Save the Hatt!

[nyrussell]

Ok, I made it to work. Will post a blow by blow later. But we all are okay!

[MicroKap]

Following is the link to Fox 5 New York, the first helicopter on the scene. I don't know how to attach the link to work directly from here, so it's cut and paste. I wonder if the helicopter was helping fan the flames. Also, I think it's interesting to hear that arson investigators are on the scene. I wonder if the 63' Viking was listed for sale.

http://www.myfoxny.com/myfox/pages/H...Y&pageId=1.1.1

[Genesis]

Friction between the payment book and checkbook is a common cause of fires

[Sparky1]

I would think an arson investigation is SOP in a case like this. As for that Viking being for sale, who knows?

Given how things are in the boating market right now, I'd say the owner of that Viking will be getting a couple of thank you cards from his burned out neighbors.

[nyrussell]

Given how things are in the boating market right now, I'd say the owner of that Viking will be getting a couple of thank you cards from his burned out neighbors.

Nope, I saw the owner of the other boat. He was about to have an apoplexy!!!!

[nyrussell]

Will post a blow by blow later.

Okay, here it goes....

6:40 am, walk out onto my aft deck and get a whiff of something burning, but no smoke so I go shower and shave. 7:15am, walk out of office after shower and smell a lot of smoke and someone yelling a boat was on fire. Drop off toiletries, tell Admiral to take some pictures just in case we need them. Run from D Dock to E dock to help as most of the boats now are liveaboards. Along the way, I help a fireman carry his equipment to the scene as well.

E Dock: See smoke pouring out of the pilot house, pitch black and rolling (not good). Immediately start to work with the aft lines to allow the firemen easier access to the Viking 63 MY. I also look to see if the boat next to it Across the finger too was pulled away. It was now at a 45 degree angle in the slip as the previous tenent had left his seadoo storage things there.

Watch the firemen start to layout their hoses and try to enter from the aft deck as well. At this point, we still do not know if anyone is inside. Other Firemen by this time had gone on the bow and started to break the windows in the pilot house (not sure why, but...). They also opened the other pilot house door, allowing oxygen (third leg of the triangle) in. So far no orange or flames sited. Dockmaster in the meantime is trying to call the owner of the Viking on his cell phone.

I notice smake coming out of a clamshell vent (tiny) at this point right next to the windows for the aft cabin where the masters suite is. I point this out at this time. By now, firemen have entered the saloon with a fire hose as well. But since the water is not on (or whatever) the hoses are useless. I am about 20 ft away right now. So far no fire too.

A fireman then decides to break the window to the aft cabin. Right afterwords the aft cabin lit up fast and furious (remember what I said about the third leg...) and the conflagration has started in earnest.

I start yelling about the aft cabin being engulfed within seconds. The man in charge starts to get all the firemen off the boat (there is still no water in the hoses). I start to loosen up the rest of the docklines a bit to get them off faster as they were in full equipment. After they were all off i was pushed away to the south, as the viking becomes engulfed. There is no water coming out of the standpipes and a firehose is hung up inside the yacht as well.

I am now maybe 30 ft from the yacht with no way to get back to my family on the other dock as the flames start to consume the yacht and explosion inside happen at odd times as well.

I watch the wind pattern and start to yell across to the friends on my dock (D Dock) to get my wife and kid out of our boat. By this time, the dock was lit as well so there was no way i was getting through.

They ended up having to call in a third fire company and running hose from the street to the dock (a very long ways) to get pressure to use the fire hoses. By this time I notice my wife and kid flying off our boat and they disappear into the black smoke.

Neighbors of ours on E Dock by this time had woke up and jumped off their sailboat with some cameras and video cameras and started to work even though their boat was only one empty slip away from the conflagration.

I start to look for a way off E Dock now as well. But the only way to go is up by the fuel barge and to the T Dock there. Nope I am now stuck on the wrong side of the dock big time (it was nice and warm though).

By this time the dockmaster had confirmed that no one was aboard and had spoken with the owner. I then mention to the 2 taking pictures that maybe they might want to think about moving their boat as well. So the guy starts the engine on the sailboat while still taking many photo's.

I jump on to help them toss off lines etc... And they get stuck going out of the slip at low tide (I think) and in the end even though we got out of the slip we were pushed into the pilings on E Dock. After a bit of trying, the NYPD Harbor Patrol threw us off the baot when the transmission blew and we tied up across the end of a slip and were sent to a fireboat to be put on D Dock. I never even noticed the second boat go up, but dock boxes were burning on both sides of the dock and another Liveaboard (who has a Hatt 53 MY and knows us here was next to the other yacht as it went up.

He got off safely, and while there were no signs of damage to the boat last night...

I run down D Dock and thank my Friend Chris for helping Yukari and Erin get away. and then wait until we were told by the fire department to leave the dock. I then go to find them.

On the street I finally run into them in the parking lot across the street. Erin is okay, though a bit smudged, and in her PJ's with only a jacket. Yukari runs off to work now.

After hanging out for a bit in the coffee shop next door, I decide to get Erin some clothes off our boat and take her to Daycare (routine for her is soothing). Wherein I get into arguments with the OEM GUy, give up my MMD and TWIC Card to be copied and finally get some blankeys to cover the baby up from the EMT's. I then am told to head into the Command and Control Center (the office where my day started) and get into an argument on the way there to with another firefighter but finally make my way in. I am taken with Erin in to the conference room where I am interviewed by NJ State Police, 4 USCG (2 males, 2 cute females) and Erin is then checked out by the EMT"s as well. After a bit, I am told we have to go, and asked if we have a place to go to. The answer to that is yes, but ERin needs some clothes so I have to get back on my boat.

After a bit I am escorted to my boat by a marina employee, I grab my laptop, cell phone charger, clothes for Erin, and the ever ubiquitous diaper bag and head up to the office so we can get out of there.

We got in last night to the boat at about 7:30 pm but Yukari made the decision to go to a Hotel and turned up our HEPA air filter with Ozone to high before she left the boat. So, we shall now see....

As for me, Yesterday I stank of from the fire, ended up with chills starting at 3 pm until about 4 am today and had a miserable nights sleep, but we are all okay.

[34Hatt]

Wow what a day Huh!!!!
It goes to shit real fast but you and family safe boat just a little stinky well count your blessing!
Glad you all O.K

[Sparky1]

All I can say is WOW! Glad you and your family are OK Noel.

[MicroKap]

Glad to hear you are all okay. So, first rule...don't break windows in a boat until you have working fire hoses.

[Genesis]

Holy crap.... glad you, your family and the Hatt are ok (boats are replacable but family members are not and neither are you!)

WHY the first priority wasn't to get uninvolved boats the hell out of there is beyond me, although perhaps the sailboat grounding answers that question....