South Boston boaters tally up losses from Irene

(Patrick Rosso/Boston.com/2011)

Allen Ehricher trying to repair his boat "Sea Fever"

By Patrick Rosso, Town Correspondent

While Irene didn't do significant damage to homes in South Boston, some boats being moored on the waterfront took a beating.

Six boats were washed onto the beach, one was sunk, and another was washed up on the rocks protecting the harbor.

"It was fairly catastrophic for me," said Allen Ehricher who moors his boat at the Columbia Yacht Club in South Boston.

The hull of Ehricher’s boat, "Sea Fever," was busted, the mast was ripped out, and the rudder was damaged. He said it was particularly painful because he also lives on the boat. He'll try and stay there.

"I think I did everything I could" to protect the vessel,'' he said. "I had 10,000-pound lines tying the boat down but what failed were the cleats on the boat."

Even with all the warnings and damaged suffered because of the storm, one South Boston resident said he actually had a great time.

“A lot of trees went down and several boats broke their moorings, but I decided to go swimming Sunday with a couple of other guys and it was beautiful out,'' Danny DeMiller, a South Boston native, said today as he helped out at the Grammy White’s hot dog stand on the Harborwalk. "There were no rip currents, and the water was pretty warm.”

With all that rain and wind one might think that it was a pretty strange day for South Boston, but DeMiller said it was pretty normal.

“It was a typical day in Southie because as usual the beach was packed with people,” he said.

Residents who may still need help clearing debris or have questions about what to do with all the waste generated from the storm are encouraged to call the Mayor’s Hotline at (617) 635-4500.

Email Patrick Rosso at patrick.d.rosso@gmail.com