Super Typhoon Yolanda - Report from Cebu

Aloha All,
It has taken several days for Danao city on Cebu Island to get electric back and internet so sorry for delay.

Those of us that weathered super-typhoon Yolanda in Carmen bay on the Island of Cebu came through fine. The one exception appears to be a cat moored outside of Carmen city. It looked at a distance like it's anchor dragged and it was blown up onto a reef. Unfortunately backwards so it may have suffered rudder/propeller damage. This said, two days later it looks like it was off the reef.

Carmen bay may be better known to you because there is a popular marina here called Pinoy Marina (Zeke's place).

We all had several days to prepare our boats. I decided to bring my big trimaran into Pinoy Marina and had her secured with 15 lines to shore. 4 of those were anchor chain and 6 of them were Dyneema lines. Overall there was probably 50-100 tons holding capability. Another 20 lines were used to tie down my 4 tenders, solar panels, wraps around the pilot house glass, wind generator (blades were removed), and radar tower. Thank you Zeke for moving around 5 boats to make room for me to get in!

Winds were high enough to down trees in front and behind my boat. Exact speed unknown. Fortunately winds were not high enough for trees to become airborne. I only found a few branches less than 1/2" in diameter in the pilot house area.

About 1/2 of us left our yachts. The main concern was if a storm surge came and lifted the boats up and moved them inland. To help prevent that I had 7 bags of cement to keep lines down. However, I knew that wouldn't be enough in a big surge. So, four yachts owners, including myself, watched from an elementary school on a hill overlooking the marina. That proved to be a treat. One older school building came down, 2 trees fell on another classroom, and we moved buildings after the roof of the one we were in started coming off.

One crew member of mine had the entire roof of his house blown off. His home is in Lapu Lapu, on Mactan Island. I have no report from Cebu Yacht Club on Mactan Island.

Personally, Yolanda was an unscheduled sea trial for my new mast and rigging. I have come up with something I call dynamic-compounded rigging. See post at: http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/sailboats/aftmast-rigs-623-38.html

Pictures are of my rig in Carmen bay, and prep work showing windows wrapped in rubber mats.

Philip Maise
HOT BuOYS

 

Is this a different storm to Haiyan? Glad you made it thru ok.
UPDATE--Just found that they are the same storm-had never heard "Yolanda" used in any reporting here-this is the first time I've run into this with a storm.

 

pbmaise, I am glad you came through unscathed. I hope the others exposed to this storm are able to check in here before too long. I heard a lot of towers are down and communications are mostly impossible in some areas.

 

Hi, philip, thanks for those info..
Im really sad about the deadly record of this mega typhoon .. wondering about Mike Allen place on the other side of the carmen bay, I built my boat there few years ago..
any news from ?
www.fusionschooner.blogspot.com
see before ..
best rgds