West Kelowna yacht club and boats damaged in windstorm

WEST KELOWNA – Heavy rains and strong winds caused played havoc with the West Kelowna Yacht Club today, damaging several boats, docks and perhaps the integrity of the breakwater itself.

Several boaters inspected damage around 4 p.m. today, Nov. 17, and two boats threw their moorings entirely. One, the Manhattan, had its bow torn off as it broke loose and landed on a rocky shoal not far from the yacht club. The second, a sail boat, drifted right out into the lake. The owner was scrambling this afternoon trying to find someone who could take him to the boat before it hit against the rocks or someone else’s dock.

But he wasn’t finding much help.

Several boats were severely damaged in the windstorm. Slips and docks were pulled loose and scattered throughout the marina. In other cases, boats remained moored but they exchanged damage with the docks, some with gaping holes worn through them.

“You couldn’t even stand out here a couple hours ago,” member Scott Thresher says. “I’ve never seen wind like this down here. Ever."

Members inspecting the damage also suspect even the pilings that provide the foundation have shaken loose. Officials weren’t available to comment on the estimated damage.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Marshall Jones at mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.