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So Much Rain!

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andbarger
Deckhand

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24 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/29/2015 : 11:55:38

Had some wicked weather on Saturday at the West end of Lake Erie! Heard many stories of dock under water, some places got 7+ inches of rain and the winds were 20+ kts all day from the North pushing all the water to the South shore. Went to the boat Sunday and found my dock line 3' up the post. The picture is of my bow line, it normally sits at the bottom right on dock but when the water came up the line slid up the post. The boat was fine had a few damp spots but it was dry for the most part. (I don't know why the pic looks like that, it looks fine on my computer)

Summer Vibe
1984 C25 Tall Rig
Swing Keel & Pop-Top

davidbloodworth
1st Mate

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USA
78 Posts

Response Posted - 06/29/2015 : 18:20:17

Not trying to one up you but here is the view from the ramp to my dock looking towards the parking lot I usually park on. Taken Memorial Day weekend. This picture is before Lake Texoma crested the fist time at 28.78 above pool. The lake was down to just about 20 feet above pool when Tropical storm Bill came ashore. The lake went back up to 28.43 over pool. Both of which are 5 feet over the spillway. The lake should drop below the spillway sometime tonight. It will take most of the summer for the level to get back to normal. I have replaced doubled up docks lines twice since Memorial Day weekend.

David B.
'84 C25 TR/FK #4301 "Synchronicity"
'70 18' Interlake
'78 14' Dolphin Sr
Lubbock, TX

Edited by - davidbloodworth on 06/29/2015 18:27:41

panhead1948
Captain

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345 Posts

Response Posted - 06/29/2015 : 19:46:04

I was worried about my boat Sat. night, but I thought there was nothing I could, so I waited till morning. There is usually about 7.6 ft at my dock. Sunday morning it was showing 9.2 and the water had gone down at least 1.5. This was in Sandusky Bay on Lake Erie.

Derek Crawford
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3312 Posts

Response Posted - 06/29/2015 : 20:18:48

We've had some rain too! Canyon Lake was 10' low and it went up to 26' above datum. The road to the marina was under 5' of water. The Corps of Engineers has been releasing water from the dam at maximum rate of 5,000 cf/sec and the lake is now only 1.5' high.
Here at home we have had 14" of rain in the last 2 1/2 weeks.

Derek Crawford
Chief Measurer C25-250 2008
Previous owner of "This Side UP"
1981 C-25 TR/FK #2262 Used to have an '89 C22 #9483, "Downsized"
San Antonio, Texas

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5231 Posts

Response Posted - 06/30/2015 : 06:33:28

In tidal areas (which lakes are not), docks float and can rise and fall on changes in water level. In lakes most docks are fixed. So when levels rise radically, how do you compensate your lines or docks for 2-4 ft level changes?
I've seen 6-8 ft fiberglass masts attached to docks that are used to keep boats on the docks but they can only flex 1 foot or two. Do you just keep lines long and loose?

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9013 Posts

Response Posted - 06/30/2015 : 07:22:13

quote:
Originally posted by Voyager

...Do you just keep lines long and loose?

One technique used on fixed docks in tidal areas is to run the "breast-lines" from the dock or pilings to the cleats on the opposite sides of the boat, making their angle from horizontal more acute. Obviously that has more effect at the stern than at the bow, and the dock or piling attachments should be above the deck level at high water. Also, the longer the spring-lines, the better, for the same reason.

But even around here (~3' tide range) in marinas with fixed docks, I've seen boats hanging from their lines at low tide. Trying to deal with it at that time can be very dangerous.

Dave Bristle
Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT
PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired),
Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5851 Posts

Response Posted - 06/30/2015 : 07:59:20

Whenever there's a hurricane or tropical depression in the neighborhood, 4-5 of us dockholders stay at the marina, usually until 3:00-3:30 am, adjusting docklines as necessary, until the worst of the storm has passed. Afterwards, if the roads are passable, we go home, or to a motel, or retire to the boat, or perhaps sleep in the car.

You can get a lot of slack to allow for tidal range by crossing your stern lines, as Dave suggested, but in a particularly severe hurricane, like Hurricane Isabel in 2003, which produced a storm surge as high as 8 feet, docklines will have to be adjusted during the storm.

There's a point when the water is so high that the dock cleats are so deep underwater that you can't adjust them anymore. When that point appears to be near, you have to make the last adjustments and hope they're enough, and if not, then rely on your insurance company. There's only so much you can do.

Last weekend I received an alert on my cellphone that a tornado was seen in my area, so I put on my foulies, in case I saw one coming and had to get off the boat, but then I realized that there are no storm-resistant structures on the marina property in which to take shelter, so I thought about any alternatives. It seemed to me that a reasonably safe place to be would be in the water, lashed to a piling with my safety harness. It would be below the seawall, which would protect me from flying debris, and pilings don't usually get uprooted by a storm, especially if you select a piling that doesn't have a boat tied to it.

Steve Milby J/24 "Captiva Wind"
previously C&C 35, Cal 25, C25 TR/FK, C22
Past Commodore

Edited by - Steve Milby on 06/30/2015 08:06:33

davidbloodworth
1st Mate

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USA
78 Posts

Response Posted - 06/30/2015 : 13:50:00

quote:
Originally posted by Voyager

In tidal areas (which lakes are not), docks float and can rise and fall on changes in water level. In lakes most docks are fixed. So when levels rise radically, how do you compensate your lines or docks for 2-4 ft level changes?
I've seen 6-8 ft fiberglass masts attached to docks that are used to keep boats on the docks but they can only flex 1 foot or two. Do you just keep lines long and loose?

Luckily our docks float. There is typically about 20 feet of water under my boat. There is currently close to 60 feet under it. Lake Texoma's conservation pool elevation is 619 (seasonally adjusted) and the lake level today is at 640.43. It has been over 645 twice since Memorial Day. This picture is of the restaurant at out marina. When we took it two weekends ago there was over 17 feet of water where we are at taking the picture. There is usually an outdoor eating area under that overhang and a parking lot below it. Currently the lake is going down about 6 inches a day with the Corp of Engineers letting it out at about 50,000 CFS. Going to take a few days to get back to conservation pool.

David B.
'84 C25 TR/FK #4301 "Synchronicity"
'70 18' Interlake
'78 14' Dolphin Sr
Lubbock, TX

Derek Crawford
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3312 Posts

Response Posted - 06/30/2015 : 14:26:25

Fortunately the docks on Canyon Lake are not fixed but can be adjusted up or down. One year they adjusted for a 41' flood, another time for a 17' drop. We also have wonderful marina staff who keep our boats safe.