Strong winds - damage at Kingston Boatyard, East Cowes
- Thread starter jlavery
- Start date
Lightwave395
Well-known member
The front of my house is open to the Western Solent, it sure was windy earlier this afternoon, worse than predicted in the gusts and the Solent was 'boiling' and a mass of white water
Seven Spades
Well-known member
Last winter we kept our boat in St Carles Maerina near Barcelona, it is an MDL marina. There they have bolt eyes in the concrete and every boat is in its own cradle and then strapped down. I don't understand why we don't do that here.
ProMariner
Active member
Boats used to have their masts removed for winter, maybe yards stopped doing this because masts take up a lot of room, maybe because of damage stepping and unstepping, or cars reversing into the masts in storage. I had my halyards stolen from my mast on a rack once. But when you see this picture, it kind of makes sense to take it down.
NormanS
Well-known member
We're these boats in proper cradles, or were they shored?
Tranona
Well-known member
Difficult to tell from the photo but the larger boat is a shape that is really difficult to shore with its pointy ends, narrow keel and fat middle. I think in our club the yard would probably require a 6 leg cradle
AngusMcDoon
Well-known member
Looks like a Dragonfly 920 in the foreground. That's going to be one expensive carbon mast to replace.
Chiara’s slave
Well-known member
It is indeed. Mad Hatter. It has other damage too.
Stemar
Well-known member
A traditionally shaped boat - long keel, etc is pretty easy to shore, and severe storms were rare, so propping boats worked, but climate change does seem to be bringing stronger and more frequent storms and, at the same time, a modern deep, skinny-keeled boat is harder to shore up. I could easily see insurance companies starting to require proper cradles and, possibly, masts removed, though a boat in the right cradle would need truly exceptional wind to tip it, even with the mast up.
I do wonder how the mast on Mad Hatter came down. Did something hit it? It looks too far from the tipped boats for their masts to have reached.
I do wonder how the mast on Mad Hatter came down. Did something hit it? It looks too far from the tipped boats for their masts to have reached.
Chiara’s slave
Well-known member
She was hit by another mast. The photographer was’t as quick as Kingston boatyard.
Stemar
Well-known member
That makes sense. Thanks
davidej
Well-known member
Sorry Fred Drift.
Why do insurers want boats ashore from November?
Luckily we have had no damage in the local yards from the recent storms.
A few years ago, several boats were blown over in their cradles and some seriously damaged. No yacht still on a mooring had any problems.
Why do insurers want boats ashore from November?
Luckily we have had no damage in the local yards from the recent storms.
A few years ago, several boats were blown over in their cradles and some seriously damaged. No yacht still on a mooring had any problems.
Tranona
Well-known member
Because their claims history informs their policy and generally speaking boats are safer ashore or afloat in protected harbours/marinas than on exposed swinging moorings. Most insurers offer a 10-15% discount on premiums for boats kept in marinas.
This does not, of course mean that boats ashore are totally safe, but incidents like this are rare, particularly now that cradles are more commonly used. Insurers often impose conditions on specific locations which have a history of extreme weather or responsible yards impose conditions such as removal of sails or only approved cradles etc based on their experience.
Moonbeam
Active member
KHM Plymouth have issued several warnings of sunken vessels at anchor and on moorings. Two in the last week with the storms.
Local Notices, Nav Warnings and Directions | Royal Navy
Local Notices, Nav Warnings and Directions | Royal Navy
Caladh
Well-known member
Probably because very strong winds like this are quite rare in the big scheme of things AND it costs money
Boathook
Well-known member
Insurers only want boats ashore or elsewhere when the mooring is unsuitable for winter use.
The way the weather is going I suspect that tie down points will appear in more boatyards in the coming years.
oldmanofthehills
Well-known member
Our boat is propped. A dam sight more stable and secure than 4 leg cradles if done correctly with 3 or 4 props per side - pity folk have forgotten how to us cheap logs but want expensive cradles that lock them to one marina.
A simple tie rope to ground bolts would help if windage aloft too much - our hut on Portland Bill has it for the roof as does the Navigators allotment shed so its not a new idea or rocket science. Kingstone Boatyard need to up their game perhaps
SaltyC
Well-known member
Hmmmm, I prefer to keep tge boat afloat in a secure marina, with mooring ropes port and starboard to take the stress off fenders. It also means tge boat does not get as cold as sat in water at 4 deg!
However, this year, the marina were dredging so I hauled out, with reservations for the winter. Due to numbers hauling a shortage of 'props' where previously well propped and cross braced ended up with 2 metal props each side on 37 foot boat, 7 days later on its side!!
My insurers have been good, boat going for repair, marinas insurer claiming an 'act of God's not the incompetence of poor / inadequate propping. The marina will double their costs with legal fees due to evidence of inadequately propping tge boat but still have a 'repaired 'boat not an original.
Pump-Out
Active member
oldmanofthehills
Well-known member
Did you not see it lifted then. If I had seen that I would have wanted to know how they thought it would work.Hmmmm, I prefer to keep tge boat afloat in a secure marina, with mooring ropes port and starboard to take the stress off fenders. It also means tge boat does not get as cold as sat in water at 4 deg!
However, this year, the marina were dredging so I hauled out, with reservations for the winter. Due to numbers hauling a shortage of 'props' where previously well propped and cross braced ended up with 2 metal props each side on 37 foot boat, 7 days later on its side!!
My insurers have been good, boat going for repair, marinas insurer claiming an 'act of God's not the incompetence of poor / inadequate propping. The marina will double their costs with legal fees due to evidence of inadequately propping tge boat but still have a 'repaired 'boat not an original.
Incompetence on their part and i hope boat can be repaired promptly
