Boat salvage business buoyed by busy winter
jlrogers
The president of Diversified Marine Services in Eastport, he heeded the "Old Farmers' Almanac," which correctly predicted the
record-setting Presidents Day storm.
Many boat owners, accustomed to the tepid winters of the past few years, didn't.
As a result, many a cherished sailboat and powerboat sank this winter under the weight of snow. And Mr. Kicklighter went out on a
lot of salvage calls.
"It was the winter of the century," he said. "A lot of people got blindsided by the winter we just had."
A number of salvage outfits and marinas in Anne Arundel County reported a higher-than-normal number of sunken boats stemming from
the harsh weather. Mr. Kicklighter's firm raised seven boats this winter, a new record.
Paul Jackson of InDepth Diving Contractors of Annapolis said his company responded to 15 salvage calls this winter. It handles only
three to five on average.
When not salvaging, InDepth does commercial diving work such as working on underwater gates for power plants. While many of those
calls were snowed out, they were offset by the increase in salvage work, Mr. Jackson said.
"It's kind of a mixed blessing," he said.
Mr. Kicklighter said a number of factors can cause heavy snow to take down an otherwise sturdy vessel.
Batteries that automatically power bilge pumps to keep a vessel afloat can
go dead. Even in a winterized boat, the pumps can freeze, rendering them useless, Mr. Kicklighter said.
Cockpits can fill up with snow, pushing a boat down into the water. Scupper drains can freeze shut, leaving melting snow and rain
nowhere to flow.
Ric Dahlgren, city harbormaster, added that older wooden boats are more susceptible to flooding. Unlike fiberglass models, wooden
vessels have seams through which water can sometimes penetrate.
But the main reason a lot of boats went down is neglect, Mr. Kicklighter said.
"It's really a lack of attention," he said. "I hate to put it that bluntly."
Word of a vessel's fate often comes over the phone from marina employees or dockmasters. While Annapolis is home to a large maritime
community, many boats moored in the city's creeks are owned by people who live far away.
Shovels in hand, Mr. Kicklighter's employees fanned out across the region this winter, scooping out as many cockpits as possible for
customers unable to reach their boats.
Bay Harbor Marina in Deale managed to avoid losing any boats. Marina employees used a small skiff and pile drivers to chop up the
ice.
"We kept an eye on everything," said Manager Denise Klein. "A lot of people, because we've had such mild winters, they kept their
boats in the water."
Still, Mrs. Klein said several neighbors reported sunken boats.
"We're one of the lucky ones," she said.
Salvage operations can cost anywhere from $50 to $200 per square foot of vessel. The boat's size and location also affect the cost.
Many boat owners, distraught at seeing their investment sunk, are surprised to find their insurance doesn't cover freeze damage, Mr.
Kicklighter said.
As the financial issues get cleared up, his company starts the recovery process by making a dive to inspect the vessel. Straps are
attached around the bow and stern.
Next, lift bags are affixed to the straps. Salvagers then use air hoses to fill the bags. Air is injected in a sequential manner so
the entire boat lifts evenly out of the water.
Once it's raised, water gets pumped out of the boat. Finally, crews walk through and secure the vessel, inserting wooden plugs in
holes and hatches.
http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2003/03_27-26/TOP
Despite warning customers about the need to protect their boats before this winter, Mr. Kicklighter said he resists the urge to say,
"I told you so."
"I don't think that way because I feel bad for the boaters," he said
Seahag
jlrogers <war.i...@bagdad.com> wrote:
>
> But the main reason a lot of boats went down is neglect, Mr. Kicklighter
said.
>
> "It's really a lack of attention," he said. "I hate to put it that
bluntly."
That's true in some cases, there were gaps between storms when absentee
owners could have gotten to their boats. I also think the boating
"community" is not a community at all. Too many people see a neighboring
boat in trouble and just walk away expecting someone else to take care of
the problem. I shoveled off 5 boats in addition to my own just because they
needed it. As far as I know all the owners were/are overseas and
couldn't/can't come back. I'm just pleased none of the boats at our marina
were damaged this winter.
Seahag
jlrogers
"Seahag" <Sea...@toadymail.toad.net> wrote in message news:eW%ga.504$k71....@news.abs.net...
Seahag
boats keeps my rent from going up!
Seahag
jlrogers <war.i...@bagdad.com> wrote:
> And some boat owners just go away and expect the community to look after
their boats.
>