The deep freeze that gripped the Northeast last winter dealt a severe blow to marinas and yacht clubs: Ice snapped pilings in half, shredded wooden docks and left behind wreckage that many compare to the effects of a hurricane.
After a scramble to get ready for the all-important Memorial Day weekend, most marinas are back in business, although many are behind schedule and still in need of costly repairs to operate at full capacity.
Mindy Kahl, co-owner of Birbarie Marine on a river in Branford, Connecticut, said it is operating this weekend but nowhere near where it should be.
Hardest hit were yards in rivers and coves that became choked with ice during a record-breaking stretch of frigid weather through February. Veterans of the waterfront say the damage is the worst they've seen in decades.
