SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. — The folks at the Sarasota Sailing Squadron are learning a lesson in resilience after a rough few weeks caused by recent hurricanes.
Efforts are underway to help fix all the damage to the property and put things back in order so that youth sailing and other programs can continue.
Officials said Hurricane Helene first brought nearly 3 feet of storm surge onto the boat yard and into the clubhouse.
"Never happened in eighty years and then we clean up everything. We start working great, but our docks were intact, and our ramps were intact," Eduardo Sylvestre, director at the Sarasota Sailing Squadron said.
Not long after that, Hurricane Milton came with heavy winds and toppled many of the 250 boats kept in the yard, destroying around 30.
"Milton came and just took everything out and we have our docks totally damaged, we have our deck totally damaged and a lot of structure and things because the wind is brutal. So we going to take it out, put it apart, and fix it so we can come in and out safely. That was the hardest part for us. We lost about $1.5 million and we know we don't have that money," Sylvestre said.
According to Sylvestre, they are putting things back together with the help of several volunteers from among the more than 2,000 people who make up the Sailing Squadron family.
Teams have been removing debris, moving dirt, getting boats back in the upright position, painting and fixing up the entire boat yard.
"This club has been a beacon for the community. We have so many people who come over, so many entities that use this place as the only access to the water," Sylvestre said. "It's sad to see the way it is but we are going come back stronger and I believe we going to get over this probably, like in two months we will be pretty much ready to go."
Sylvestre added that they are taking advantage of the damage to do a total revamp of the club and the yard, hoping to have it in a presentable enough state to start welcoming visitors sometime in December.
