STORM Preparation in Marinas

[chala]

Originally Posted by Hudson Force

Manageable!

Not at all.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by chala

Not at all.

This is too little of a response to be meaningful. I'm always receptive to good ideas, but something needs to be actually said.

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by chala

Not at all.

You don't believe in the proper cleat hitch?

[Jason Flare]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

You don't believe in the proper cleat hitch?

I went back and looked at this earlier. The only thing I came up with is that the subject of the photos is managing the lines from the dock but the proper cleat hitch is shown on a boat. And you'd have to climb from the dock onto the boat to adjust it.

What do I win?

[JPA Cate]

I don't know if this would work, but something to try might be, to take long lines from over the end of the closest to land pontoon, going all the way around it, and back to the shore on both sides, to start with, to help support the finger to land joining. Any rope well, it's a sacrifice, but anything you can think of--if you're there-- to help support the marina's physical structure.

This includes running a spring line to the bow cleats on the dock to help ease the dock strain from your boat.

If you're on an end tie, you can deploy a strong kedge to your beam cleats to help hold you off when the wind shifts, or prior, depending on your orientation to the wind.

But, really, I think if you're going to be away, you should plan on a major storm and prepare for that, before you leave, so strike the sails, fold and bag them, and stow them below, follow with all the canvas. Figure out how to lash down the dodger frame, and bimini frame, if any. Double up on your dock lines, consider chafing gear on the cleats, old flip flops work okay for that, and anywhere else the leads aren't fair. Buy some more larger fenders, and use twice as many.

Then, you gotta hope the marina has staff and line enough to protect the docks, and that the piles are high enough. So, select your marina with a major storm in mind, if you can.

Ann

[Sea Dreaming]

How high is "high enough" for the piles? Do we need to look at storm surge historical data?

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by Sea Dreaming

How high is "high enough" for the piles? Do we need to look at storm surge historical data?

Yes. To be realistic, i think it is unrealistic to expect a boat in a marina or up a mangrove creek to survive a 200 knot event, but lesser events, yes. Met bureaus often have the data, or google it.

Ann

[Sea Dreaming]

Well, I took it to heart and found the scale below on the national hurricane center Web site.
I hope this helps!

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by Sea Dreaming

Well, I took it to heart and found the scale below on the national hurricane center Web site.
I hope this helps!

this chart, while pretty, is meaningless for individual areas. some areas will suffer far greater surges because of their geography. Far better would be a look at storm surge statistics for that particular area.

[Sea Dreaming]

Fair enough Sailmonkey. Do you have any idea where to find that info. My searches are coming up blank.

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

Yes. To be realistic, i think it is unrealistic to expect a boat in a marina or up a mangrove creek to survive a 200 knot event, but lesser events, yes. Met bureaus often have the data, or google it.

Ann

Hi Ann, we have come a long way from guessing or checking with the Met bureau on marina design for 100 year storms.

I actually consult with Marina developers on the design of Superyacht berths within their projects.

Top Marina builders use engineering research companies like URS to research and weather model all sea , wind, tide, surge data for a specific location and set the load parameters for worst case scenarios.
Combinations of Pilings and ground screws are used to minimize harmonics and in certain places, heavy ground tackle is laid out for winds above the agreed design parameters.

It is the old marinas with rotting timbers and poor maintenance that we need to be proactive, by working with the Owner to take the load off their floating docks in high wind situations

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by Sea Dreaming

Fair enough Sailmonkey. Do you have any idea where to find that info. My searches are coming up blank.

I'm on a phone, so don't know if this is exactly the correct page, but some digging from here will get you there

https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/est/

[Hudson Force]

'good questions and thoughts above about the accuracy of general surge charts.

Some general ideas:
- Storm surges are lower at islands than mainland coasts where the wind driven water builds instead of flowing by.
- The increased water height from the low pressure lens is far less than what is accumulation by winds at the quadrant of the storm pushing against the land.
- Funnel shaped estuaries and bays often accumulate much higher storm surges than rivers with narrower inlets.
- Surge heights are almost always less as you cruise further inland.

Ask the old guys how high the water went up in past historical events. Most any harbor has locals than will eagerly tell you how high the water rose during some big storm forty years ago.

[IslandHopper]

Originally Posted by Sea Dreaming

Fair enough Sailmonkey. Do you have any idea where to find that info. My searches are coming up blank.

While historical data does help, actually predicting storm surge is far more involved, have a look through the below link....

Models and Observations: Modeling Surge - Storm Surge and Coastal Inundation

[chala]

Originally Posted by Hudson Force

This is too little of a response to be meaningful. I'm always receptive to good ideas, but something needs to be actually said.

Because it is obvious.
The almighty Gord will tell you that the subject has been beaten to death.

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

You don't believe in the proper cleat hitch?

Yes I do, in using the proper cleat hitch

Cleat Hitch | How to tie the Cleat Hitch for a Dock Line | Boating Knots