The FHA Emergency Trailer Comes to The Rescue
On Friday, September 4th, during our weekly Happy Hour on East Pier, many of us heard a loud crack. We soon discovered that a houseboat had sunk, with leaks developing in both of its fiberglass hulls. It was taking on water, and at one point, had almost two feet of water in the home.
The owner immediately called 911, and we were fortunate to receive an incredible response from the Marin City Fire Department. Firefighters arrived quickly, set up pumps, and helped the owner safely get off the boat. Several hours later, the Fire Department returned to remove their pumps and helped us set up FHA pumps so that water extraction could continue.
At low tide, Matt Klein was able to enter the hull and make some initial repairs. Over the past week, Dave from Dave’s Diving has continued working with the owner to develop solutions and to determine the best path forward. Once the hull is fully repaired and completely dry, it will be filled with foam to provide additional support and protection.
The Importance of Preparation and Maintenance
This incident is an important reminder that preparation and maintenance are essential, especially with an El Niño winter approaching. Please take the time to have your hulls inspected, along with your pilings, lines, and ramps. Identifying potential problems before they become emergencies can make all the difference.
Donate to Our FHA Fundraiser
We also encourage everyone to consider donating to the FHA Fundraiser. One of the important services that the FHA provides is maintaining emergency equipment and supplies that can be used when incidents like this occur. Having pumps and other equipment readily available allows our community to respond quickly when we need them the most.
Thank you to the Marin City Fire Department, Matt Klein, Dave’s Diving, and everyone who helped respond to this incident and support our dock community.
By Leslie McLean