Crème Brulée was lucky--hope everybody weathered the storm

[Joe Myerson]

The new term for this weekend's mega nor'easter is "bomb cyclone," and it raised havoc up and down the Northeast coast. We were lucky in inland Bolton, MA, where we only lost power, including heat and water, for 18 hours. Others fared much worse. I panicked on Saturday when a neighbor called to say that Crème Brulée was off her jack stands. Luckily, she's leaning against the garage--and she will be righted tomorrow. If the wind doesn't pick up too much, she should be OK. I hope the rest of you fare as well.
[img]file:///var/folders/sf/w0hck86j5y15k7hjxx1tp1m80000gp/T/IMG950983.jpg[/img]

Oops, it looks like I didn't post this photo correctly. Sorry.
--Joe

[Sea Hunt Video]

Commodore Joe:

What you experienced is a taste of what we worry about every "H" season. I think you had winds of 70 mph with probable higher gusts. That is definitely hurricane force winds To be without power for 18 hrs is not bad. During our last hurricane (Irma), we were without electric for 7 days September in Miami with no fans, no a/c for 7 days. Yuk

I just completed installing a poured concrete slab (8" deep) with four (4) 3/4" threaded eyebolts that each have a 8"x8" steel plate at the bottom. They are bedded 12" down below the slab. Tiedown straps will go over S/V Bali Ha'i and hopefully the concrete sunk eyebolts/steel plates will keep her upright during the next hurricane.

I think I have decided that for the next hurricane I am going to secure the house (shutters, etc.) secure S/V Bali Ha'i and then head north to inland SC or NC for 1-2 weeks until utilities are restored. I am too old for sitting in a chair with 92 degrees temps and a heat index of 105 every day for weeks.

Joe, good luck with S/V Creme Bulee. I am sure she will be just fine. You will be splashing her in a few weeks

[Joe Myerson]

good luck with S/V Creme Bulee. I am sure she will be just fine. You will be splashing her in a few weeks

Thanks, Roberto,
Launch Day is more likely to be in a couple of months.

Lynne and I are discussing whether we need to put compacted gravel or a concrete pad under the boat. Apparently what happened was that the ground got so sodden that the jack stands just sank into the mud.

Stay safe,

--Joe

[Jim Walsh]

Glad you and Creme Brûlée were safe Joe. My son lives in Boston and the streets are flooded and the power has been out for two days. The storm surge has essentially kept the tide from going out for the last two days in Noank, where Orion is stored on the hard. I made out well but several boats had winter covers which were poorly secured and have nothing left but scraps.
Here are a couple screen shots which show how strong the gusts were. Very impressive figures. In Noank the strongest gusts were 68 MPH.

[Sea Hunt Video]

Lynne and I are discussing whether we need to put compacted gravel or a concrete pad under the boat. Apparently what happened was that the ground got so sodden that the jack stands just sank into the mud.
--Joe

Joe:

I would recommend against gravel. Too much "give" and tendency to have things "slip and slide". I strongly recommend a concrete slab. In Miami, building code for a concrete slab requires 6". I framed and excavated for 8" with a 30' x 15' size slab.

S/V Bali Ha'i is on a trailer with lift off jack stands. If she were on jack stands positioned on the ground I would think you be a lot more comfortable with a concrete slab (angled to allow water run-off). If you go with a concrete slab I strongly recommend installing large threaded eyebolts with large steel plates into the ground before pouring the concrete.

This "cyclone bomb" may have been an unusual event but S/V Creme Bruree is your baby.

[Joe Myerson]

UPDATE: I just got a call from Peck's Boats in Cotuit. They've dropped off an extra jack stand--and will bring the hydraulic trailer tomorrow. Whew!

[Bob Lascelles]

Hi Joe,
That’s great news, what a relief that she didn’t fall over all the way and that she’ll soon be back up on the level. Maybe after this week ...Spring?

All the best,
Bob

[Joe Myerson]

Hi Joe,
Maybe after this week ...Spring?

Of course there's talk about another nor'easter hitting on Wednesday.

Welcome to New England!

--Joe

[John Stone]

Wow Joe. I hope your boat is OK. Nerve wracking.

We had a lot of wind in NC even though the center of the Low was far north of us. The high winds blew four feet of water out of the Neuse River and into Pamlico Sound. It was impressive. It must have been something to see in the NE.

I had my boat on gravel in my back yard for 7 years during the rebuild. I put the jack stands on marine grade plywood and I also sunk mobile home anchors into the ground so I could strap the boat down when we had hurricanes. Even though the Far Reach was under a shed the ground was completely flooded for each of the several hurricanes we had during that time period.

I like Roberto’s plan. It’s ideal. But if that approach is too expensive, I think a thick pad of gravel will work provided the boat is strapped down.

Here is a video of Hurricane Irene pummeling our boat shed.
https://youtu.be/MAX5iEg2oQ0

[Joe Myerson]

Thanks John,

The boat's upright now and we're gearing up for another nor'easter, with up to 20 inches of snow here in Central Mass. On Cape Cod, where the boat is, they're not expecting flooding or hurricane-force winds this time. Once the boat is launched, I'll see about either pouring concrete or getting some compacted gravel. The neighbor who took the photo suspects that the ground became so soggy that the jack stands just sank into the mud.

--Joe

[pete faga]

Joe
Probably a foolish question
Did you have chains attached to the stands?
Pete

[Capt Hook]

Joe
Probably a foolish question
Did you have chains attached to the stands?
Pete

I've never seen that. How do you use the chains?

[Sea Hunt Video]

Captain Hook:

This website gives a pretty good description of using chain on jack stands. There are also a few diagrams.

http://boatstands.com/proper-use/

Essentially, the chain goes from one jack stand on the port side to a corresponding jack stand on the starboard side. Each jack stand has a small "notch" that a link of chains fits into. The corresponding jack stands are prevented from "slipping out from under the hull" by the chain attached to the other jack stand. Sort of a "ying and yang" arrangement.

[Joe Myerson]

Capt. Hook:

Yes, I had chains. They're supposed to keep the stands from spreading apart. I think my two aft stands fell together off the stern--at least that what the photo seems to show.

--Joe

[Chrisa006]

Joe
Probably a foolish question
Did you have chains attached to the stands?
Pete

I've never seen that. How do you use the chains?

All the boats where mine winters have chains between the stands. They also don’t allow you to tie a tarp or cover to the stands or the chain.