The Yacht Club that won't say die - Algoa.

by Weekend Post/Sail-World on 11 Dec 2009 It wasn't enough that the yacht club was destroyed by fire three years ago causing millions in damage. Barely recovered from that disaster, yacht club members had to watch their yacht club destroyed again on October 26th by devastating winds and rain. But the members of the Algoa Yacht Club in Port Elizabeth, South Africa are made of sterner stuff.

On Tuesday 27 October shaken yacht owners gathered to count the cost. With buckled walkways, sunken fingers, a 16 ton breakwater pushed 30 metres closer to shore, five yachts sunk and every single other boat in the marina having suffered some form of damage from being holed or extensively sctratched the marina and yacht owners considered their options.

Over a period of four days twenty two yachts were lifted out of the water with Thursday 3 December the day that the heavier boats in excess of 10 tons could be lifted by the Protec 100 ton crane.

In the meantime, the club has slowly started repairing damage of R4,2-million (US$558,000) to its marina.

Algoa Bay Yacht Club safety officer Philip Rademan said the club was indebted to the National Sea Rescue Institute which had helped “in every aspect”.

“They helped us with extreme risk to their own members and for that we are grateful. Remember, the waves were a metre-and-a-half high and they were smashing boats against the marina.

“Most of the marina was destroyed, while 80% of the floats and the walk-ons were destroyed or lost.

“These walk-ons and floats are worth about R3-million(US$400,000). We do not have insurance as a marina, but fortunately many of our members do have insurance. Sadly, there are also members who do not have insurance and these are the people who suffered total loss.”

Club spokesman Alan Straton said the marina had shifted shorewards and towards the fishing jetty, breaking into “islands”.

“Trailerable yachts and those in imminent danger of sinking were removed immediately and stored on land provided by the National Ports Authority (NPA) in a magnanimous gesture of marine camaraderie,” Straton said.

Clearing and retrieving of broken marina sections took until the third week of last month. Divers swept the harbour floor daily, marking heavy equipment and sunken yachts with buoys.

“Twenty-three yachts were identified to be taken out of the water by the ABYC disaster management committee under the guidance of vice-commodore Sean Wiseman.

To rebuild the marina, which must be at the cost of the owners, it will cost R24250(US$3,200) and R33750 (US$4500) per marina owner.

Rademan said he hoped the municipality would lend some assistance because the yacht club was an asset not only to its members but to all the people of Port Elizabeth.

However, yacht owners will also have to contend with increased rentals, yacht repairs, insurance excesses and increased insurance premiums

Good luck Algoa Yacht Club!