T&T: Gulf Coast marinas

[bob Austin]

Although hauling the boat is an excellent idea, there are far too many
facilities which are safe for hauled boats in a storm, even if the lifts could
haul the number which would be reqired.  The facility has to be above the
storm surge, have adequate blocking and has to be able to secure the boats
with tiedowns embeded in the earth--best on concrete pads with anchors into
the concrete and then chained/strapped to the pad eyes.

In many photos I have seen, there are boats in the yards which were also
damaged in this instance.

There is another way which was used in Hurricane Dennis in Pensacola.  A
number of unused barges were secured in a rectangle.  The boats were brought
into the enclosed areas--and each boat had to have adequate fendering and good
lines--no canvas showing.  These were secured right next to each other, and
when the area was full, the box was closed, with the barges well secured to
land.  The barges acted as a floating breakwater, all rose and fell with the
surge, and no boats were damaged, except a few gel coat scrapes.  As I
recollect the charges were about the same as a haul and blocking, but far more
boats were handled in the same area.

Bob Austin