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**tkeithlu** · 17-03-2021, 06:45

"It was not an unreasonable job to ask it to do.
ergo, The seawall was defective."

Bill, I can't agree with that. I like your logic, for the most part, but remind you that you reached an engineering conclusion (the seawall was defective) after saying that we shouldn't do that with the information on hand.

Unless specified otherwise, the seawall was designed to stop the sea, depending on the conditions at that location. That could mean just stopping wakes from damaging a lawn on the side of the ICW, or perhaps resisting storm currents on a cut bank bluff in the turn of a river. There is no suggestion here that it was designed to moor a 95'/100 ton yacht under those same conditions.

One possible course for 1fer would be to replace/repair the seawall to do the job it was designed to do, and then sink separate pilings or bollards designed to moor the boat. Those pilings would have some give/shock aborption, which docks have but concrete seawalls do not.

1fer · 17-03-2021, 06:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillKny

I am kind of baffled by the question... are you trying to suggest it might be the fault of the yacht, and they should pay for repairs?

The seawall dock space was rented to a large yacht. If you rent me a place to tie up my boat it seem pretty clear that there is an implied warrantee that the place you are renting me is safe and suitable for securing my boat. Otherwise, WTF am I paying for?

Even if the CAUSE of the failure was the large yacht secured there (maybe), no possible way it is their FAULT.

Anybody who provides an answer to the engineering question without a physical inspection or at least pictures is just blowing smoke out their butt. There is NO WAY to know for the information available here.

Certainly there are thousands of places in Florida where superyachts are tied to seawalls and the seawall does NOT collapse. So the simple fact that the yacht was present is not the cause of the collapse.

The seawall was (obviously) not up to the job.
It was not an unreasonable job to ask it to do.
ergo, The seawall was defective.

Thanks for your reply. I did actually state that the seawall was very old and not in its best shape. I’m not implying it’s their fault and I have certainly seen super yachts tied to Seawallwalls or more like super Sewalls however almost no body ties a yard or even a small boat directly to a seawall in Florida. I do not know other states but it’s kind of the norm here.

I did speak to two engineers who stressed that the yacht was most probable cause of the final result. Homeowners insurance does not cover Seawall repair or construction so I am just looking at different options and trying to get some sort of guidance or advice from fellow connoisseurs

1fer · 17-03-2021, 07:00

The cost to build a new concrete Seawall is astronomical unfortunately but still dealing with this is beyond exhausting

denverd0n · 17-03-2021, 07:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by tkeithlu

Unless specified otherwise, the seawall was designed to stop the sea, depending on the conditions at that location.

Exactly. A seawall that is designed to work as a dock, also, is designed very differently from a seawall that is designed ONLY to work as a seawall. They are NOT the same!

1fer · 17-03-2021, 17:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by denverd0n

Exactly. A seawall that is designed to work as a dock, also, is designed very differently from a seawall that is designed ONLY to work as a seawall. They are NOT the same!

Exactly. I looked around most seawalls next to me and across the canal, and every single one except for one has posts where the boats attach to. There are no boats moored directly to any seawall and the ONLY seawall that has no posts looks massive (it's a condo building with at least 30 units) and has what seems to be horizontal "rafters" made out of concrete that go down into the water from the seawall cap.

Everyone else has posts attached to the floor underwater and no boats moored to any seawall. Maybe when these seawalls were built, they were built just for keeping the water out and not really carrying the weight of a 100 footer yacht.

1fer · 17-03-2021, 17:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by tkeithlu

"It was not an unreasonable job to ask it to do.
ergo, The seawall was defective."

Bill, I can't agree with that. I like your logic, for the most part, but remind you that you reached an engineering conclusion (the seawall was defective) after saying that we shouldn't do that with the information on hand.

Unless specified otherwise, the seawall was designed to stop the sea, depending on the conditions at that location. That could mean just stopping wakes from damaging a lawn on the side of the ICW, or perhaps resisting storm currents on a cut bank bluff in the turn of a river. There is no suggestion here that it was designed to moor a 95'/100 ton yacht under those same conditions.

One possible course for 1fer would be to replace/repair the seawall to do the job it was designed to do, and then sink separate pilings or bollards designed to moor the boat. Those pilings would have some give/shock aborption, which docks have but concrete seawalls do not.

Excellent response. Very informative and I definitely see what you're saying about shock absorption. When we had someone come out to quote the pilings, he said there could be absolutely nothing moored directly to the seawall, not even a jetski. When we asked about building some sort of deck above it in wood he also stressed absolutely not because there couldn't be any stress added to the already old and not so great seawall. I was never aware this mega yacht would moor itself before these pilings were put in place, but they rushed into it...Bad timing.

They also vanished abruptly after several weeks, so I am thinking they eyed something wrong was happening and they just dipped....In any case, I am waiting for an engineering report to determine more causes/further info.

Thanks everyone for being so helpful and providing your opinions. Much appreciated.