Finally getting back on our feet after Sandy.

[Carl]

It has been a long, tough year and a half after Sandy. Our house was destroyed, moms flooded pretty badly, we rebuilt hers and she was able to get back in for a short while before getting sick and passing...

But its Spring and a new start, so to speak. Marina has finally been given the green light to start rebuilding, they may even have a few slips this year...although without water and electric, but it's a start. But the big step for us...getting back into a home of our own again. No more living with the in-laws, no more apartment building living. It's just NOT for us, although it was nice to call the Super when the drain clogged and dishwasher stopped working. Thursday we closed on a new to us house, soon to be home. We hope to move in later this week. A house may just be "stuff" and alot of work....but it feels good to have one again.

Just thought I'd share a bit of good news...

Carl

[Rawleigh]

Wow Carl, I can't imagine how that feels! Glad you have at least some of your life back. What a tough year. Congratulations on your new purchase.

[bob lico]

Best of luck brother if you need anything at all give me a PM. I have major work myself got to clean shop what do i do with this ? Do you need a good sourse of titanium?

[CaptPatrick]

Good news, Carl, best of luck!

[Navatech]

There's a reason why the old adage "a man's home is his castle" rings so true...

[TailhookTom]

Best of luck and wishes Carl I spent 7 months without a day off removing the salt water and its damage from our house in Old Lyme - and I had no structural damage - there is a lot of nice shiney plumbing and electrical in the house now (we ran all the electrical from the second floor down instead of from under the house up!)

Home is where the heart is and we replaced almost all our "Stuff" when we opened the house on July 4th for our first overnight stay. Best of luck in your new home --- and good luck with the marina rebuild -- I'm terrified to run my boat in close to shore here as I know of 7 summer homes withhin a 1/2 mile of mine that were there on October 27, 2012 and not there on October 28, 2012 -- they floated somewhere and sank!

Tom

[MarkS]

Right on Carl! Good luck settling in.

[Tommy]

Way to go, Carl! I went down that road when Mom and Dad lost their home to Hurricane Floyd in 1999; the water was a foot deep......in their attic. They lost virtually everything they owned and started back from scratch at 70 years old. The financial loss hurt, but it actually drew our family closer together. I'm sorry your parents experienced the same, but I'm glad you've got a head start. Would love to host you at the NC Bertram Rendezvous the last weekend in May to give you a little break.

[John F.]

Wow. Best of luck Carl. What an ordeal.

[Charlie J]

great news carl, it was a long haul
best of luck

[Tony Meola]

Carl

Best of luck, that is great new. Staten Island is still struggling. For some reason they forget about certain areas. Staten Island, along the Delaware. What a shame. Our good Government at work. Now the flood Insurance will probably wipe us all out.

[Rocky]

Wow Carl. I haven't been posting for awhile but I must here- I'm so sorry you had to go through all that but also so glad like you say getting back on your feet. I can't imagine just how much patience and strength that takes to basically rebuild your life from Sandy and that goes for all others effected by it. Right on! I hope for the best for you Carl !!

[Carl]

Thank you for all the well wishes!

Not an experience I wish on others, but wouldn't consider trading it for a second knowing what others deal and dealt with.

Tony- Yes we are one of the luckier families in that we finally have closure to the mess. I have friends that still cannot go back to their homes as the government has yet to figure out the codes to which they must rebuild. Others made sections of their homes habitable while they wait. Although most rebuilt and stay in waiting to hear what the new Flood Insurance rates will be. I hear rate will be Capped at 5700/yr...I see that be problematic to lots people on fixed incomes.

Tommy- I cringe at the thought of having to starting over at 70...not a thought I relish. I am not thrilled about having to take on a Mortgage again either...we had just paid off the ol' house. At least I was able to get approved for one... being self employed is like being a criminal convicted of mortgage fraud. The hoops you need to jump thru, the documentation, the records...just crazy. And it is so true, you really do grow closer to some family and friends in the tough times. Funny how the same faces are always there in the tough times.

Bob- Sure could always use some Titanium! What do you do with that? Well, I'll hook you up with some friends of mine that put those engines in their boat...well more of a pair helicopter turbine engines, but I'm sure they could fit those in somehow. If not, they would make a nice kicker for a truck.

Place we found is really great, my kids already made friends with the neighborhood kids, I watched them playing outside with their new friends when I should have been painting...but it was really great to watch them play and enjoy. The Conference House park is a two minute walk from house with trails for walking, biking and seasonal events take place there, Egg Hunt this past weekend, fireworks, movies in the park, kids should have a blast...

Well, thanks again.
Carl

[bob lico]

The f-14 engines are out as well as electronics not important right now lets gets back to you.the marina ( oakdale yacth) and me as the contractor dealt with insurance company,EPA (because the gas,diesel dispensers went under water)and FEMA and we came out smelling like a rose . We had to come up with a foolproof game plan for dock side electrical distribution and dock side electric so i reinvented the wheel so to speak to satisfy authorities .i can help you with the Feds .

[Carl]

Bob- My marina is a concession within a National Park.
The Parks Department at first did not want marina rebuilt... But marina patrons made Alot of Noise and the right people heard that noise and came on board to fight for keeping the marina alive. They got the ears of people like Congressman Michael Grimm and Senator Schumer. Lots of government Red tape and bids took place, lots of meetings and all is supposed to be in place now. I personally did little more then sign a few petitions as my main efforts went into working on getting a new house, taking care of mom...boat sat on land as it continues to do. When all else is taken care of...maybe marina will be open, if not its a short ride across the harbor to another that has rebuilt.

Funny you mentioned electric. Contractor wants to built docks running electric and water lines in the docks before putting the docks in water...then just connect pigtails together and be done. Boats can use docks as they finish each section.
Government Contract stipulates they are to install half the docks without running the electric and water lines. Boats can use the 1st half of marina without water and electric, as the second half of the docks go in. Then September 14th the entire marina is to be evacuated of boats and they are to run the electric and water. Does this make any sense to anybody? Its not my fight just yet...but I just shake my head when I hear what has to be done.

[Mikey]

Yea, but it's 'our' stuff!
Welcome back to the land of the living . . .at home.

[Navatech]

I just shake my head when I hear what has to be done.

Nature of the beast... There's a reason government sucks at business...

[bob lico]

Everybody and his brother looking down our shirt rebuilding dock area . B dock has a regular,hi test and diesel at the end of dock .took $87,000 to comply with electrical wiring and fuel piping regulations. Earthquake and class 5 hurricane proof.incidently EPA states 1 quart of fuel spill is considered a major spill and if coast guard is not notified within the hour $25,000 first offense! The dockbuilders had to use all 3 " by pressure treated with cross bracing no more H building on dock supports.my loyal troopers ran pvc ladder tray ( normally used for data) on top of supports then we ran 3 phase locomotive cable in trays under wood walk ,then stub up between every two dock spaces.were there is a double stantion with light on top made in F/G. The only 3 phase dockside power in the world because a utility Y secondary would be 120/208 volt while a delta secondary utililzed voltage would be 120/ 240 volt so mister smith boat at end of dock air conditioner requires minumin 220 volt or it will automaticly cut out.the one extra power cable of 3 phase gives 50% more power so by droping off two feeders at each station i had the corect voltage needed for conventional 50amp. Marine outlet.How did i change long island power authority 13,200 volt primary transformer to 120/240 volt secondary Ah ! Thats why i have free dockage!we work thru the night so when inspector walk in next day docks were wired. Fu-k the feds!

[PeterPalmieri]

Great news Carl! Best of luck.

[Charlie J]

bob was this a pad mount or pole mount

[bob lico]

Charlie i installed a 3 phase 13,200 / 3 phase 120/ 208 volt secondary pad mount transformer. Then with friends like you we " bump " the transformer to 130/ 230 volt and hope and prayed the computers would take the high voltage with no boat loads in the off season.it worked and the furthest docked big boat gets 220 at outlet. The engineers are still scrating there heads from florida whom design and selll marina pestatal power posts and in combination with Eaton a distribution system to avoid voltage drop for places like Fort Lauderdale marina.they went home with there tails between there legs and my son ( phoenix ) did the electrical installation and i received free dockage for life.

[Dug]

Carl,

Good to hear. I know you have had your hands full to say the least. I'm glad progress is being made, and as a result your world will get a heck of a lot more comfortable.

Dug

[bob lico]

Oakdale yacth after total destruction from sandy . New electrical pestatals for dockside electric and water .

[bob lico]

This is the oakdale locaton there are two more locations but oakdale was totaled except maintenace shops.

[Charlie J]

bob
so you stepped up the pad mount

[bob lico]

Yes charlie that was it.the utility new construction designer "arranged" a shut down .we opened the tranformer and kicked it up two notches .

[Charlie J]

bob
just fyi the single phase pots can be stepped up or down also

[bob lico]

Charlie single phase is never a problem for voltage drop unless you have a really long dock.you are starting out with 120/240 volt but you would have a 400 amp service at every dock to supply dual 50amp outlets every pestatal along entire dock would need a mass of wiring and a four times the cost that was the Florida electrical engineering firm proposal .

[Charlie J]

yes bob, just saying that the singles have tap changers also,
you have to open the top and stick your hand in the oil to change,
only if its non pcb oil, yea like they told us years ago, it no problem