinchenbrook many vwssels are weekend toys and we will all be impacted on with insurance rates and the marina may not be rebuilt in a hurry.

Marina management must have seen it coming. All vessels were evacuated at Cairns and Pt Douglas into the mangroves. Why the complancy in Pt Hinch.

[RainDog]

Originally Posted by beau

but they are all insured and now we will have to pay larger premiums.

What happened to the old days when you relied on your wits alone, no socialist goverment to pretend they are looking after you.

In Australia the government provides yacht insurance???

[RTB]

That photo looks familiar, actually. The same thing happened at the Bayland Marina here in Texas during Hurricane Ike. Notice the boats still tied to their docks? Just as here, the surge lifted the docks off their pilings, boats still tied to the docks.

At my present marina, the destroyed "fixed" docks are being replace with "floating" ones. The pilings will probably allow for at least a 20' (maybe more) storm surge in the future. The breakwater was also raised significanly. I believe with extra docklines, and stripping my boat down, I'm in a hurricane proof marina now.

My point is that the Marina in the photo was not designed to deal with the surge they got. I'm not sure you can place the blame totally on the boatowners or call them lazy.

[Captain Bill]

I do feel sorry for the owners. I looked at the marina on Google Earth and it gives the appearance of being a good "Hurricane Hole" or "Cyclone Hole" for those of you with a more southerly outlook. It has a narrow entrance 90 degrees off of the main entrance channel and a nice chunk of land to seaward. If it had floating docks on 25 foot pilings it might have done ok, but with 180 mph winds even floating docks are likely to be challenged. I went through a strong tropical storm at a marina with floating docks. None of the boats suffered any damage but winds were peaking at only about 70 mph. Even with that some of the docks suffered damage as the lines pulling on the dock cleats broke out some chunks of dock. At 180 I imagine if the lines held, they would have broken out every cleat in the Marina. A cat 5 is going to cause catastrophic damage no matter what one does.

[RainDog]

Originally Posted by Captain Bill

Even with that some of the docks suffered damage as the lines pulling on the dock cleats broke out some chunks of dock.

Good point. It is wise to check you cleats long before a storm. If the marina did not provide adequate cleats with backing plates, put on your own and/or add backing plates. Think I will go check mine now

[RTB]

Good points, but there is a solution *if* the pilings are long enough.

Here is a shot of the new slips at our marina.



Now, instead of relying totally on the cleats, use these on the pilings instead. TideMinders: freedom from line adjustment during storm surges, tidal changes and high-winds.

Ralph