General Precautions for Boat Owners
The key to protecting your boat from hurricanes or any severe threatening weather is planning, preparation, and timely action. The following precautions and checklist I meant as guides only. Each boat owner needs a plan unique to the type of boat, the local boating environment, the severe weather conditions likely to occur in that region, and the characteristics of safe havens and/or plans for protection. The following preparation and precautionary suggestions are issued as guidelines to be used by the Marine community. While these suggestions may not be applicable to everyone in all instances, it is hoped that common sense and good judgment will prevail. Should even one of the suggestions save a life, prevent an injury, or reduce property damage, our purpose will have been served.
- Prior to the hurricane season, develop a detailed plan of action to: secure your vessel in the marina, if permitted, remove your boat from the threatened area, or take your boat to a previously identified hurricane refuge. Specifically identified and assemble needed equipment and supplies. Keep them together and practice your plan to ensure it works before hurricane season.
- Arrange for a friend to carry your plans if you are out of town during the hurricane season.
- Check you lease or storage rental agreement with the marina or storage area. Know your responsiblities and liabilites as well as those of the marina.
- Consolidate all records including insurance policies, a recent photo of your vessel, boat registration, equipment inventory, lease agreement with the marina or storage area, and telephone numbers of appropriate authorities, ie, harbor master, Coast Guard, insurance agent, National Weather Service, etc, and keep them in your possession. They may be needed when you return to check on your boat after the hurricane .
- Maintain an inventory of both the items removed in those left I’m bored. Items of value should be mark so they can be readily identified.
- Before a hurricane threatens, analyze how you will remove valuable equipment from the boat and how long it will take, so you have an accurate estimate of the time and work involved. When a hurricane is impending and after you have made anchoring a mooring provisions, remove all movable equipment such as canvas, sales, Yankees, radios, cushions, biminis and roller falling sales. Last down everything you cannot remove such as tillers, wheels, spoons, etcetera. Make sure the electrical system is cut off unless you plan to leave the boat in the water, and remove the battery to eliminate the risk of fire or other damage.
Note: When wind and seas warrant, marine agencies remove their boats from service and will not be able to rescue foolish boaters .
Prior to the Hurricane
- If your plan calls for moving your vessel and you have sufficient notice, do it at least 48 to 72 hours or earlier before the hurricane is estimated to strike the area. This may be before the hurricane watch is issued .
- Make Sure That:
- fuel tanks are full
- fuel filters are clean
- batteries are charged
- bilges are clean
- cockpit drains are free and clear
- fire fighting equipment is in good order
- lifesaving equipment is in good condition, in place and readily accessible (these items will be secured later)
3. Remove and/or secure all the gear, portable gear, radio antennas, outriggers, fighting chairs, deck boxes, bimini tops inside canvas / curtains, sails, boom, dorades, extra halyards, canister rafts, and dinghies. Make sure that you secure all hatches, ports, doors, lazarettes and sailboat runner. (The dinghy may be required to take lines ashore).
4. If your vessel is moored at a dock on a canal, river, or in a marina near the ocean, it is possible that with an additional 5 to 10 feet or greater storm surge, the vessel could take a beating against the doc or even in pallet self on the pilings .
5. The best offshore mooring location for a vessel to ride out a storm is in the center of a canal or narrow river where at least doubled mooring lines can be secured to both shores, port and starboard, fore and aft.
6. Do not raft vessels together at moorings or docs, especially if larger and smaller vessels are involved. The probability of damage to the vessels is greater than if they are more singly.
7. If the vessel much remained oxide at a private dock or marina, heavy-duty fender boards should be used on a bare wood piling or otherwise install to prevent damage. Lines should be doubled and even tripled where necessary to hold a vessel in the center of a birth or off sea wall or doc pilings. Preventer should be installed at the top of the pilings of the lines cannot slip off the top know that nylon line will stretch 5 to 10% of its length.