Monday, August 29, 2011
ELECTRIC POWER IS DOWN. WE ARE MONITORING EMAILS.
WHILE WE ARE WITHOUT ELECTRICITY & LANDLINE PHONE SERVICE, PLEASE CALL OUR YARD CELL PHONE NUMBER: 443-336-8034
Dear Customers,
We’re pleased to report that IRENE did not create problems for us – thanks to the extensive preparation made by HYY crew. We invested significant time in taking care of customer boats at the yard and around the river. As the storm took hold, a team of employees kept overnight watch and made line adjustments to dozens of boats in Galesville. Several of the owners had arranged in advance for our overnight service and we found many others in need of our attention. Just as impressive was a second team at Chalk Point Marine; had they (HYY personnel and three slip holders) not been there, one boat would have seriously been damaged or lost due to dock line breakage.
IRENE tracked East and spared us from high surge. Her threat was not wind velocity as much as the long and sustained (18 hours) high wind with gusts up to 60 kts. The characteristics of each storm brings lesson; here are a few observations made:
•Most boats did not take advantage of piles for tying backup lines. Tying two lines to one cleat is useless if the cleat were to separate from the dock. Make use of neighboring cleats to allow more scope to the line for riding extra high or low tide.
•In many cases dock lines were either too old, too short, or inadequate in diameter and strength. Always keep the eye of the dock line at the boat cleat, leaving the bitter end for adjustment at the dock.
•Boats with bows facing the predicted wind direction fared best. Never expose a large cockpit to windward.
•Scuppers clogged with debris or fallen leafs are a potential for cockpit flooding (and eventually, below deck).
•A few furling systems around the river were seen unfurled with sails shredded. One furling sail had 3 or 4 sheet wraps to secure it but still managed to unfurl the top 50% of the sail. It is best to remove furling headsails.
•Fender boards are great as long as the boat is kept in place by using long and taught spring lines.
Overall, boats on West River fared well. If you did experience damage, we are here to help. Please give us a call this week for an estimate.
Enjoy the best of cruising this fall!
Alex Schlegel
Hartge Yacht Yard, Inc.
410-867-2188 / HartgeYard@aol.com / www.HartgeYard.com
ELECTRIC POWER IS DOWN. WE ARE MONITORING EMAILS.
WHILE WE ARE WITHOUT ELECTRICITY & LANDLINE PHONE SERVICE, PLEASE CALL OUR YARD CELL PHONE NUMBER: 443-336-8034
Dear Customers,
We’re pleased to report that IRENE did not create problems for us – thanks to the extensive preparation made by HYY crew. We invested significant time in taking care of customer boats at the yard and around the river. As the storm took hold, a team of employees kept overnight watch and made line adjustments to dozens of boats in Galesville. Several of the owners had arranged in advance for our overnight service and we found many others in need of our attention. Just as impressive was a second team at Chalk Point Marine; had they (HYY personnel and three slip holders) not been there, one boat would have seriously been damaged or lost due to dock line breakage.
IRENE tracked East and spared us from high surge. Her threat was not wind velocity as much as the long and sustained (18 hours) high wind with gusts up to 60 kts. The characteristics of each storm brings lesson; here are a few observations made:
•Most boats did not take advantage of piles for tying backup lines. Tying two lines to one cleat is useless if the cleat were to separate from the dock. Make use of neighboring cleats to allow more scope to the line for riding extra high or low tide.
•In many cases dock lines were either too old, too short, or inadequate in diameter and strength. Always keep the eye of the dock line at the boat cleat, leaving the bitter end for adjustment at the dock.
•Boats with bows facing the predicted wind direction fared best. Never expose a large cockpit to windward.
•Scuppers clogged with debris or fallen leafs are a potential for cockpit flooding (and eventually, below deck).
•A few furling systems around the river were seen unfurled with sails shredded. One furling sail had 3 or 4 sheet wraps to secure it but still managed to unfurl the top 50% of the sail. It is best to remove furling headsails.
•Fender boards are great as long as the boat is kept in place by using long and taught spring lines.
Overall, boats on West River fared well. If you did experience damage, we are here to help. Please give us a call this week for an estimate.
Enjoy the best of cruising this fall!
Alex Schlegel
Hartge Yacht Yard, Inc.
410-867-2188 / HartgeYard@aol.com / www.HartgeYard.com