Urgently need advice ( Irma in BVI )

[Marike]

Hello everyone,

My husband and I bought a catamaran in Tortola one week before the passage of Irma. My husband is there now. There is almost no communication. The cat is in Sea Cows Bay , halfway under water at the stern because of a mono hull that landed on it. So if you can imagine it.. there is a mono hull on my cat. I need advise on how to remove it from there. I don't have pictures sorry. Is there someone we could reach in BVI that you would know of who could help us ? Does anyone of you have seen situation similar to that and have suggestions ? I would really like to resolve this problem before the next hurricane next week. Any help will be very appreciated !
Thank you all !

[gabilo]

Sorry to hear about your catamaran, but I would expect there will be more urgent rescue operations taking place where lives are endangered and not "just" property

[maxingout]

Sorry to hear of the damage to your catamaran.

I believe it would require a crane to remove a monohull off your cat.

[Captsteve53]

Many issues there and with out pictures nearly impossible to advise, there's legalities as well with the Mono hull should you attempt to move and do further damage etc, especially if the mono hull is not present,

Sight unseen is there any way you can use lift bags (or even access them) dive shops quite often have them, but as above right ful comments I'm sure there's many other priorities for most!

Cheers Steve

[Captsteve53]

Sorry typo there, meant to say Mono Hull OWNER is there

[AJ_n_Audrey]

Same thing happened to my brother-in-law in St John, Great Cruz Bay. He needed a crane to get the other boat off his. Without pics, hard to know about yours.

[Mithril Bham]

We can't get in touch with anyone down there yet. Sorry about your predicament. I would contact your insurance company.

[Harkaway]

Sorry for your predicament but I have been in contact with friends on Tortola and their limited resources are focused on HUMAN needs and not boat needs. If you try to contact local resources to help your boat right now, you will be poorly received. My boat was on the hard in Spanishtown but I do not expect to hear of its plight for a while and would not think of addressing my boat issues while so many no longer have a home or food.
Just sayin'

[zeehag]

call insurance company and file claim. send picture with claim.
insurance company will call salvor to remove yours and other boats and insurance will assess the damages. this will take some time due to logistics and availablity of aid for this task. it will probably be done same time as the rest of the damages are assessed.

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by Marike

Hello everyone,

My husband and I bought a catamaran in Tortola one week before the passage of Irma. My husband is there now. There is almost no communication. The cat is in Sea Cows Bay , halfway under water at the stern because of a mono hull that landed on it.

Hi. First, we all hope your husband is staying safe.

All I can suggest is to take lots of pictures and to stay in contact with the insurance company. In a disaster of this magnitude, humanitarian considerations take precedence of course. When they have the time and equipment available, the mess of damaged/capsized/sunk boats will be taken apart, from the outside in; I doubt that there will be any way to jump the queue for any boat at this point. But there might be mitigating factors - maybe boats that can be refloated and moved quickly will get priority, if it can be done without a crane.

Best wishes.

[atoll]

generally what happens is a barge with a crane on it will work its way around all the hurricane effected area's,refloating and rescuing vessels with cutting gear and divers etc.
this ain't going to happen for a while,so your husband is probably best trying to retrieve equipment that will be effected by salt water where possible and putting it in storage.
as others said check with the insurance

[roverhi]

Wonder if there is insurance?? They just bought the boat and doubtful whether a new policy would take effect with a hurricane bearing down on the boat. Something like truing to get fire insurance on a property in the midst of a forest fire.

[skippy]

So sorry about your misfortune. hopefully someone will respond to your needs.

[alansmith]

I feel your stress level. Timing couldn't have been worse. They are calling Irma a once in a generation storm. Barbuda is now uninhabitable. Prime Minister says it is "rubble!" It is hard for us to even imagine the loss of infrastructure what these poor nations are faced with.

You will need to take a long look in the mirror and come to the sobering realization that this is going to be a long nasty nightmare. It literally could take months to resolve property losses and insurance resolution. People's lives come first. Locals will first need to assess how to get food and water. Place to stay dry. They also have to pay very close attention to hurricane Jose's path right on the heels of this wrecking ball.

Sorry for your dilemma. Perspective of the apocalyptic circumstances you find yourself in ... you know... you know... your property is of little concern right now... in light of the overall disaster. Let us know how it all turns out. I really am so sorry for you and your husband. But the whole world is watching this monster like an enraged bull in the China shop. A plastic boat is just another little thing to be dashed on the rocks until she wants to sleep. Nothing can be done...

The aftermath of this storm will have long term implications for business models, insurance actuaries, revenue streams for Moorings and Sunsails loss of inventory, and hundreds of things related to loss. Your boat... just one more sad thing.

[Nani Kai]

Marike,

While I agree with other posters' comments that human needs must take priority I also understand your concerns with wanting to secure your boat if at all possible from any further damage. Pictures would be incredibly helpful but that may not be possible under existing conditions. If the monohull is literally sitting on top of your boat there is absolutely nothing you can do to remove it without a crane. It weighs multiple thousands of pounds. If however the majority of the monohull is in the water and another part is pressing down on your boat there may be something you can do. Again, pictures. Assuming that your husband has experience in moving very heavy things with winches, come-alongs, ratchet straps, chains and ropes and that he has those things at his disposal it may be possible to drag the monohull off your boat. You must recognize that doing so will further damage your vessel as well as the monohull and that the insurance companies for both vessels may hold you liable for that damage. Assuming the greater possibility that it is impossible to move the other boat, the best thing your husband can do is to protect the things on the boat that have not been damaged. If the mono-hull cannot be moved then I would suggest looking for ways to minimize any further water getting into more of the boat and trying to get as much water out as possible. Any debris that is floating (foam, fenders, barrels, ice chests, life jackets, cushions, mooring balls,etc.) that can be stuffed into lockers, lazarettes, bilges, engine compartment etc. will displace that much water and/or prevent more water from getting in. Ropes and sails, anything with volume can also be used. It might be possible to use debris to protect the glass doors, ports and hatches on your vessel if it is not already compromised, again to minimize damage and water ingress. It is a miserable situation you are in. I had just corresponded with a broker about purchasing a catamaran in Tortola two days before news of the hurricane broke. But for the grace of God your situation might well have been my own. I wish you good luck in securing your vessel and comfort during your distress.