For boat owners along the US East and Gulf Coasts, Hawaii, in the Caribbean and
even parts of California, hurricane season brings new meaning to being prepared.
While hurricane season officially runs from June 1st to the end of November, the
period from August 10th to October 10th typically contains two-thirds of all
tropical storm activity. Many boaters have homes, businesses and other property
in addition to their vessels to care for when a storm strikes, drastically cutting
the time they can devote to preparation.
Many marine insurance policies now have increased deductibles for damage
caused by named storms. Since boats usually represent a significant
investment, damage or loss due to a storm may cost many thousands of
dollars. This makes it even more imperative to make all preparations for
storm season well in advance.
The checklist below is to help you plan for the time when a hurricane may
strike your homeport. With the advent of better forecasting and denser
coastal populations, be aware that civil authorities often issue evacuation
orders earlier than in previous years. The fact that marina areas and bridges
may be closed some time in advance of the storm makes your advance planning
even more important.
HURRICANE CHECKLIST
Moving the Boat
- If you plan to have your marina haul your boat, make the arrangements well in advance and give them as much notice as possible.
- If you trailer your boat, drive it to a safe location or move it inside a sturdy garage. Do not park it under trees or power lines, or between buildings. Drive stakes into the ground and lash the trailer and boat down securely.
- If you decide to move your boat to a local hurricane hole, have all the necessary lines, chain, anchors and chafe gear available and get an early start. Don’t forget to arrange transportation—never stay on the boat during a storm!
- Leaving the boat at a dock or on a mooring is the least desirable. Even if your boat and her gear are secure, the odds of being damaged by an unprepared boat are very great.
Preparing the Boat
- Pump the bilge dry and clear all drains and scuppers so they drain freely. Fully charge your batteries to ensure that the bilge pump will operate. Close all seacocks and seal hatches, ports, lockers and vents with duct tape to prevent torrential rains from entering the cabin.
- Deflate your dinghy and remove its outboard engine, especially if it's in davits or on a lift. An inflatable boat should be packed in its bag and stowed below or ashore along with its outboard. RIBs and hard dinghies are best stored ashore—lash them to the deck or in the cockpit if moving them is not possible.
- Remove all loose items including canvas biminis, dodgers with frames, hatch covers, BBQ grills, antennas, portable seating, cushions, etc. Remove all electronics or cover and lash them securely.
- Sailboats should remove all sails, covers and sheets, including roller-furling headsails. Removing all the booms is a good precaution. If time doesn’t permit stowing the sails, wrap lines around the main and mizzen sail covers and lash roller-furled sails with their sheets. Remove extra halyards. Attach the shackles of all halyards to a single line, and then raise them all together to the top of the mast.
- Remove and stow the shorepower cord. Clear the deck and adjacent dock of any TV or telephone cables, water hoses or other boat gear. Stow all below if possible.
Secure the Boat
- If the boat must be left at the dock, double up all docklines with one size larger than normal using high-stretch three-strand nylon. Make sure the docklines are long enough to accommodate storm surge and that you leave enough slack for extremely large tidal surges.
- Add chafe gear on all lines at all chafe points using water hose, fire hose or leather. Use chain for rough concrete docks Deploy every fender you can get your hands on—bigger is better
Keep the Paperwork
Recharge all handheld VHFs and take them with you in case you need them ashore
during or after the storm. Remove all valuables including documents and
ownership papers, the insurance policy and the log books. If time permits,
photograph your boat secured in its slip for insurance purposes.
Leave the Boat
Now leave the boat and secure yourself! While your boat may be your pride
and a valuable asset, it can be replaced. It’s not worth your life.
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