Now that Ernesto has passed, a question for other Florida boaters that live on a canal... - The Hull Truth

tobnpr · 08-30-2006, 07:59 PM

Just read a good article in the current Boat U.S. rag confirming that what I've always done is good practice: cross-tying my boat in the middle of the canal when a hurricane threatens. For others who live on a canal, and own a boat too large to trailer- is this what you do, and is there any protocol you follow in your neighborhood as to the timing of it? I've always waited as long as I could- until I'm hopping in the car to evacuate- to do this in order to allow those who wish to get their boats out time to do so. Smaller boats are still able to carefully pass under my lines if they have to do so, but I'm curious as to what others do in the same situation. Anyone have a neighborhood "plan" where such things are agreed upon in advance?

TonyAmalfitano · 08-30-2006, 08:38 PM

I read a similar article in the Power Squadron Mag. They added one piece you didn't mention. Tie a heavy line across the mouth of the canal to intercept and boats that break loose, and keep them from reaching yours. One good thing about living in NJ, I don't have to deal with that stuff to often.

thataway · 08-30-2006, 08:43 PM

I currently live on narrow Bayou. We all co-ordinate our tie ups/haul outs. But if I do leave a boat in the canal, I leave enough slack so that smaller boats can get under. When I lived on a large bayou, and many of my friends still live there, we spike chains between dolphins to keep dragging boats at anchor from tangling into our docks and boats. One older 43 foot Hatteras motor yacht caused over $750,000 worth of damage to boats and docks it drug into because it was improperly anchored.

solarfry · 08-30-2006, 08:44 PM

Quote:

TonyAmalfitano - 8/30/2006 7:38 PM

I read a similar article in the Power Squadron Mag. They added one piece you didn't mention. Tie a heavy line across the mouth of the canal to intercept and boats that break loose, and keep them from reaching yours. One good thing about living in NJ, I don't have to deal with that stuff to often.

I'd tie two lines to prevent others boats from crashing into mine.

Hub · 08-30-2006, 08:45 PM

Having spent a number of years in FL(Dunedin) I would be most concerned about a line or two breaking off and having the boat end up in someone's house or backyard due to wind or storm surge. I would do this only if there were no homeowners around, purely because my liability would be greatly reduced.

Remember the "no name" storm of 1993 that became "The Perfect Storm" on the Atlantic coast? My sailboat was slipped at Marker 1 Marina in Dunedin along the sea wall at the time. That particular storm brought the storm surge 3 feet over the sea wall, into the parking lot, and onto the Causeway! I have no idea how my boat did not sink, except for the fact that I had triple-lined to the stern cleats, doubled-lined the springers and bow lines to the bow cleats. I figure the tide surge was a total of 4-5 feet since the storm hit at high tide. Thankfully, my boat was not damaged. I did, however, replace all of my mooring lines due to the stretching from the storm...

JAGSARE1 · 08-30-2006, 09:36 PM

So far, no one does that in my canal. I have a major concern though in that if someone ties their boat to a piling that is supporting my bulkhead and that causes damage to my bulkhead or leads to a catastrophic failure...no insurance will cover that. According to State Farm, there is no way to insure a bulkhead collapse.

Before someone says something dumb like my bulkhead should be rebuilt, it is a completely new bulkhead that is about 3 years old now with an expected life of 20-25. But, it was not constructed to support boats tied to it.

The plans for my boat were to secure it with as many lines as I can get on it and tie to multiple points on my dock and out of courtesy, will not tie off of my property.

tobnpr · 08-30-2006, 09:46 PM

You make a good point about tying off to others' properties; I had permission but now I have new neighbors on the other side of the canal- I'll need to talk to them. No doubt- if I were to damage the property (pilings/dock) I'd be liable, but the boat ins. should cover it. Still a far better alternative to anything else.

There's really no way for me tie up side-to in a way that would be suitable for a hurricane. Leaving enough slack in the lines to account for storm surge would guarantee the boat would get bashed to pieces against my pilings.

JAGSARE1 · 08-30-2006, 09:53 PM

I know, it is one of those sticky situations. I have good relationships with my neighbors and wouldn't want anything to damage that. I would also feel bad if I caused them damage. Damn hurricanes!!

rkatz · 08-30-2006, 11:18 PM

No set plan here. However, most of my neighbors wait until the last possible minute. I have also wondered often about the effects of tying up to someone else's dock and having a catastrophe follow. Last year, during Wilma, a 70' boat ripped off an entire dock down my canal. One hearty soul saw it and somehow managed to re-tie the boat, dock and all, to his own dock in order to save the rest of us. Thank goodness I couldn't see because of my shutters, or I would have &(*& a brick.

That said, most of my neighbors wait until the last minute to tie up and work together and tie to each other's properties. However, my across canal neighbor rents out his dock space. Last year, (again in Wilma) the guy who rented the space for his 40 some odd foot Sea Ray, decided to tie it down with thin nylon lines. Needless to say they stretched like rubber bands and ultimately snapped the landlords pilings. I would be pissed. Unfortunately for the landlord, he couldn't do anything about it.

As far as bulkheads / seawalls are concerned, I again share your concern. I have looked into insuring my dock and seawall and have come up dry (no pun intended) time and again. Best case scenario is to get your boat on a trailer or out of the area and hope no one else's boat hits your dock.

Kamper · 08-31-2006, 09:59 AM

I'd bet cross-tieing is technically illegal since it "interferes with navigation" but since it's for public safety under emergency conditions, any charges would be dismissed with a dirty look from any intelligent judge.

If you are worried about a sea-wall collapsing I have some suggestions.

Set up a mooring on the land side of the bulkhead. Bury an anchor or a concrete blob several feet underground with a chain running to the surface. The chain head can be coverred under a lid or bucket for cosmetic purposes.

Leave only a foot or two of extra chain on the surface and tie-in with a shackle when you need to use it. Use boards or timbers for chafing protection where the chain crosses the wall if you cant install some bits.

I have been to a park that had huge cleats mounted in concrete several feet from the waters edge. I believe they were just for show though. If you have the resources I'm sure something like that could be done too, mount heavy cleats or bollards on top of a concrete base.

Obviously you'd need permission to do this on the opposite side of the channel if it's owned by somebody else. Definitly a good excuse for a few beers.

Critiques welcome.

JAGSARE1 · 08-31-2006, 11:17 AM

Not a bad idea to have a couple of huge piling buried for hurricane purposes only. Or, I am sure there are some type of helical anchors that can be used for this purpose. My boat cannot be trailered and there are no haulout facilities for 35 miles either way. My boat at 35' is the largest in the canal so mine is the one to worry about here.

Surfhunter · 08-31-2006, 12:11 PM

I don't think a line at the end of a canal is going to stop a 43 Hatteras from coming in.

ScarabChris · 08-31-2006, 12:56 PM

Some of the people in my neighborhood do this. If the storm were going to be that bad I would put the boat on the trailer. Otherwise being that I am at the end of the canal I can just tie a line from my boat to the neighbors dock without going accross the 85' wide canal. There are still a couple of boats tied in the middle of the canal right now and it is sunny out. As long as that crap is wrapped up by Saturday it's fine with me.

But to answer the original question....yes, it is common practice down here in South Florida.

MC · 08-31-2006, 12:57 PM

Live on a canal, but boat is on a lift so I do participate in the tieing off theory. When the boat was in the water, did not participate as well. The biggest problem with that is the boat owners who do not come back right away to remove their lines to clear the navagation.

During last year's Hurricans, I was amazed that after 2 weeks, people still had their boats tied up accross the canals. I'm uneffected (as I live at the open end) but I guarrantee that if I was unable to use or relocate my boat due to someone leaving their boat unattended I'd be pretty upset. Espeically after the storm has passed. There is a beat up sailboat that threw out an extra anchor line in the middle of the canal that was there for about 4 months. Again, if it affected my navagation, I would have tracked him (or the dock owner) down to get him to remove it.

I for one would not want someone elses boat tied to my property during a storm. Too many potential problems.

TickleStik · 09-01-2006, 11:16 AM

I live on a canal, about 6 lots off the Intracoastal. Because of the number of storms threatening us in the last several years, I have spoken to my neighbors across the canal and we have all agreed to allow each other to cross-tie. We all have cleats mounted into seawalls, so we don't tie off to pilings. Of course, none of the storms hit us that hard so the jury is out over what would happen if a boat damaged another boat or a dock. Most of us either have larger boats or (in my case) don't have trailers or a lift, so leaving the boat in the water is the only option. You really have to cross-tie to allow the boat to ride as well as possible. If you try and just let line out off your dock, then you have no protection when the wind shifts.

ndb8fxe · 09-01-2006, 12:21 PM

to answer your question. Yes it is common. I have a trailer boat so I don't know about agreements from neighbors, but all the canals down here(the dead end ones) have boats cross tied. I helped several friends tie thiers last year and we would try to get the boat as far away from the dock as possible. Not only does this help with the boat beating against the dock, but it allowes the line to be more tight and not compinsating as much for tidal change.