Canvas enclosures and storms

[wkearney99]

We were expecting a direct hit from Irma opening we prepped for Irma, we took down the Bimini and duct taped the frames together and lashed them down. I then went around and taped every opening and crack closed with duct tape.

I hate most duct tape, cleaning up the adhesive is almost worse than whatever damage it might have prevented.

 

[djewell]

Our GB36CL is berthed at Cape Fear Marina in Wilmington, NC. When Florence approached last fall, we removed all canvas from the FB, removed coverings from the windows, and removed canvas from the rear hatch. Glad we did. No damage except blown rain in through the cracks around the rear hatch soiled some linen. We feel very fortunate.

 

[Shaunc]

yes we cleaned the glue off for a few days but we were dry inside. Figured a good trade off under the circumstances

 

[Shrew]

It depends on the max wind speeds. Many, many boats with canvas easily travel at 25-30 MPH. (Express Cruisers, Sport Fish). They do so for years without the need to take the canvas down.

High winds, like a Cat 1? Take them down.

 

[Wayne]

I fold my two bimini's up and boot them when thunderstorms are approaching. For tropical storms and Nor'easters I would remove the canvas and lash the frame. For a hurricane I would seriously consider removing the frame. You would be surprised at the windage even a frame will add during extreme winds.

HI, We HAD an Albin 43 before Hurricane Michael, which was a Cat 5 Hurricane, but was forecast to be a Cat 3. The aft bimini cross frame neatly swung forward and mated with the well-braced forward crossbeam, essentially making a braced single crossbeam when wrapped with the bimini fabric which was securely tied. I had rolled the bimini upon the cross frame, put a Sunbrella cover I made over the rolled-up bimini and wrapped 1/4" rope multiple times around it. After Hurricane Michael, the entire bimini was just as I had prepared it for the storm. Unfortunately, the Celestial pulled 3 50' pilings, set 25' into the bottom, out and she went on her last journey, only to be destroyed after hitting some pilings about 1/4 mile away. Yes, the wind in a Cat 5 hurricane is unimaginable.

 

[wkearney99]

Unfortunately, the Celestial pulled 3 50' pilings, set 25' into the bottom, out and she went on her last journey, only to be destroyed after hitting some pilings about 1/4 mile away. Yes, the wind in a Cat 5 hurricane is unimaginable.

Yowza, pulled 3 of the pilings! Did the pilings stay with the boat until it wrecked on the others?

 

[sdowney717]

I would remove all fabric if a hurricane is coming. But dont worry about thunderstorms or windy days.

 

[Wayne]

WK -As I said earlier, the Celestial pulled three 10" minimum diameter (I think) 50' pilings out - both stern pilings and one bow piling. I should say that one stern piling broke off just under the surface of the water, the other stern piling and a bow piling pulled out. One piling (not the one that broke off) slingshot up and into the boat. The end was sticking out about 4' past the aft rail. I don't know which piling it was. I think the top of that piling penetrated the boat's bow below the waterline. I don't know what happened to the other two. The remaining bow piling is now cocked about 45 degrees from vertical and the breast piling is standing upright. All pilings had doubled 3/4" nylon rope on them except for one bow piling which was tripled. The breast line was an older line, but all the other lines were new. All lines had good chafe protection. Albin 43's have a very solid double Samson post setup. It apparently held up. I took some pictures when the boat was being removed by a crane on a barge. It was not a pretty sight. I tried to attach one, but I really don't know how to.

 

[wkearney99]

It was not a pretty sight. I tried to attach one, but I really don't know how to.

To attach a picture, use the [Go Advanced] button in the quick reply area. That'll take you to an entry form with more options, including a [Manage Attachments] button. You can use that to attach pictures.

It's a little tricky, as the Manage Attachments button brings up a separate window. In that you have to select [Choose File] to attach something and then use the [Upload] button to send them. Once sent you then use the [Submit Reply] button to get the whole thing posted.

 

[OldDan1943]

WK -As I said earlier, the Celestial pulled three 10" minimum diameter (I think) 50' pilings out - both stern pilings and one bow piling. I should say that one stern piling broke off just under the surface of the water, the other stern piling and a bow piling pulled out. One piling (not the one that broke off) slingshot up and into the boat. The end was sticking out about 4' past the aft rail. I don't know which piling it was. I think the top of that piling penetrated the boat's bow below the waterline. I don't know what happened to the other two. The remaining bow piling is now cocked about 45 degrees from vertical and the breast piling is standing upright. All pilings had doubled 3/4" nylon rope on them except for one bow piling which was tripled. The breast line was an older line, but all the other lines were new. All lines had good chafe protection. Albin 43's have a very solid double Samson post setup. It apparently held up. I took some pictures when the boat was being removed by a crane on a barge. It was not a pretty sight. I tried to attach one, but I really don't know how to.

When everything settles down...... when you put in permanent dock lines, wrap a chain loop around the piling. Get line with thimbles and run the chain through the thimbles. Drop the chains and lines down the pilings.
Many times folks tie the lines high on the pilings which allows the pilings to flex and strain the upper pilings, bending and and loosening the grip of the pilings and pull out.

 

[FF]

"I would remove all fabric if a hurricane is coming. But dont worry about thunderstorms or windy days."


This might be fine in VA , but for boats in FL during the summer remember thunder storms can be a 5x-10x a day blast of 40k-65k winds from varying directions.

 

[Wayne]

Salvaging the Celestial

This is as close as I could get. They could not lift her out of the water (?because she was full of water?) so they lashed her to the side of the barge. At one time she almost sank, but they secured slings again to her in time. Later, she seemed to float OK, but had lines to the barge, so she may not have been actually floating.

Thanks for the help in getting the photo attached!

 

[Wayne]

Hmm. well, it wasn't upside down on my computer...

 

[wkearney99]

Ftfy

 

[Wayne]

WK - Yes, that looks better - thanks. Note that the 50' piling is sticking out the back. It was a sad day...

 

[cardude01]

Damn. [emoji15]

 

[rgano]

A few miles away from Wayne's Celestial, this is how I found Frolic after Hurricane Michael where I had hidden it way in a canal. That tree is pushing the boat down into the water by a few inches. You can see the enclose canvas portions in place as described above.

 

[foggysail]

I leave our canvas up and have been though 70 -80MPH winds. Much higher winds will certainly damage it but I will leave it up to protect the interior as much as possible.