Business & Tech
Norwalk Boaters Aren't Taking Any Chances With Hurricane Irene.
The race is on for Norwalk boaters to pull their vessels out of the water before Hurricane Irene arrives.
With Mother Nature ready to unleash her fury along the eastern seaboard, Norwalk boaters aren't taking any chances. On Friday morning, many of them were down at pulling their boats out of the water.
"We've left our boats in before and nothing ever happened," said Richard Stumpf of Norwalk. "But they say this one is going to be one of the biggest hurricanes we've had in many years. The waves could get as high as 5-10 feet."
By Friday evening, the parking lot at Veterans Park boat ramp could look like rush hour on the Merritt Parkway. The early birds got their boats out to avoid what could be a nightmare all the way around.
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"Better safe than the sorry," said Bob Maliniak, who keeps his boat in the . "It is the right time now. There's no sense in losing the boat or taking any chance with damages that you have to pay for and repair."
Hurricane and tropical storm warnings are all part of being a boater. They check the weather as often as most of us view Facebook. There have been false alarms before, but Irene appears to be developing into a destructive force.
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"I like to deny it as long as possible, but this one feels real," said Jim Benfield, a Norwalk resident. "I got all my boats out. It's a disappointment, not an inconvenience. Part of boating is keeping you and your boats safe."
Just because the boats are out of the water, doesn't mean they are entirely safe from a hurricane. Most of the boaters are taking them back home and securing them in their driveways. But they will still be exposed to high-winds and falling trees.
"If something happens, something happens," said Stumpf. "It's better off at the house than in the water. If a tree comes down on the boat it still won't do as much damage if you had kept it down here."
Nikki Generoso, who is just 18 years of age and a boat owner, is wise beyond her years when it comes to safety.
"I felt it was best to get down here as soon as possible to get my boat out," said Generoso. "You just can't take any chances with a storm like this."
