Boating Loss From Superstorm Sandy Could Set Record

N.J. resident Kevin Kelly couldn’t quite tell the damage Superstorm Sandy caused his 30-foot Wellcraft Sportfisher when he saw it last week. It was in the middle of Shrewsbury Avenue in Highlands, N.J., under a pile of about 30 boats entangled in power lines. Then he got the bad news: American Star is a total loss after the top was ripped off its tower and the engine compartment was flooded. “It’s a big mess,” said Kelly, 50, who owns a custom apparel company and lives in West Caldwell, N.J., but keeps his boat in Highlands. “A good way to look at this is there is really little you can do. You are going to pull your boat out of the water and pray for the best.”