Late May Nor'easter

[igblack87]

This year has been tough with the wind and rain up in New England (South Shore of Boston). We have had a lot of days 20+ mph of wind from the NW, N, NE, ENE etc. Speeding up the story here...my boat got smashed up at the dock. The night of the Nor'easter high tide was 9pm-ish, wind NE 40+ mph with gusts 55mph. Every other boat at my marina (slipped) made it through just fine for them, for me.

What happened:
- aft port corner of boat got severe dock rash
- several rub rail screws got pulled out of the fiberglass
- port strake got severe mooring ball rash (full set up wound up in my slip)

A couple of things...I felt I did well to anticipate the storm:
- added dock line
- added spring line
- ensured dock fenders were installed correctly

A couple of things...I could have done differently:
- move from the slip to a mooring
- move from my slip to a leeward slip
- pull the boat (didn't have access to a hitch/in the time I had to prepare)

I was devastated when I came down to the dock the morning after the storm (also that same storm...made my roof leak!). I found the boat smashed up from hitting the dock from the waves and wind - our marina owner said water was going up over the finger docks and gangway! A good friend of mine helped me get the boat over to a ramp and pull it out of the water with his truck (he wasn't available before the storm).

Insurance worked pretty quickly with me (Amica has been great) and that same day I was able to bring the boat to a fiberglass shop that has a great reputation and whom I've done business with before (no fault of my own .

Anyways, wanted to share with some pictures and hope that anyone else affected by the late May Nor'easter in New England got through and is still on the water.

 

[igblack87]

After 2 weeks of repair - 4 new layers of glass, gelcoat, new rub rail, decals and bottom paint - I am back in the water! Very happy to make up the hours that were missed (couple times into Boston, around the harbor islands, swimming with the twins).

 

[seasick]

Glad it worked out. I assume your slip is fixed and not floating. Your biggest weakness was your lines. In particular the bow line port side is too short and too tight. During normal tidal swings it works OK but in the case of storm surge, the higher water raises the hull but the slip doesn't move. The lines pull hard and rotate the hull as well as pull the hull tighter to the slip. With enough wind and surge, the hull can actually ride up and onto the dock. That is what happened aft. The same thing applies to the rub rail. What you don't want in a storm is the rub rail to rub.
Had the bow line been tied off to the stern dock cleat and the stern line tied off to the bow cleat, there would be enough line to allow for the unusual surge. On the starboard side a second line for that dock cleat to the boat bow cleat would have helped. The port lines should be longer and the starboard lines shorted to hold the boat off of the dock and bumpers.

I learned about this situation when I docked my boat at my new vacation house's fixed bulkhead during a severe wind event. The tidal swing for the area was a foot or less NORMALLY, During the severe wind event, the water level rose 3+ feet and my rubrail was higher than the dock pilings. Fortunately I had two fixed bumpers that kept the rub rail off of the pilings but just. It was a scary night.

 

[igblack87]

Glad it worked out. I assume your slip is fixed and not floating. Your biggest weakness was your lines. In particular the bow line port side is too short and too tight. During normal tidal swings it works OK but in the case of storm surge, the higher water raises the hull but the slip doesn't move. The lines pull hard and rotate the hull as well as pull the hull tighter to the slip. With enough wind and surge, the hull can actually ride up and onto the dock. That is what happened aft. The same thing applies to the rub rail. What you don't want in a storm is the rub rail to rub.
Had the bow line been tied off to the stern dock cleat and the stern line tied off to the bow cleat, there would be enough line to allow for the unusual surge. On the starboard side a second line for that dock cleat to the boat bow cleat would have helped. The port lines should be longer and the starboard lines shorted to hold the boat off of the dock and bumpers.

I learned about this situation when I docked my boat at my new vacation house's fixed bulkhead during a severe wind event. The tidal swing for the area was a foot or less NORMALLY, During the severe wind event, the water level rose 3+ feet and my rubrail was higher than the dock pilings. Fortunately I had two fixed bumpers that kept the rub rail off of the pilings but just. It was a scary night.

The whole dock floats up and down with the tide. I learned a big lesson from what you wrote. Thank you! In normal situations, it works just fine. I like your description of how the lines might have worked better during the storm surge...I drew it out formyself.

This whole ordeal, was an $$$ learning opportunity .

 

[seasick]

It must have been some storm for the hull to ride over a floating dock. I am sorry you had so much damage but at least the boat didn't submerge. There is only so much you can plan for.

 

[Punchline Cap]

I couldn’t see a starboard stern line in the first picture. Also no starboard springer lines. Maybe in severe weather these would be helpful?

 

[igblack87]

I couldn’t see a starboard stern line in the first picture. Also no starboard springer lines. Maybe in severe weather these would be helpful?

I had a midship line running aft on the starboard side. Should have had it run forward.

 

[Ekea]

the new style grady white looks good on the side

 

[igblack87]

the new style grady white looks good on the side

Thank you. I like it as well.