Navy's floating crane slams veteran's sailboat

Groton - The Navy is investigating how a floating crane from the Naval Submarine Base came free of its moorings and damaged a veteran's sailboat.

"This was big barge meets little boat," said Garry Elmer, a retired submariner from Mystic who owns the 38-foot ChrisDaLyn.

The unmanned floating crane came free on the north side of Pier 33 at the base on Jan. 25. High winds apparently pushed the crane into the adjacent Thames View Marina, where service members and retirees can dock their boats, said Christopher Zendan, base spokesman.

Three small floating concrete piers and a sailboat were damaged, Zendan added.

"Certainly we're conducting an investigation, and that is not yet complete," he said.

Elmer said when he went to the marina he found that his boat no longer had a mast. There were large cuts, the steering station was destroyed and the deck was separated from the hull on one side, he said. The ChrisDaLyn did not stand much chance against the crane on the barge, which is 175 feet long by 75 feet wide, Elmer said.

The boat's name is a combination of the middle names of Elmer's children.

His insurance company said the repairs would cost $74,000, which is higher than the boat was insured for. Elmer said he bought the boat eight years ago and spent many hours working to make it comfortable, beautiful and seaworthy.

Zendan said the base assigned an officer to answer Elmer's questions, if he decides to pursue a claim against the Navy through the Judge Advocate General's Corps Admiralty and Maritime Law Division in Washington, D.C.

That officer was cooperative, Elmer said. But Elmer resents having to go through a lengthy process to get reimbursed.

"I recognize they have hoops you have to jump through, but I was not the one who decided it was time to get rid of my boat," he said. "If this was a natural disaster or an accident on my part, that is what insurance is for. But when a boat is destroyed by a Navy vessel when it is tucked away for winter storage, I feel that's extraordinary, and the boat should be replaced."

Zendan, who called the incident "unusual," could not recall anything similar ever happening there. The piers that were damaged will possibly be fixed by the beginning of boating season, he said. The Morale, Welfare and Recreation program at the base operates the marina.

j.grogan@theday.com