On the night of 27/28 August 1989, a localised but nevertheless immensely violent hurricane sweeps across the Kiel Fjord. It leaves a trail of devastation in its wake. The Wendtorf marina on the eastern shore of the fjord is hit particularly hard.
For hours, in complete darkness, desperate owners try to save their boats and their own lives. Only the latter succeeds. The morning after, the once pretty harbour resembles a field of rubble.
Sailors who were once affected remember the night of horror. They talk about their battle against the forces of nature. It wasn't just the storm that caused major damage - it also caused the water to rise. So high that jetties were flooded and mooring lines laid around stern posts simply floated up.
Countless yachts drifted into the harbour basin, collided with each other and finally pushed together along the quay wall to form an endless row of hulls wedged into each other. Some boats even ended up impaled on a bollard.
What have sailors and harbour operators learned from the disaster? We have investigated this question. And we show what you can do to protect your ship in harbour against strong winds and storms.
Now in the new YACHT (issue 18/2014, available now at newsagents and in the app stores).
Pascal Schürmann
Editor YACHT
