Sherpa: RIP

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Vashon_Trawler

Vashon_Trawler

Guru
Joined
Jun 13, 2013
Messages
599
Location
USA
Vessel Name
M/V Sherpa
Vessel Make
24' Vashon Diesel Cruiser
Hello, All. Poor Sherpa is in the direct path of Irma. She is secured at Loggerhead Marina in St. Petersburg, but I don't expect her to make it through intact. Her slip is relatively protected so who knows.

Most importantly, I hope all my fellow Floridians are and remain safe. I live in Central Florida so we are bracing for the worst.

Be safe everyone.

Chris
 
Wish you she goes through this without any damage, keep hope and good luck.

L
 
Keep the Faith!
 
Local channel here in Florida shows the center of the storm becoming ragged, the backside falling apart. It's moving north now and if it continues on that track it could weaken further, leaving us on the left side of the storm, a bit more hope. Sarasota Bay has been blown out to the point that several manatees have been grounded and can't get out.
 
Chris: No doubt you're tied in knots about this. But, try to be easy. Loggerhead is about as well protected as you can get at the south end of the Pinellas County peninsula. And at 1500, reports are that Irma's sustained wind speeds are ticking down, maybe even to around 90kt. (This is as she moves inland over Marco Island). Peace, and let's all hope for the best. A little luck never hurts, either!!!
 
BandB wrote, "I have no idea if they're accurate on 24 ft seas at 11 seconds outside Port Everglades."

Me either, but willing to take their word for it.
 
Blissboat said:
BandB wrote, "I have no idea if they're accurate on 24 ft seas at 11 seconds outside Port Everglades."

Me either, but willing to take their word for it.
Click to expand...

Well, we're in curfew until 10:00 AM so can't look if I wanted to. Hoping Sherpa is ok too.
 
It occurs to me that manatees and trawlers have similar challenges in the face of a storm. Slow moving, don't handle groundings very well, etc. Let's hope both come through this unscathed...Save the Trawlers!
 
Chris - any update on Sherpa?
 
Good day, everyone! I happy to report that power has FINALLY been restored at my home (almost 10 days) and Sherpa is unscathed. My brother visited Loggerhead a few days ago and sent me pictures--not a mark! Even her welcome mat remained in the same spot. I assumed, at best, I would get away with a broken VHF antenna but all okay.

My home city of Sebring is in Highlands County, Florida. We were the second hardest hit county in the state. The clean-up has been immense. There was tons of yard debris at my home but fortunately no damage outside eight shingles. Others did not do so well.

Well, I am going to enjoy my first hot shower in 10 days and consider myself fortunate.

I was extremely impressed with Loggerhead who sent me regular communication regarding the marina.
 
Blissboat said:
Chris: No doubt you're tied in knots about this. But, try to be easy. Loggerhead is about as well protected as you can get at the south end of the Pinellas County peninsula. And at 1500, reports are that Irma's sustained wind speeds are ticking down, maybe even to around 90kt. (This is as she moves inland over Marco Island). Peace, and let's all hope for the best. A little luck never hurts, either!!!
Click to expand...

Thanks, Blissboat. This was one of the reasons why we chose this marina. Frenchman Creek is very well protected. I wish I had power to read your and everyone else's messages at the time.

Don't get me started on Sprint! Cell communication was practically nonexistent for me. I am so glad I kept my landline!
 
Vashon_Trawler said:
Good day, everyone! I happy to report that power has FINALLY been restored at my home (almost 10 days) and Sherpa is unscathed. My brother visited Loggerhead a few days ago and sent me pictures--not a mark! Even her welcome mat remained in the same spot. I assumed, at best, I would get away with a broken VHF antenna but all okay.

My home city of Sebring is in Highlands County, Florida. We were the second hardest hit county in the state. The clean-up has been immense. There was tons of yard debris at my home but fortunately no damage outside eight shingles. Others did not do so well.

Well, I am going to enjoy my first hot shower in 10 days and consider myself fortunate.

I was extremely impressed with Loggerhead who sent me regular communication regarding the marina.
Click to expand...

Wifey B: Hope you apologized to Sherpa for burying her prematurely. Sherpa quoting Mark Twain, "The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated." :)

Glad your boat is ok and you're back in your home. Amazing how many boats in some of the worst places survived with little to no damage. In many cases better than the houses and the ones in water better than the ones on land. Maybe we should build more fiberglass houses. :)
 
If my boat was in a hurricane path I'd move it. Hurricane paths are know as much as a week in advance. Responsibility comes with boat ownership. If you can't take the time maybe you're in the wrong job.
People that leave their boats to be destroyed raise the rates for all of us. And rates will be going up after the loss payments this year.
 
I guess you should breathe better now with this good news. Now time to rub her gently and express your love for her lol

L
 
Lepke said:
If my boat was in a hurricane path I'd move it. Hurricane paths are know as much as a week in advance. Responsibility comes with boat ownership. If you can't take the time maybe you're in the wrong job.
People that leave their boats to be destroyed raise the rates for all of us. And rates will be going up after the loss payments this year.
Click to expand...

And just where would you move the 1,000,000+ boats in Florida? Many of them are safest right where they are in marinas that have been built to provide hurricane protection. Would you risk your life to move your boat? Or what about your house and your family?

I just find that statement from someone in the PNW reflects a lack of knowledge of the area. Many who moved boats too moved to worse locations. What is really needed is quality homes and marinas built to hurricane codes for homes and standards for marinas.

A lot of houses came through well because of how they were built, as did many marinas. There are many marinas I'd feel comfortable in, not without worry, but as comfortable as possible. I've seen people encouraged to haul boats and consistently seen boats hauled at a marina and put on land there damaged more than the boats in the docks.

We didn't move any boats we own or manage and have zero damage. Now, Fort Lauderdale was luckier than some areas.
 
A friend in our marina moved over to Frenchman s creek but not into the marina and he suffered some fairly minor damage. I stayed at Marina Cove and had none. Lucky.
 
Deano said:
A friend in our marina moved over to Frenchman s creek but not into the marina and he suffered some fairly minor damage. I stayed at Marina Cove and had none. Lucky.
Click to expand...

Marinas in Clearwater, St. Pete and Tampa appear to have come through it very well with little to no damage.
 
Moving from a protected marina such as loggerhead would be dumb and that might cause higher insurance rates. The best storm prep is done in advance by choosing the right marina as the OP did.
 
Lepke said:
If my boat was in a hurricane path I'd move it. Hurricane paths are know as much as a week in advance. Responsibility comes with boat ownership. If you can't take the time maybe you're in the wrong job.
People that leave their boats to be destroyed raise the rates for all of us. And rates will be going up after the loss payments this year.
Click to expand...



And if I don't have anything to contribute to a forum thread, I try to just read on and keep quiet.
 
Hooray for Sherpa. Apparently it was overlooked by some that Sherpa wasn't in the path until the very end.....400 mile wide storm makes it rather difficult to dodge,especially on a peninsula..
 
Sailor of Fortune said:
Hooray for Sherpa. Apparently it was overlooked by some that Sherpa wasn't in the path until the very end.....400 mile wide storm makes it rather difficult to dodge,especially on a peninsula..
Click to expand...

I heard St. Augustine Municipal Marina received major damage. Have you seen it since Irma?
 
Lepke said:
If my boat was in a hurricane path I'd move it. Hurricane paths are know as much as a week in advance. Responsibility comes with boat ownership. If you can't take the time maybe you're in the wrong job.
People that leave their boats to be destroyed raise the rates for all of us. And rates will be going up after the loss payments this year.
Click to expand...
Wow... your comment shows ignorance of Florida hurricanes. I have been through several and know very well that paths change in days or hours. Where would I move my boat? To a marina that already had a month plus waiting list before the hurricane? Irma was larger than the entire state! At six or seven knots, my options were quite limited. Irma was projected to hit the east coast and changed quickly.
 
Last edited:
Great news on Sherpa. She's a sweet boat. Sounds you have the right attitude for such a difficult situation. Hang in there man .
 
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