Good luck to those in FL

[Russell]

Fay went over me here in Culebra when she was still an infant, I wouldnt want it passing over me in its current state. Good luck to all of you in her path, hope she does not intensify much more and all your storm plans keep your lives and property safe!

[Sea Hunt]

Russell:

On behalf of all of us in her current path, many thanks Glad you made it through without issues.

My house is a bunker (or a cave ), completely shuttered and able to withstand 160 mph winds. I have no worries except possibly running out of supplies although I have a pretty good supply of water, Guinness and Jack Daniels.

S/V Tadpole is tied into mangroves at a local waterway. I am NOT happy with how she is tied in. Because there is such a short distance from the bow to the mast, I was not able to motor her into the mangroves at all before the spreaders and shrouds were hung up in the branches.

The sailing club experts recommended I leave the 6 HP Suzuki on the O/B motor bracket and hanging off the stern. I am still not clear on why. My idea was to remove it and bring it home. Possibly they were concerned about me trying to lift a 57 lb motor awkwardly from the stern. Not sure. Anyway, I am less than 50/50 it will be there Wed/Thu.

I have two anchors thrown out forward into the mangroves with about 10' and 5' of chain and 20' of line each. I have a 20 lb Danforth off the stern with 20' chain and an additional length of 1/2" line. I also have a small anchor off the starboard side to try and keep her from getting dragged sideways into the mangroves.

All in all, I am not happy about this. I will have to find a better location next time, assuming she survives this one.

I spent the afternoon yesterday helping the sailing club move some additional boats to the mangroves. In doing so I found (again) what I think may be a better spot next time. When I did a recon of the waterway this past Friday I had found this spot but thought it too shallow even for Tadpole. But, we got two sailing club Ensigns up into this area without much difficulty. I should have brought along a weight and line for depth sounding for my recon. Live and learn.

[Lew Gresham]

You see now, if you had a trailer, the little one could be home with you. Maybe in your garage nice and dry. Maybe a trailer is on your list, don't know. As for your motor, I don't think I would have left it mounted on the boat.

Good luck Robert, I hope your boat escapes damage. Keep us posted!

[Oswego John]

Hi Robert,

First off, I want to wish you and all the other boat owners a safe time during the impending storm that is headed your way. My wish is for minimum or no physical harm to anyone or to their homes and boats.

A little more than a month ago, there was a very interesting thread started by you that is apropos of hurricane Fay. The title was Anti-chafing Gear. I read through all of the posts and found that the thread pertains strongly to what is going through your mind at this time.

I also remember reading a post that you had written earlier telling us how the marinas were being bought up for real estate developement and how difficult it is becoming for boat owners to insure their boats in Florida. This all ties in to having a trailer to tow the Ty out of harms way.

In a way, I guess it could be said that having a trailer for a small boat is one of the simplest, most effective, least expensive forms of insurance a boat owner could have.

http://www.capedory.org/board/viewtopic ... 443c3b0316

I hope everything works out for you and all the other boat owners when Fay hits.

Good luck,
O J

[Sea Hunt]

Lew, OJ and all:

Thanks for your concern and suggestions. Fortunately, it does not look like TS Fay will be much more than a heavy, heavy rain event in SE Florida (Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, etc.) with only moderate TS winds. However, because I did such a poor job of securing her (at least in my judgment), I am not sure Tadpole has survived the 35-40 mph winds gusts we did have in SE Florida.

I appreciate the benefits of a trailer. However, in most things I tend to be a very self-sufficient person. If it is not something I can do or operate by myself I tend not to use it, buy, etc. I have many diving friends as well as several friends who are sailors. I know I could ask one or two of them to help me with lowering the mast and getting her on the trailer and driven back to my home. However, I do not like to have to depend on, or impose on, others, especially when it is just prior to a tropical storm or hurricane approaching S. Florida and they have their own families, houses, etc. to take care of. That is the one big downside of a trailer-it requires at least 2 people to get a sailboat onto it and the mast down - at least for someone with my very limited skills. The other problem is the investment cost for a trailer I would rarely use (hopefully ). I have the funds to buy one. However, it would basically just site in my yard all year with me looking at it saying "I hope I never have to use you; I hope I never have to use you;
I hope I never have to use you"

I will try to get aboard S/V Tadpole either Wednesday or Thursday (ASAP) and assess damages, if any. As of now my plan is to do a test run of the hurricane hole I mentioned in an earlier thread and see if it will fit Tadpole's keel. It is a tiny dead end finger channel with mangroves on three sides. My thought is to schedule it for a time just past low tide. That way, if I get stuck, I can use a stern anchor to kedge off or, if that's not doable, wait for high tide to float me off.

The experts in this area all seem to think that the mangroves is an excellent place to put a sailboat during a hurricane. I've been in South Florida for about 42 years (with a few unplanned detours elsewhere ). I have always heard of the old timers (this will soon be me) talking about tying their boats into the mangroves in the Florida Keys and riding out horrific storms very well.

I must say that on Sunday, after I secured (not very well) S/V Tadpole I helped the sailing club move a few boats to the mangroves. On the last run, there was a really strong, strong wind (20-22 kts)/rain storm that came through the bay (possibly an outer, outer feeder band from TS Fay - not sure). The bay water was choppy - 2-3 ft. However, once into the channel and back in the mangroves, the water was literally as smooth as glass. I have seen this over the past many years but never thought of it special until this experience with my beloved Tadpole.

Again, thanks very much for your concern and suggestions.

[Judith]

I'm not entirely clear where you are, SeaHunt. But my mother is in Deland wth Fay's path projected straight up the middle of Florida (according to some accounts, anyway).

She says so far it's buckets of rain and not a lot of wind. Hope that holds true for you as well.

Judith

[Sea Hunt]

Hello Judith:

I am in Miami/Cutler Ridge/Homestead area of SE Florida. From the NOAA/NHC forecast TS Fay will pass west of Deland with the heaviest rains, etc. on the east side of Fay. So, yes, your Mom will get a lot rain and some strong winds gusts -similar to what we had here today.

There are a lot of websites for hurricane tracking. For me, with my very limited computer skills, etc., I find the NOAA/NHC site to be the most basic, simple to understand.

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

If you click on the map it will give you 3 or 5 day TS/hurricane forecast projections as well as other maps that project wind strength, etc.

The one thing I have learned over the years is the NOAA/NHC has become almost clairvoyant at predicting the path of a storm. However, they are still working at developing models to accurately forecast wind strength.

[Russell]

From what you have said, it sounds to me like you did everything right in securing your boat. I dont think you have much to worry about, epecially not being in the direct path of the storm. Your anchors should easily be able to hold in those winds, especially when tied to the mangroves as well. Worst thing to worry about is the mess you have to clean up off your boat from the mangroves. But that said, I realise no matter how well you tie it up or how mild the storm turns out to be, your always going to worry. Just dont get down on yourself, it sounds like you did everything right, no matter how right you do it you will always think of something you could have done better, try not to let that get the best of you.

[barfwinkle]

The other problem is the investment cost for a trailer I would rarely use (hopefully ).

IMHO the investment in a trailer has many many pluses. First when it comes to maintenance, you dont have to pay the yard to haul her. Second, you can explore other parts of the Florida Coast outside of your sailing area, different regional sailing venues, or any where else you so desire and can afford. Third, in situations just as you are now facing, the trailer would prove invaluable. You helped others secure the sailing clubs boats, surely to god someone would be willing to return the favor (If not I think I would be looking for a different location to slip/moor the boat). And finally, it is definitely a value added accessory for Tadpole. It makes her much much more desirable for a prospective buyer when you decide to move up to that 25D, 26 or whatever.

Dont get a new one! For a weekender, surely a single axel would work and for a few hundred dollars and some welding, you're all done. I paid 3K for my trailer and drove from Oklahoma to Rhode Island to get it. It was still MUCH MUCH cheaper than a new one, it was built for a 26 which is the same hull (by in large) as a 25D. I just had the whole thing sand blasted ($100 cash), new fenders ($75.00) welded on, a coat of primer and 3 coats of black gloss paint ($500). Triad even sent me a complete of decals once I proved it was a Triad trailer. All toll, I probably have $4-5K tied up in the trailer, but the freedom to go or to work on it are priceless. You CANNOT go wrong with a trailer for a boat that is trailerable period end of quote!

BTW a new triad with 5500 pound axels under it was getting close to $8-$9K and was still in CT or where ever they make them.

You should consider the trailer option. JMTCW

Oh and I cant figure why you would have been advised to leave the motor on the boat. Maybe in the cabin, but I am not even sure about that, being that the motor "could" be expensive to replace.

Fair winds I hope Fay passed you by.

[M. R. Bober]

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

A very useful website. Hope nobody needs it.

Every best wish to the Florida crew.

Mitchell Bober
Sunny Lancaster (where we know how many Virginians it takes to change a light bulb), VA

[Troy Scott]

All, especially Sea Hunt,

I have learned the hard way that boatyard advice is often (usually?) worth what you pay for it. In other words, worthless. When a storm is coming, folks are busy, so the answer you get is influenced by whatever is most expeditious for the giver of the advice. Maybe they didn't want to take the time to help you move the outboard. Anyway, when it comes to storm preparedness you're pretty much on your own. You need your own plan, which can be enacted quickly, without cooperation from anybody. If you ARE lucky enough to get help, don't let the helper(s) cause you to deviate from your plan. Otherwise, they aren't really helping, are they?

I hope the storm surge (if there is a significant one) doesn't raise your TADPOLE into the overhanging branches.

GOOD LUCK!!

[Sea Hunt]

Troy and All:

Troy, I agree with you completely. I am probably one of the most cautious and suspicious persons you could meet. I guess it comes from a "past life".

Anyway, the person suggesting leaving the O/B on S/V Tadpole was an officer of the sailing club I belong to. He was not in any hurry. I honestly think he was giving what he believed was good advise.

I went to retrieve S/V Tadpole today. There were a LOT of boats still in the mangroves - many, many more than when I placed Tadpole there Sunday morning. Interestingly, every single sailboat that had an O/B had the O/B still hanging off the stern. Coincidentally, the club official's son rode out with us in the club launch to retrieve his family's sailboat. It had the O/B attached to the stern bracket as well I will have to learn why this is recommended. Intuitively, I think it should be removed for a variety of reasons - less weight, less opportunity for damage to it or the O/B motor bracket, or the boat, and zero possibility of theft.

By the way, S/V Tadpole survived without so much as a scratch that I could find. She was admittedly covered in leaves, twigs, etc., as Russell correctly suggested would be the case. Simply stated, she is very, very dirty and in need of a good wash down

Other than that, she was completely unaffected and untouched by TS Fay. The most amazing observation of all was the fact that her cockpit, cabin and BILGE were completely bone dry. Well the bilge had dampness in it, but it always does - this is South Florida, but no water at all. Those who live in South Florida know the rain volume we have had in Dade County since Sunday afternoon through today (it's pouring right now in Dade County ). I expected to find Tadpole's bilge completely full of water and possibly the cabin and cockpit. In fact, the sailing club staff brought along an electric bilge pump, battery, hose, etc. in anticipation of a swamped Tadpole. I do not understand it but I love it. I am told other sailboats tied up in the mangroves had significant water levels although I did not personally observe this.

The trip back to the sailing club mooring field was probably the most eventful part of this whole adventure. There was a remaining outer, outer band from TS Fay (I find this hard to believe but it is what is being reported) that came across Biscayne Bay in the middle of my trip back to the mooring field this afternoon. 20-25 kt winds, driving rain (a partial wash down ), high seas, blinding viz. - it was interesting to say the least I was all alone with just Tadpole to take care of me. Once again, she just seemed unfazed by it all. No one will believe this but a stray dolphin swam by in the middle of the storm. I know because I saw her dorsal and then she briefly surfaced within 5' of Tadpole. I could not see more than 10' with the wind driven pouring rain. One may ask, how do you know the dolphin was a "she" My answer is simple. I am Sicilian Italian. I know these things.

I had planned to reinstall the boom, etc. this afternoon, but given deteriorating conditions, decided I can do it tomorrow. I also have to repair or replace the O/B motor starter cord. It failed to recoil properly. Minor issue unrelated to TS Fay.

All in all it was a real learning experience. I gained a lot of knowledge about securing Tadpole in the mangroves and her unbelievable ability to shrug off tropical storms, sustained torrential rain, high seas, etc.

I plan on hoisting a few Guinness tonight to pray for NO MORE STORMS THIS SEASON

I hope and pray everyone else made it through as well.

[Lew Gresham]

Glad you had no damage to the little one. Now, how uncomfortable were you during the storm? Any nail biting going on. Where you pacing the floor, and calling the Marina often asking how things look.

A trailer would solve all that. How many postings have you read where people are looking for a trailer for their Typhoon. Plenty!

Anyway, glad everything turned out OK. The next one may be a lot worse. Think about a trailer, seriously! You could pet your Ty everyday its home, plus you can work on one much better on a trailer.

Anybody second this!

[barfwinkle]

Anybody second this!

Especially for such a small and trailerable boat I second this

[Russell]

Anybody second this!

Do we even know if Robert has a vehicle able to pull a trailer? Or a neighborhood that would allow him to have the boat at his home? A trailer is not nessisarily a magic solution for everyone. We all know Robert puts an amazing amount of thought into his decisions and I am sure he has explored the trailer idea. I dont see the need to push it on him if thats not what he wants.