Cape Coral man locates lost, now damaged boat

CAPE CORAL, Fla. – A boat owner was reunited with his boat Wednesday after losing it in the recent tornado.

Ralph Neama said the tornado destroyed parts of his house. Glass windows were shattered, his lanai was destroyed and tiles were ripped from his roof.

But he did not expect to walk outside and discover that his boat was missing.

“The boat weighs about 4000 pound, so at least 3500 pounds,” Neama said. “I said ‘How could it have been lifted off the boat lift and where did it go?'”

The EF2 tornado that hit parts of southwest Cape Coral produced wind that peaked at speeds of 132 mph. The tornado also ripped through a little more than three miles in he area, leaving behind its path of destruction.

Many homes need repair and Cape Coral’s canals are in a state of disarray. Neama is proof of that.

Four days after the tornado he found his boat attached to a neighbor’s dock across the canal.

“It must have picked up the boat off the lift and luckily dropped it the water and it just floated away,” Neama said.

He thought he would just turn the boat’s engine on and return it to his own dock. But the engine wouldn’t start and then Neama noticed parts of his boats scattered across other docks in the area.

“I didn’t realize it was in that bad of shape, really,” Neama said. “I mean, I’m missing a lot of things in the boat. There’s water in the engine compartment.”

Now Neama is unsure about whether he can save his boat. His insurance papers were found soaking wet.

“I don’t know if there’s anything else I can salvage here,” he said.

For Neama and other Cape Coral families, dealing with the aftermath of the tornado has quickly become overwhelming.

“You have boat issues. You have dock issues. You have a roof issue. You have lights issue. You have a pool cage issue,” Neama said. “I mean, it’s just a lot.”

In his 13 years in Southwest Florida, Neama said he has never seen anything like this tornado. He said he will have to get his boat towed.