Update On Gar Wood On Lake Dora

Earlier this week our reporter on the scene in the Tavaras area shared a photo of a Gar Wood that had not faired to well from the Irma Hurricane. We heard from the owner, fellow Woody Boater Dave Doner. This is from Dave – This is how she looked about a week ago. I understand that the lift has been pulled back into the lake about 4′ due to the storm surge. My nephew down there can’t even get to the boat because of the mess around it. Probably best to wait until the water resides a foot or so.

The Gar Wood is  a 1946 16′ Ensign, hull #7033, 5th Ensign built out of 650 and 3rd one shipped to a customer. When I left Tavares for Brainerd, MN in April, the boat was secured high and dry on my lift, covered with a good mooring cover, awaiting my return which will be in about 3 weeks. This has been my annual routine. I have taken on water to be certain but don’t know what affect it has had nor do I know of any structural damage. I hope to have the boat pumped out today and secured on the lift. However, I do see a silver lining in all of this. Pictures have revealed other boats moored conventionally (floating) alongside mine in their slips. They broke loose, crashed through the dock walkway and wound up on the rocky rip rap. They are toast from what I hear. I can only imagine how my hull and below-water running gear might have fared if my woody was likewise pushed up onto the unforgiving rocky rip rap! Find a silver lining when you can! While unfortunate, I appreciate there are others in the area who have been impacted far more.