Yacht Club Raised 14.5 Feet | Structural Lifting by High Caliber

At High Caliber Contracting, we’ve worked on all kinds of structures over the years, but lifting the Watch Hill Yacht Club was one of the biggest and most rewarding jobs we’ve done. A few years back, we carefully raised the 2 story yacht club 14.5 feet out of the water to get it above FEMA’s flood line. The building now sits stronger, safer, and ready for the future, storms and all.

The club is about 4,000 square feet and sits right on Watch Hill Cove. After Superstorm Sandy hit in 2012, flooding and wave damage made it clear that something had to be done. We worked through the winter and spring to make it happen, using hydraulic jacks to lift the entire structure off the ground slowly. Once it was high enough, we slid massive steel beams underneath and secured it on new pilings driven deep into the cove bottom.

While the building lifting was underway, the rest of the crew tackled upgrades inside and out. We replaced gables, added new dormers, installed fresh insulation and roofing, and even made room for a second floor. To protect the ground level from future storms, we added roll-up doors on all sides so waves can pass through without damaging the walls. It’s a smart design that looks great and works even better.

Now, the structure lifted by our team stands tall, with an elevator for better access and the strength to face future storms. It’s a perfect example of what can be done when you mix smart planning with expert work. If you’ve got a coastal building that needs to be raised or protected, we’d be proud to help you do it right.