Port of Allyn assesses storm damage to dock

Kirk Boxleitner | Jan 20, 20220

Gordon Weeks count

A commercial fishing vessel unloads Tuesday at the Port of Allyn's boat ramp at Allyn Waterfront Park.

Port of Allyn Executive Director Lary Coppola addressed the port's damage claims and security measures during the board of commissioners' Jan. 3 regular meeting.

Coppola had previously conferred with the commissioners regarding the "severe damage" to the finger pier on the dock during an Oct. 25 storm, with waves so strong they fractured the 4-inch galvanized brackets holding the finger pier to the main dock and tore 4-inch lag bolts out of the beams holding the brackets to the pier.

Coppola said he turned the damage into Spokane-based Enduris insurance company as a claim and called the Tacoma-based dock builder Marine Floats - the same company that built the replacement dock - to get an estimate on repairs.

Meantime, the port has closed that section of the dock to boaters and pedestrians.

"Marine Floats isn't able to give us a solid bid but wants to do the job as time and material," Coppola said. "I'm letting Enduris deal with it, since this is our slow season at the marina anyway."

The port's second damage claim is for the theft of wire powering the marina.

"Enduris says we're covered for this as well," Coppola said. "We got a bid for the repair to the conduit that was cut, and the replacement of the wire, from the same contractor that did the original installation."

Before those steps, Coppola said the port needs to secure access to its electrical equipment so it can't be turned off simply by cutting the lock.

"Otherwise, it's just a matter of time before this happens again," Coppola said. "What we've decided to do is completely enclose the kiosk and install steel doors with double deadbolts to access the electrical equipment, as well as use stainless steel locks for the equipment cabinets."

Coppola estimated those measures would cost $5,000, but warned, "The people who did this knew what they were doing, and what our security level is. They must have scoped out the job beforehand, because they studiously avoided our cameras, wore camo hoodies, used a stolen truck, and were in and out in less than 20 minutes, according to the video we have of the theft."

On that note, Coppola reported all the port's security cameras, at all of its locations, are running, but the port is still having problems getting them to run on the flatscreen in its office.

"There is an information disconnect somewhere between our IT consultant, Hood Canal Communications, Wave Broadband and the camera vendor," Coppola said. "I spoke with the vendor, and they may come up here and meet in-person with everyone to sort this out once and for all. They did offer to just come and take out the equipment, and let us find another vendor, but we really don't want to do that. We just need it to work correctly."

While the marina grant paid for the original installation, Coppola acknowledged the port would have to pay for any additional pods.