Backyard Liveaboard

[Steam Flyer]

It might be several weeks before power was restored. For some neighborhoods hear after H. Florence, it was close to 2 months.

 

[Zonker]

Also - cooking. Do you cook with propane? Is your boat propane tank pretty full? We found a 17 lb tank would last about 6 weeks. Baking in the oven used propane quicker so avoid that if supply is an issue.

In a pinch find a BBQ tank from home (yours or other folks) and hook up to your boat's system.

 

[kinardly]

Good luck, Jules, and enjoy the adventure. I remember living through a hurricane on the E Coast as a kid and my Mom cooking meals in the fireplace for a few days. I was young enough I thought that was cool.

 

[Diarmuid]

Wishing you well, Jules. That was one hell of a storm.

Has anyone heard from Pertinacious Tom in Punta Gorda? I'm a bit worried about that mouldering sheet of plywood.

 

[blurocketsmate]

I'm glad you and your boat are still here!

Great plan. An hour a day may be what most boats' systems are designed for. In my experience, that's about what it takes. Solar would be great, once you can get hold of it.

I have a semi-serious plan to buy a liveaboard boat, then a waterfront lot, then build a dock and garage, then maybe a house.

Add me to the cheering section - enjoy your adventure!

 

[Rasputin22]

Propane tanks are usually scattered all about after any big storm with substantial surge. I think I ended up with three in my yard after Sally, one with the BBQ still attached! Wouldn't you know that I had just switched to a pellet smoker though...

 

[Grith]

Fantastic to hear your yacht survived intact.
I have always prepared my maxi trailable cruiser as an escape pod for a wide range of emergencies.
Just a major power outage can turn most locations into disaster zones within days never mind the devastation of a major hurricane/cyclone, wildfire or earthquake event. A fully equipped cruising yacht with solar systems, water maker and fishing gear is a great bug out choice if in a location that survives the initial catastrophe. Mine being trailable gives it a bit better chance of surviving ( I have had trailable yachts star picket secured to the ground survive cyclones previously) and also potentially opens a wider range of location choices afterwards.

 

[slap]

Fantastic to hear your yacht survived intact.
I have always prepared my maxi trailable cruiser as an escape pod for a wide range of emergencies.
Just a major power outage can turn most locations into disaster zones within days never mind the devastation of a major hurricane/cyclone, wildfire or earthquake event. A fully equipped cruising yacht with solar systems, water maker and fishing gear is a great bug out choice if in a location that survives the initial catastrophe. Mine being trailable gives it a bit better chance of surviving ( I have had trailable yachts star picket secured to the ground survive cyclones previously) and also potentially opens a wider range of location choices afterwards.

Surviving .... catastrophe .... Austraila

Mad Max

 

[toddster]

The boat has always been my fallback point when we have to evacuate for wildfires. Except one time the fire was between the ranch and the boat. Not long ago, I was able to offer it to friends when the whole town was without gas for a week in mid-winter and they had no heat source.

 

[Grith]

Surviving .... catastrophe .... Austraila

Mad Max


View attachment 544183

More like Waterworld I think.😂

 

[Max Rockatansky]

@Jules

I read the other thread in GA before this one.

I have a car and the ability to have things delivered and to bring your way. Come to think, I actually just replaced my flex panels and gave the old to a co worker and if he hasn’t installed them I’ll get them back and give to you. It’s 400w of GoPower, a bit milky but still working

LMK if you’re interested

 

[Jules]

@Jules

I read the other thread in GA before this one.

I have a car and the ability to have things delivered and to bring your way. Come to think, I actually just replaced my flex panels and gave the old to a co worker and if he hasn’t installed them I’ll get them back and give to you. It’s 400w of GoPower, a bit milky but still working

LMK if you’re interested

Thank you Max. That's very thoughtful of you.

We have a solar panel sewed into our bimini. Not sure of the wattage but when we get back today, getting it up and running is one of the first things on the to-do list.

Thanks again,
Julie

 

[Crash]

My experience with Charley, (My parents at the time lived in Port Charlotte, but were traveling in Paris - so I went down to secure the house and help the neighbors) was that the roads were fine and passable (a day or so later) until you got close to the center of the eye. I suspect the same thing here, except that Ian was MUCH bigger. But roads and highways should be good till you get to 30 miles out of so. I also image that is one of the first things cleared.

So not out of the question to internet order gear to a friend in say Tampa, and drive up there to fill diesel and gas cans, and pick up supplies. Then back to the boat for another 3 or 4 days before doing the same. It can work....

 

[Jules]

We took a walk down our street and found most houses suffered roof damage. Few screen cages survived. Most look like a bomb went off. Two sailboats lost their mast. One cat left the canvas up but no obvious problems. A friend with a Beneteau 42 had the Genoa shredded. The old Florida houses seemed to do best.

The land of palm trees looks like a pencil forest. And we figured out what Ian stands for: "I am nature."

 

[Ajax]

All these suggestions for gas powered stuff, having things delivered and so forth seem a bit Alice in Wonderland - the whole area is devastated, gas station tanks full of water, no communications, roads blocked etc.

Jules said it was going to be days before she could even get in to check her place and you think Amazon is going to be delivering solar panels?

I wasn't expecting dockside delivery when I made that recommendation. Certainly some creativity would be required to select a functional destination address and also some driving to get there and back.

The thing is, even if we said "Yeah, just run your engine daily to charge the batteries" she would still face challenges when she runs out of fuel. You just said that the fuel tanks were flooded with water. No electricity, no pumping of fuel. So what's the solution?

Just an FYI- I was born and raised in Ft. Myers. My entire family is right where Jules is. I am in communication with them and I'm aware of the situation on the ground.

 

[Ajax]

The land of palm trees looks like a pencil forest. And we figured out what Ian stands for: "I am nature."

Amazingly, all of my family's homes are still standing with roofs and windows intact and no water intrusion. I can hardly believe it.

 

[nota]

after Andrew we went north to fort lauderdale area
every thing was normal open for biz with minimum damage
the night after monday 24 hours after landfall

how far did the surge go inland away from the river flood plains
I would guess Naples by I75 should have dry gas if they have a generator to power the pumps

 

[SloopJonB]

"Dry gas"

That's some specialty terminology.