First named storm headed for Carolinas

[captddis]

Yes any port in a storm but..
Four years ago when we were moving Jacks boat up the coast, Irene was deciding what course she was going to take.

When we stopped for the night in Port Canaveral they were hesitant to let us tie up for the night.
We assured them that we were leaving in the morning.
Next stop was Fernindina and again they said we had to leave in the morning.
Next stop was Charleston. The first marina said to call after the storm. The city marine was adament that we could not stay the night. Finally Ashley took us and we fueled and spent the night. I will add that the ocean had been perfecly calm since FL.


We both went to bed and both were rattled about not being able to tie up.
Next morning we both were thinking the same thing. We were heading for Beaufort which was much further east and the storm was moving that direction.
We decided to find a place to wait it out.
Jack got a tip from Tom Slane about a place in Myrtle Beach who would have room and where the marina was 25 feet below the land.

We spent three days there and the storm hit Hatteras. Took two more days before the power was back on in Moorehead which was the destination.

Yes any port in a storm if they will let you in.

 

[Walter P]

Interesting....... but doesn't make sense. I believe you are probably correct but it sure makes a mockery out of the traditional maritime rules that require any nearby vessel of a crises at sea to lend a hand if it can be safely done without risking your own ship or crew. Sailors have followed that position for hundreds of years and it has worked reasonably well. Now what is the difference if a ship is required to render assistance in an emergency yet a land based facility doesn't have to. I'd sure like to hear the error of my rationale. Anyone familiar with admiralty law?

Walt

 

[saltshaker]

Dave is 100% correct. As the path of Irene became more defined, marinas in the warning cone would not let us come in. The city marina in Charleston told us they would not take us due to the forecasted storm. Even after I assured them we would be out by 7am the next day they said no. When we came in and passed the mega yacht dock there was only one 40ft or so boat there. When we were leaving Charleston we tried calling ahead to Southport and Wrightsville Beach, NC. No one answered or returned our calls. That's when we decided to seek a good hurricane hole.

 

[tellico]

"Docking by necessity" is an interesting legal issue. Not sure of the current status in US, but it is perhaps important to understand as a boater.

It traces back to old English case law, and Ploof v. Putnam, where a boater docked to a private pier in storm. Court held he could tie up as a means of "necessity" given the threat to life, etc. The precedent has been upheld different ways in the US, but not sure of the current status with respect to marinas, etc. http://www.lawnix.com/cases/ploof-putnam.html

I seem to recall in one of the big ones that came through Annapolis past 10 years, city dock was threatening that everyone had to leave marina and moorings "or else". Seems someone went to court and got the city's "threats" reversed given the imminent danger to folks moving their boats.

Others here may know more, but "docking by necessity" is an important concept to understand. I suspect BoatUS has good info.

 

[sandspur1966]

"Docking by necessity" is an interesting legal issue. Not sure of the current status in US, but it is perhaps important to understand as a boater.

It traces back to old English case law, and Ploof v. Putnam, where a boater docked to a private pier in storm. Court held he could tie up as a means of "necessity" given the threat to life, etc. The precedent has been upheld different ways in the US, but not sure of the current status with respect to marinas, etc. http://www.lawnix.com/cases/ploof-putnam.html

I seem to recall in one of the big ones that came through Annapolis past 10 years, city dock was threatening that everyone had to leave marina and moorings "or else". Seems someone went to court and got the city's "threats" reversed given the imminent danger to folks moving their boats.

Others here may know more, but "docking by necessity" is an important concept to understand. I suspect BoatUS has good info.

Interesting post thanks.

Glad to hear the guy has been heard from... hope he doesn't go home and stick his tongue into a light socket to see if its on.

 

[saltshaker]

"Docking by necessity" is an interesting legal issue. Not sure of the current status in US, but it is perhaps important to understand as a boater.

It traces back to old English case law, and Ploof v. Putnam, where a boater docked to a private pier in storm. Court held he could tie up as a means of "necessity" given the threat to life, etc. The precedent has been upheld different ways in the US, but not sure of the current status with respect to marinas, etc. http://www.lawnix.com/cases/ploof-putnam.html

I seem to recall in one of the big ones that came through Annapolis past 10 years, city dock was threatening that everyone had to leave marina and moorings "or else". Seems someone went to court and got the city's "threats" reversed given the imminent danger to folks moving their boats.

Others here may know more, but "docking by necessity" is an important concept to understand. I suspect BoatUS has good info.

This is why they wouldn't let us in. They can't force you to leave so they figure they can refuse you dockage ahead of the storm. It's a pretty rotten tactic but as Dave said, it wasn't uncommon.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

This is why they wouldn't let us in. They can't force you to leave so they figure they can refuse you dockage ahead of the storm. It's a pretty rotten tactic but as Dave said, it wasn't uncommon.

So just go tie up. Once you're there, you can stay, right?

 

[carolinacoast]

The next strategy that shows up is that they won't let you tie up for a month or more without being named additional insured on your policy (at least 2 marinas in the wilmington NC area are that way). You cannot add a named insured if there is a named storm in the Atlantic. You cannot arrive without that being approved by the dockmaster. Once there, they cannot make you move.

 

[saltshaker]

So just go tie up. Once you're there, you can stay, right?

I suppose but what a crappy way to treat someone who is transitting an area with a storm pending. When we came in there was only one boat at the mega dock which is over 3000ft long. We were welcomed at Ashley Marina and gladly fueled up there. I'd never stay at the City Marina after they treated us and apparently others so poorly. It gave us such a bad feeling we decided to head 80NM out of our way and ducked in to North Myrtle Beach where we were welcomed in. It was a good decision because anywhere else along our initial course had taken a more severe hit from the storm. Morehead City was our final destination and was the spot where Irene made landfall.