Never a dull moment in the boating world!!!

gofish103 · Post by **gofish103** » Mon Jul 13, 2009 3:48 pm

I was away from the boat for two weeks while the family and I soaked up the sun on the beach in the Carolinas. Well on our drive home, I got a call from our marina. Stomach sank and I thought "this cant be good".

Well sure enough it wasnt. There was a severe storm June 25th, that came thru (lake Erie), sustained winds of upwards of 70+ MPH, and 3-5 footers in the marina.

I had my boat tied off with 1/2" bow and stern line, and two spring lines. I was tied off to 2x6 stanchions. three stanchions sheered off at the base of the dock and one of the 1/2" lines snapped. The only thing holding the boat to the dock was the shore power cord.

My neigbor's boat (26' Regulator) also assisted in helping out!! the regulator sustained a couple scratches from my rub rail and I got a nice nickle size gash out of the gel coat!

These things are tanks!!!

Never a dull moment in the boating world!!!

Trojan26NC · Post by **Trojan26NC** » Mon Jul 13, 2009 8:02 pm

I hope your vacation was a little less exciting!! That sounded like a pretty strong storm that rolled through your marina. I am glad your boat and the ones around around it only had minor damage.

guglielmo6160 · Post by **guglielmo6160** » Mon Jul 13, 2009 8:03 pm

you snapped a 1/2 inch line?? thats incredible, you have any idea how much tension you need to do that? was it an older lline?

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Mon Jul 13, 2009 8:09 pm

1/2 inch lines are the min. I would go with 5/8 and 2x6 stanchions ? they don't get high winds there often do they ? You need to tie to some real cleats or pilings .

k9th · Post by **k9th** » Mon Jul 13, 2009 8:09 pm

Where on Lake Erie are you docked? That was one hell of a storm to break lines and snap wooden stanchions like that.

LSP · Post by **LSP** » Mon Jul 13, 2009 8:43 pm

Sounds like one heck of a storm. Definitely take Paul's advice for the future.

RWS · Post by **RWS** » Mon Jul 13, 2009 8:55 pm

Tanks - YUP !

Take a look at the mountings and the backing plates on your cleats.

Anchored out in the canal behind my home during hurricane Charley a CAT 4 hurricane.

She broke, yes I said BROKE two concrete pilings, and bet ove a wooden piling.

FOUR BOATS WERE SUNK ON THIS CANAL.

She sustained damage to her radar arch and anchor locker lid.

Too bad we're all orphans.

One of the reasons this site is so important.

You have a smartly engineered, well constructed boat. With decent care your Lancaster PA Trojan will still be floating when many of her contemporaties have gone on to become part of a landfill or artifical reef.

RWS

rossjo · Post by **rossjo** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 12:34 am

Humm - here in Hurricane Land ... I have 6 lines to the dock - both 1/2" and 3/4" ... to 6 separate cleats ... with 5 bumpers and a stand-off pole to the front (free to go up and down with the tide at an angle to hold off the dock).

I am planning a piling upgrade this year, but my boat has endured 90mph winds at my dock (it will test your nerves a bit) with even more lines and bumpers attached ...

Glad you survived, but do get something more than 2 lines ... and ...

MAKE SURE YOUR DOCK's CLEATS ARE THROUGH-BOLTED. Many docks simply use lag bolts screwed into the wood. This is NOT acceptable, nor is it the intended design of a dock cleat (note how most have a hex where the bolt head imbeds in the cleat, so you MUST tighten it with a bolt from below the dock).

gofish103 · Post by **gofish103** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 3:27 pm

No the line wasnt very old, bought it last year.
No I didnt think that we would be getting winds like that, and most all other boats were tied up the same as mine.
But she is definitely tied to solid ground this time!! who would have thought that a 1/2" line would snap like that???

I have four bumpers tied to the dock and four new lines.