Wind blows in second damage claim at Oak Harbor Marina

A nasty January windstorm that damaged boats in Oak Harbor Marina may have blown out more than nine months ago, but it’s still whipping up trouble for the city.

Several weeks ago, the city received its second claim for damages from the Jan. 18 windstorm that caused a portion of “C” dock’s roof to collapse. The sheet metal landed on two boats, one belonging to Langley resident Andrew Loehr and the other to Oak Harbor resident Dennis Behrman.

Behrman submitted a claim earlier this year asking the city for $2,863. Oak Harbor’s insurance company, the Washington Cities Insurance Authority, denied the claim and Behrman took the issue to small claims court. He lost that battle as well when a judge ruled that the city was not liable for the windstorm.

According to city documents, Loehr submitted his claim Sept. 10.

“My name is Andy Loehr and I am the owner of Synergy, the trawler that was used to secure and store the roof on the marina “C” shed until your crew got around to removing it,” wrote Loehr, in his initial claim letter. “Your several ton roof was forced onto my boat by the lack of secure roofing and the wind.”

Loehr’s boat received the bulk of the damage, suffering a broken mast and crushed bimini or canvas top. He claims the superstructure was also compromised when workers used the cabin top to secure the wreckage until it could be removed.

Loehr’s claim totals $7,958, but only $3,558 of that amounts to physical damages. The remaining $4,400 is what Loehr claims is fair compensation for his loss of use while it was undergoing repairs, from January to June. Loehr came up with the number using rates from powerboat charter companies in Anacortes for similar sized vessels.

The claim is currently being evaluated by the Washington Cities Insurance Authority.

Contact Whidbey News Times Staff reporter Justin Burnett at jburnett@whidbeynewsgroup.com or 360-675-6611 ext. 5054.

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