# Yachts Damaged on St. Martin after Hurricane IRMA



## mbianka

Not a pretty picture on land or sea:


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## Minnewaska

The carnage is hard to imagine. It's eerie to see only the submerged outline of a hull in some of those flyovers. Seeing large catamarans that have been flipped over is also incredible. I've seen countless examples of turtled cats. 

It's also amazing to see a few boats at the docks that look relatively sound. Perhaps they arrived after the storm, but it's amazing how a random house or boat will make it through these things. Not many, that's for sure. 

It's also very interesting to see how many sailboats were still on their stands. As a rule, it was only those with their mast removed. Quite a few, but I'm sure they still have debris impact damage. There was one shot with a line of boats, remaining on their stand, immediately at the waters edge. Apparently the surge was not sufficient to float them off. I would have guessed it would.


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## SanderO

How sad... seeing is believing... this will take ages to restore to its former glory. But when they do... they need to have a better strategy to secure all those boats... Can they all be moved South? How else can they be made safe? Unstepped and burried in sand above keel? Is there enough real estate down South to move all those boats?


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## Ajax_MD

After watching the video, I'm frankly amazed at how much survived. I thought it would be even worse. I'm not downplaying the damage done though, it's major.
I think sailing into St. Martin would be quite hazardous right now, with all the unknown wrecks beneath the surface.


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## eherlihy

Very, very sad... There are about 4 videos from various ports/marinas from the same guy, David Duong, and they all show total devastation. 

How and where do you start to pick after something like this? This will not "buff out."


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## ianjoub

Where does one dispose of all of that wrecked fiberglass on relatively small islands?


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## svHyLyte

Sickening. I cannot think of another word for it.


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## Skipper Jer

Very sad for the people of the islands that depend on the boating industry for a living, the owners of the boats and for the environment. Is it a trick of the light or do most of the boats have the companionway boards and hatches missing?


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## Faster

Incredible images.. the domino effect in the yards means you're at tremendous risk no matter how well you prepare and brace any boat in there. Looks like the multis simply turn into frisbees with their large deck planes.

Can you imagine how dramatic a live video would have been?


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## eherlihy

Can you imagine seeing a 48-foot catamaran _going_ airborne?


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## mbianka

I imagine the images will also destroy any feeling of security that boat owners might have had that their boats will be OK and have been safely stored when they come back down for the winter season.


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## TQA

ianjoub said:


> Where does one dispose of all of that wrecked fiberglass on relatively small islands?


Previous experience says they will be lifted onto salvage barges and dumped in deep water.


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## Minnewaska

TQA said:


> Previous experience says they will be lifted onto salvage barges and dumped in deep water.


Is that a fact? Certainly can't imagine them doing that in the US. You might impound something, but to send someone's property to the bottom of the ocean would drive some lawsuits, I would think.


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## Skipper Jer

Minnewaska said:


> Is that a fact? Certainly can't imagine them doing that in the US. You might impound something, but to send someone's property to the bottom of the ocean would drive some lawsuits, I would think.


After the insurance companies settle with the owners, the boat belongs to the insurance companies. Assuming it was totaled, of course.


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## Minnewaska

Skipper Jer said:


> After the insurance companies settle with the owners, the boat belongs to the insurance companies. Assuming it was totaled, of course.


That's true, but that takes a little while and I would think the insurance company would try to sell the scrap first.

I'm lead to believe that at least half wouldn't have insurance, but they are still the legal owner, even if their hulk is now worth little more that the value of her winches and mast. How can they toss it to the deep blue? I'm sure there are some who don't care and consider it an exit strategy, but not all.


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## SanderO

Minnewaska said:


> That's true, but that takes a little while and I would think the insurance company would try to sell the scrap first.
> 
> I'm lead to believe that at least half wouldn't have insurance, but they are still the legal owner, even if their hulk is now worth little more that the value of her winches and mast. How can they toss it to the deep blue? I'm sure there are some who don't care and consider it an exit strategy, but not all.


Seriously.... boats trashed as we see... flooded if not sunk... not much value in salvage of old rigging, deck hardware and the like.

The property owners and the authorities will want this all cleaned up as soon as possible. Many to most will be write offs... and there will be little time to salvage in any case... Some of course can be repaired and insurance adjusters will figure that one out. Where will these barely seaworthy yachts be repaired?

I think they will bring in a barge using a big crane and pick most of the messed up hulls and tow them out to sea and sink them. Even hoisting will be costly.


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## RegisteredUser

The PR trench is veeeery deep.


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## Atlas

TQA said:


> Previous experience says they will be lifted onto salvage barges and dumped in deep water.


Leading to heated debates amongst future archaeologists.


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## mbianka

Atlas said:


> Leading to heated debates amongst future archaeologists.


I still think it would be a good idea for the local governments to take a few of the damaged hulls and make some artificial reefs for the tourist snorkelers and divers. It would take pressure off the natural reefs and provide haven for more fish and other Marine animals.They could name them IRMA Reef and/or Maria Reef Exhibit A:


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## MarkofSeaLife

Minnewaska said:


> Seeing large catamarans that have been flipped over is also incredible. I've seen countless examples of turtled cats.


Certainly interesting with. My thoughts on my next boat in a few years.


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## Minnewaska

SanderO said:


> ....The property owners and the authorities will want this all cleaned up as soon as possible......


you've been to these islands, I recall. While it will get cleaned up, I neither think it will be fast, nor thorough. Hazards to navigation will be removed. Junk hulls lying on a beach will take a long time in some places. Hulls that fell off their stands in marinas are going to be tricky. Storage was paid for, but the hull is severely damaged. I don't see them being legally tossed, nor many of the owners rushing to repair them. Some will become abandon afte their storage fee runs out. Not sure of the process down there to deal with that. Here it can't take years for the marina to get title and the right to dispose.


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## ianjoub

Minnewaska said:


> Here it can't take years for the marina to get title and the right to dispose.


In FL it takes about 6 weeks to file paperwork, post legals, have an auction, and get a clear title in your (or whoever wins the auction) name. I have done it at my auto repair shop for repair bills. It is the same procedure here for storage fees.


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## MarkofSeaLife

Fibreglass boats are no good for man-made reefs as they tend to move about. 

Anyway, St Martin has quite a number already. Gets to a point that natural might be better than adding rubbish to nature on purpose.


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## TQA

Minnewaska said:


> Is that a fact? Certainly can't imagine them doing that in the US. You might impound something, but to send someone's property to the bottom of the ocean would drive some lawsuits, I would think.


It was certainly done post Hugo. Most of the boats were sunk or awash. I guess the local harbor authorities have the right to remove obstructions. People were unscrewing bits as the barge chugged out to the dumping grounds.

What else can they do with them.

Damaged boats in boatyard will be trickier but there will be pressure to make space for incoming boats replenishing the charter fleets.

It was raining and I looked at some youtube drone footage of the lagoon and Oyster pond in St Marten. I was struck by the number of broken masts. There are a LOT of boats that look OK except that the mast is over the side or on the ground.


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## scubadoo

MarkofSeaLife said:


> Fibreglass boats are no good for man-made reefs as they tend to move about.


Even the 500' Spiegel Grove moved during hurricane Dennis (rolled 90deg to upright). As much as I'd like to see more reefs and the sea life that inhabits them, I'd hate to see them become hazards to navigation. Not to mention it takes a lot of prep work to "clean" a hull properly so that it doesn't do more harm than good to the environment.


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