Tornado. This is getting ridiculous.

[Jason K]

On the same day I sell the Triton, a tornado takes out Plus One, the boat I've been crewing on for a few years. Unbelievable. Last night, several tornadoes hit the New Orleans area. One went right through the boat yard where Plus One was having some work done.

There's rig and keel damage and a jackstand went through the hull. It's probable that the boat will be totaled (that happens when damages exceed 50% of the boat's value). The photo below is Plus One, though it shows little detail. I just got off the phone with the owner, who is in good spirits. An Annapolis 30 might be the next boat - but that's a little way's off.

Here's a link to the photo album: http://noyc1.photosite.com/Album1/

You know, we never had tornadoes until FEMA shipped in all of those trailers. We've since had a couple in the last year. Nuts.

Anyone need crew?

[Tim]

Unbelievable.

What's next? Tsunamis? A volcano no one knew about rising from the bayou? Hoards of locusts?

Amazing (and distressing) photos at that link.

[Jason K]

Here's a sad story:

The is Zephyr - 5 time J30 National Champion - just after Katrina:



This boat is very highly regarded arounnd here. Very fast and very well sailed. In the photo above, you can see she was impaled on a piling. She also had a few other large holes and she was submerged beyond the forward bulkhead.

In large part because of her history, she just (JUST, as in last week) finished a full, spare no expense restoration. This is her below, renamed Toy Box:



Powerlines fell across the boat. It's not the end of the world - a new rig and another new paint job and she'll be ready to go again - but talk about a setback!!!

Racing begins in earnest in about two weeks.

The good news is that we have an incredible sailing community around here. Rides are always available and crews won't be left ashore. Plus, few of the boats that fell over last night are damaged beyond repair.

What's next? Tsunamis? A volcano no one knew about rising from the bayou? Hoards of locusts?

I'm guessing a volcano, but a tsunami is a definite possibility.

[feetup]

Boy you people sure have been getting beat up a lot lately. I feel for you!
It actually makes me glad to weather Canadian winters, although they tell me that a really big earthquake is due to my neck of the woods any day now.
I'm sorry for all the s#@t that you have been through in the last few years.

Feetup

[Jason K]

Thanks, feetup. However, losing 20 boats in a boat yard and a few gutted houses is not too big a deal. I'll still take year round sailing weather - even if it means accommodating the occasional apocalyptic weather event.

[Figment]

What's next? Tsunamis? A volcano no one knew about rising from the bayou? Hoards of locusts?

My money is on sharks with frickin laser beams strapped to their heads.

Hope you find a spot on a boat with a deep, COLD cooler.

[Tim]

Thanks, feetup. However, losing 20 boats in a boat yard and a few gutted houses is not too big a deal. I'll still take year round sailing weather - even if it means accommodating the occasional apocalyptic weather event.

It's a good thing there are people willing to live in any and all different areas of the world--cold, hot, natural disaster-prone, poor, rich, rainy, dry, windy, icy, what have you. Otherwise, one spot would get awfully crowded!

The world would be a boring place if everyone was the same. Being content wherever you happen to live is the best.

[Summersdawn]

Hey feetup, didn't know you were so close - I'm in Nanaimo!

It actually makes me glad to weather Canadian winters, although they tell me that a really big earthquake is due to my neck of the woods any day now.

The Canadian winters in our neck of the woods are a bit of a joke - when it snows, it rarely lasts through the day. On a cold winter, it may dip below freezing on half our nights. If the weather stays below freezing during the day, it is a terrible cold snap! This year has been a bit of an anomaly though, however, our winter seems to be back on track.

Daysailing is possible year round here, and with a small heater in the boat, cruising year round is certainly do-able.

[Rachel]

Geez, those were some gut-wrenching photos. I notice most (all?) of the pictured boats were on the hard (except maybe the two in the last photo?). How did boats in the water fare? I take it Mojito's okay?

--- R.

How do the tornados home in on trailers like that? Weird.

[Shark]

Just so our good neighbours to the south don't get the idea that ALL of Canada is like British Columbia, here's the weather forecast for my hometown, Burlington, Ontario.

"Tonight Cloudy. Snow squalls over southern sections. Snow beginning overnight. Amount 2 to 4 cm except locally (that's my town) 25 cm in snowsqualls. Blowing snow. Wind northeast 40 km/h gusting to 60. Low minus 12.

Wednesday Snow ending late in the day then cloudy. Amount 2 to 4 cm. Blowing snow. Wind northeast 40 km/h gusting to 60. High minus 10.

Wednesday night Cloudy. Local blowing snow early in the evening. Wind north 30 km/h gusting to 50 becoming light near midnight. Low minus 16."

Time to fire up the snowblower!!

[Summersdawn]

Same period - only for Nanaimo

Currently
Sunny
High 9?C (48?F)

Cloudy with sunny periods. High 9. (48?F)


Tonight
Chance Of Showers
Low 3?C (37?F)
Cloudy with 40 percent chance of showers. Low plus 3. (37?F)


Wednesday
Rain
High 7?C (45?F)

Periods of rain. High 7.. (45?F)

From Tuesday evening to Wednesday evening we expect : 5-10 mm of rain. (about 1/4 to 3/8 inch)

[bcooke]

Do you ever get the feeling God is trying to tell you something?...

Everyone knows that tornadoes are attracted to trailer homes, especially FEMA trailers. It is sort of like a moth to a light bulb. If you park it, they will come.

-Britton

[dasein668]

Those pictures make me a bit ill.

Looks like we're in for a little winter weather here in Maine. Nothing like tornados or hurricanes, but it sounds like an honest-to-goodness storm... which means we'll probably get 3 inches of snow...

Here's the coastal forecast?more snow predicted for the inland areas.

WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM WEDNESDAY TO 6 AM EST THURSDAY
Tonight...Mostly cloudy. A chance of snow after midnight. Lows around 11. North winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 50 percent. Wind chill values as low as 5 below.

Wednesday...Snow. Near blizzard conditions with areas of blowing and drifting snow. Freezing rain...Sleet with a chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. Snow and sleet accumulation of 4 to 8 inches. Windy with highs in the mid 20s. Northeast winds 20 to 30 mph. Gusts up to 45 mph in the afternoon. Some beach erosion expected. Chance of precipitation near 100 percent. Wind chill values as low as 7 below in the morning.

Wednesday Night...Snow...Freezing rain...Sleet with a chance of thunderstorms in the evening...Then snow after midnight. Near blizzard conditions with areas of blowing and drifting snow. Additional accumulation of 3 to 5 inches. Windy with lows around 16. Northeast winds 20 to 30 mph. Gusts up to 45 mph in the evening. Some beach erosion expected. Chance of precipitation near 100 percent. Wind chill values as low as 4 below.

I especially like Wednesday night... snow, freezing rain, sleet an-duh thunderstorms... sheesh!

[Tim]

They way they're hyping up this silly snowstorm, you'd think the world was ending. Oooo...maybe 12" of snow (or even if it's 2' in the mountains or inland)--whatever will we do?

Give me a break. When I was little, we got these things every week during the winter. Maine used to look a lot more like Oswego does now. Patterns sure have changed; now, it's just pathetic here, and so are all the people from away that think that a foot of snow with a little wind is a big deal.

I love snow, and I'm psyched, but the breathless pre-reporting of this non-sensational event in the media is killing me.

[grampianman]

the weather here by Saturday morning is supposed to be in the high 20's to low 30's, yet for Valentine's day, it's to get up to the mid-80's.
I'm sympathetic to all who are 'snowed' under, but perhaps a snowball fight is in the cards?
I've watched as we had tornadoes in Central Florida, now New Orleans gets hit (my sympathies, Jason); who's next?

Yeah, when the wind's up, let's go sailing!

Here's looking forward to the spring.

Cheers,
Ian

[dasein668]

Give me a break. When I was little, we got these things every week during the winter.

You used to have to walk uphill both ways to school, too, right? With no shoes and just bloody stumps for feet?

But agreed, the storm tracks sure aren't what they used to be. ::sigh:: I have a memory from when I was maybe 4 years old of jumping out of a pick-up truck during one of our famous April blizzards and sinking down over my head into the snow!

We've got about 3 inches on the ground and all of greater Portland appears to be shut down.

[Tim]

Give me a break. When I was little, we got these things every week during the winter.

You used to have to walk uphill both ways to school, too, right? With no shoes and just bloody stumps for feet?

OK, I certainly deserve that! hehe

But did I mention it was always night too?

[jpmathieu]

They way they're hyping up this silly snowstorm, you'd think the world was ending. Oooo...maybe 12" of snow (or even if it's 2' in the mountains or inland)--whatever will we do?

and

dasein668 wrote:
Tim wrote:
Give me a break. When I was little, we got these things every week during the winter.

You used to have to walk uphill both ways to school, too, right? With no shoes and just bloody stumps for feet?


OK, I certainly deserve that! hehe

But did I mention it was always night too?

All said in true New Englander fashion LET IT SNOW (although its raining down here in Southern Mass)

[dasein668]

So far it's been a real dud here in Portland. Grumble grumble. Maybe I should move to Oswego.

I miss my year in Tahoe! ::sigh::






Boy, Jason... we've really hijacked this thread haven't we?

[Jason K]

Boy, Jason... we've really hijacked this thread haven't we?

I'm just trying to figure out how we went from this



To this

[Jason K]

Geez, those were some gut-wrenching photos. I notice most (all?) of the pictured boats were on the hard (except maybe the two in the last photo?). How did boats in the water fare? I take it Mojito's okay?

Oh, everything is fine. That boatyard is not close to the marinas.

Do you ever get the feeling God is trying to tell you something?...

Hmmm...maybe.

Everyone knows that tornadoes are attracted to trailer homes, especially FEMA trailers. It is sort of like a moth to a light bulb. If you park it, they will come.

One of the FEMA trailers on site was blown into the canal - with the residents on board. I bet that's one couple who'll be moving into a house in the very near future.

cold, hot, natural disaster-prone, poor, rich, rainy, dry, windy, icy, what have you.

I wanted rich, but my wife said natural disaster-prone and, well, you know how that goes.

Hope you find a spot on a boat with a deep, COLD cooler.

It might be my boat with that cooler. In which case it will be very cold and very deep. Details to follow (maybe).

[dasein668]

I'm just trying to figure out how we went from this

picture of boat laying on its side

To this

picture of skiing

Ever play "telephone" in elementary school? It's disturbingly easy to go so far askew.

[Tim]

Well, at least all the posts are pretty much weather-related!