Hurricane Contracts

[Tortuga James]

I never bit the bullet and bought a hurricane contract from my local boatyard and rode out the storms of the last few years at the dock. With Irene bearing down on us last week, my marina called for a mandatory evacuation and I was forced to find a place on the hill or take the boat somewhere out of the hurricane's path.

Luckily, the yard had space, but he made me buy a contract (@ $25 a foot) for $750. I didn't have much of a choice, so I can't complain. I beat the odds for 4 years and I guess it was my time to pay up. Luckily, the boat faired ok in the yard, my house on Calico Creek is flooded from what I can tell from reports. I came to Durham for the storm so I am relying on remote information at this point.

I think in the future, I will just buy the contract in the spring as a part of my insurance budget and have the peace of mind that I have a spot when a storm comes. The contract covers one haul, block and storage. After that it only covers that you have a spot for every storm you want to haul for for the season.

 

[Mike Campbell]

Probably a good idea. Most of the boats come up here in the ICW close to my house at Bock's. You might could hide yours there in Sea Gate...
Since it appears we are going to have to decide what to do again NEXT week...thought I'd offer any suggestion I can...
Everything over here is cancelled until Tuesday due to visibility....
Let me know if you need any thing....
Mike

 

[Wookie]

What BS is this "Mandatory Evacuation? My boat insurance company definitely has a "strap it down to the dock and walk away" kind of attitude. If the marina facility is so crummy that their pilings won't hold during a storm, what the hell are you doing there in the first place. Is this mandatory evacuation part of your lease? I'd tell any marina that told me that I had to move my boat when I paid a lease on the facility to pack it up their ass.

 

[Akyla]

There are a lot of marinas that have the evac policy and they let you know that upfront if you read the contracts. Not a good thing but it really is fairly common. They are more interested in protecting their facilities than your boat. None of the marinas in Hatteras make you leave and it is your choice to go or just tuff it out. I do not move for most of the storms, just tie up and batten down. When I do move the boat it is to Coinjock where I have reserved slot at one of the marinas -I have to notify them if I am not coming or I have to pay anyway.

I left for Irene and am sort of sorry that I did. Went up to Coinjock with most of the charter fleet and that is where we are all still stuck waiting to return. Even though the storm damage at our end of the island is nonexistent, the government has gone almost nuts this time and instituted a very strict return policy along with a nighttime curfew. They even prohibited boats from returning and those that tried were intercepted by the CG and told they could not return and then had to go back to Coinjock. It really is a big CF as far as the return access issue goes and residents are finally being allowed back starting Monday. Glad I have a house in VA to go live at.

Now there is a debate about how to fix the road and the feds are involved making the process all that much more difficult. Also, our friends at the Audubon society have filed for an injunction to stop the road rebuilding effort. Who knows when we can get the customers back and so it looks like my dive season is now over for the most part. So right now Hurricane contract is the least of my worries and I might just stay where I am at until this next one, Katia, passes by then take the boat back next weekend.

 

[Wookie]

Wow. Different normals in different parts of the country, I guess. Where I tie up, I would be far more worried about damage to the boat than to the facility, but that's why I have insurance. That's why the facility has insurance too. I'm sorry for the damage to your season, I understand. We lost the rest of our season following Katrina, Ike, and any other number of storms. It sucks to see conditions offshore calm and you can't get the customers to the boat. I saw that Olympus cancelled this weekend for poor visibility, an after Katia, who knows what will happen. Getting those fall trips out is usually the icing on my cake (or new air compressors/generators/engines) at the end of the season.

Good luck to y'all.

 

[Tortuga James]

Hey Mike, now that I paid the contract I have a spot for the rest of the season. My customers for this weekend are already back pedaling and singing the Katia blues. Frank, you are right about the fall trips making or breaking the season. You work all summer to pay the annual bills and then fall is the profit. If september is any indication, she isn't shaping up too great. I might have to unretire and get a real job again.

I felt bad for Olympus calling their weekend. I was out there Friday alongside them and the viz sucked. I tallked my group into a beach day Saturday and then try again Sunday and it wasn't too bad. We sort of salvaged the weekend.

On the mandatory evacuation issue...I have been there 4 years and I really like the marina owners. It is the first time they did this. Knasty harbor is a great little storm hole, but the docks are floating and at mean high tide, there is only about 4 more feet. In a really bad surge, once the docks start floating off the piles all hell is breaking loose.

 

[Akyla]

Floating docks are great for everything but a storm surge. They are never built with tall enough pilings and once you reach the top of the pilings, it is all over. If it looks like there will be a high storm surge you are better off moving even if they dont make you go.

I just sat here at the desk writing out several checks returning the deposits for the trips I lost and will loose because of the no return to the island policy. Now the Officials are saying "sometime after Sept 17th". Very painful.

 

[Tortuga James]

Floating docks are great for everything but a storm surge. They are never built with tall enough pilings and once you reach the top of the pilings, it is all over. If it looks like there will be a high storm surge you are better off moving even if they dont make you go.

I just sat here at the desk writing out several checks returning the deposits for the trips I lost and will loose because of the no return to the island policy. Now the Officials are saying "sometime after Sept 17th". Very painful.

Dave I feel your pain. If I lose this coming weekend due to Katia I going to be in a world of hurt. Luckily this group is a trusted set of customers and I didn't require them to give me a deposit, so at least I won't have to return money. Good luck salvaging the rest of your season. Maybe we will be blessed with a great October and November. I am not going to take any bookings after Thanksgiving until April. It is just not worth it.