I have my Pearson 28-2 at Hancock Marina on base (MCAS Cherry Point) about ten miles down the Neuse from New Bern. Great protected little marina. I could not have sailed it away to shelter had I wanted (though crossed my mind). My professional duties obliged me to be at the squadron and otherwise prep the house, and then get my family on their way out of town. At one point I was going to have to crew one of the aircraft for relocation (we evac all the aircraft for obvious reasons), but I deferred to the junior pilots to take it since I have flown plenty of herevacs over the years, and this time I could be better employed staying back here to keep an eye on the house while the better half and kids went to safety. However, I did spend over $250 on a few extra heavy lines and bumpers from the West Marine. My tie up job was sound, with enough line to resonably accomodate the worst case 12' surge. I'd have to go measure the high water debris line, but it was at least 8-10 feet in there. Maybe more.
I also did everything I could think. Pulled all canvas. Completely cleared out the boat of everything (I mean everything... cushions, gear, excess crap, every storage panel, batteries). I quietly expected the boat to get sunk or smashed and I figured the less loose gear I had aboard the less debris I'd have to deal with during recovery. Plus I didn't need wet stinky berth and settee foam to deal with, or soaked wood panels.
Anyway... I took a lot of pictures of everything inside and out in case I did have to do an insurance claim. I was pretty confident in my prep.
And it worked!
What didn't work was another gents prep. His boat was in a slip on the other side of the dock and broke free in the surge (and may have been assisted by another boat next to his that is totally sunk and half in his slip) and wedged his boat against my boat, doing significant rub rail damage and hull marring. His boat was resting on some of my lines. Although his boat snapped a few of my lines (his bottom paint is well rubbed into the broken ends...), my tie up job, with the aid of the pilings beating the crap of out things, kept both boats in there. His sails were still on (and shredded, and probbaly contributed to the disaster). His lines were not new. Far from it. And he had some cleats break free from his deck. It is a Catalina 30.
So bummer. You do everything you can within time/reason/ability, and someone else's boat crunches yours. A few in there made it ok. There are also boats on shore, sunk, or sitting on the dock.
I almost made it unscathed... Almost.
Pity too. I just got the boat in May for a steal, well under market value. Well cared for. Now it's going to be a very long time before I can get it fixed and attended to. I hope his insurance covers it since I didn't break free and crunch into him. Meanwhile it is frustrating given the time and care some of us took to prep.
However, a dinged up boat is nothing compared to the hardships some folks here are enduring, and will be for some time to come.
Not sure if this is of any added value to this thread. Power just came back on and figured I'd kill some time...