Hurricanes: Preparing Boats & Marinas -- by Boat U.S. Marine Insurance, 2006

8/9/2019 Hurricanes: Preparing Boats & Marinas -- by Boat U.S. Marine Insurance, 2006

1/12

&

Boat owners rom Maine to Texas havereason to become edgy in the late summerand all: Each year, on average, two hurri-

canes will come ashore somewhere along the Gul or Atlantic coast, destroying homes, sinking boats, and turning peopleslives topsy-turvy or weeks, or evenmonths. This year, who knows? Florida isstruck most o ten, but every coastal stateis a potential target.

Experts predict that in the next 20 yearsthere will be much more hurricaneactivity than has been seen in the past20 years. Experts also ear that a ter a

number o storm- ree years, people insome o the vulnerable areas will be lesswary o a storms potential ury. But to

residents o North Carolina and Virginia,crippled by Isabel in 2003, and people inFlorida, ravaged rom our giant stormsin 2004, the hurricane threat wont soonbe orgotten.

D p PI you own a boat, the irst step in devel-oping a preparation plan is to review

your dock contract or language that mayrequire you to take certain steps or to leave

BoatU.S. Marine Insurance Damage Avoidance Program

the marina when a hurricane threatens. Ask the marina manager what hurricaneplan the marina has in place.

Planning where your boat will best survivea storm, and what protective steps youneed to take when a hurricane threatens,should begin before hurricane season. TheBoatU.S. Marine Insurance claim ileshave shown that the probability o damagecan be reduced considerably by choosing the most storm-worthy location possibleand having your plan ready long be ore ahurricane warning is posted.

The BoaTer's Guide To

PreParinG BoaTs Marinas for Hurricanes

6Hurricane Brochure.indd 1 7/11/06 3:06:43 PM


2/12


3/12

Going back as ar as Hurricane Alicia in 1983, BoatU.S. Hurricane Catastrophe Team(CAT) members have spent thousands o hours working to identi y and recover damagedboats. They have seen rsthand what works and what doesnt work when a boat is pre-pared or a hurricane. When asked where they would take their own boats i a hurricanewarning were posted, most o said they would have it hauled ashore. For many boat own-ers and marinas, hauling boats is the oundation o their hurricane plan. Some arsightedmarinas and yacht clubs have evacuation plans to pull as many boats out o the wateras possible whenever a storm is approaching and secure the rest in the largest availableslips.

There are some types o boats that must be pulled i they are to have any chance o sur-viving. Smaller, open boats and high-per ormance powerboats with low reeboard, to usetwo examples, will almost always be overcome by waves, spray, and rain. This is true eveni the boats have sel -bailing cockpits. Fortunately, most o these boats can be placed ontrailers and transported inland.

Boats ashore should be stored well above the anticipated storm surge, but even whenboats are tipped o jack stands and cradles by rising water, the damage they sustain in a

storm tends to be less severe than the damage to boats le t in the water.

Windage is also a consideration. I nothing else, reduce windage as much as possible (seeCritical Points) and make sure your boat has extra jack stands, at least three or our oneach side or boats under 30 and ve or six or larger boats. The jack stands must be sup-ported by plywood and chained together. To reduce windage, some ambitious boat ownerson the Gul Coast have dug holes or their sailboat keels so that they present less wind-age. Smaller sailboats are laid on their sides.

One technique that has proven to be very e ective involves strapping boats down to eyesimbedded in concrete (see cover photo). At least two marinas in Florida and one in Puer-to Rico have used straps with excellent results. One o the Florida marinas strapped theboats to eyes imbedded in its concrete storage lot. The other Florida marina and the onein Puerto Rico built heavy concrete runners (similar to long, narrow concrete deadweight

moorings) beneath the boats to anchor the straps. Even when the wind has been on thebeam and water has come into the storage area, the straps held and boats have stayedupright. An alternative tried at other marinas has been to use earth augers screwed intothe ground to secure the straps. Results with the latter technique have been mixed; somehave held while others have been pulled out. All things considered, any attempt to anchora boat on shore is worth the e ort.

BoatU.S. Marine Insurance Damage Avoidance Program 3

Wh r to K p Your Bo tSecuring a Boat Ashore

A sample storm arrangement: note the springlines, which were the longest lines, are now theshortest. Stern lines are extended one or twoslips away. Additional bow lines lead across tothe next dock or to storm anchors placed outfrom the slip.

On a face dock, position the boat farther (thefarther, the better) than usual from the dock andadd offshore lines to hold the boat away from thedock. Offshore lines can lead to distant pilings ortrees, such as across a canal, or to anchors if thebottom provides adequate holding.

A hurricane warning advisory is postedwhen sustained winds o 74 mph orhigher are expected within 24 hours or

lesstoo late, in most situations, to heador the boat. Securing the house, gathering

emergency provisions, and evacuating theamily will need attention at this point.

A hurricane watch is posted whenhurricane conditions pose a threat to aspeci ied coastal area, usually within 36hours. Some hurricane observers believewaiting or a watch to be posted also maybe too late to head or the marina or tomove the boat to a sa er location.

Even watching the barometer, which ishelp ul or some weather patterns, cant

Wh t T k actThe time for taking all measures for

a ships safety is while still able to do so. Nothing is more dangerous than for a seaman to be grudging in taking precautions lest they turn out to havebeen unnecessary. Safety at sea for

a thousand years has depended on exactly the opposite philosophy.

Admiral Chester W. Nimitz

tell you when to prepare or a hurricane.The extreme low pressure associated witha hurricane occurs close to the eye o thestormtoo late to predict land all.

The best advice is to prepare or move yourboat when a hurricane is a substantialpossibility, even be ore a watch is issued.I you wait longer, and your plan includesrelocating the boat, bridges may be lockeddown and the hurricane hole you choosemay be inaccessible. Or, i you plan tohave your boat weather the storm ashore,

you may ind the marina is too busy tohaul your boat.



4/12


5/12


I you plan to leave your boat at a foating dock, its critical that you measure the heighto the pilingswill they remain above the predicted storm surge? Pilings that are onlysix or seven eet above the normal high tide probably wont be sa e. When foating dockshave been rebuilt a ter hurricanes, the new pilings have almost always been much taller,about 18 tall, and are ar less likely to be overcome by surge than the six- to eight- ootpilings that they replaced. Taller pilings are much more storm proo .

H c H : C , r , d W t w y Whenever canals, rivers, or waterways are available, they serve as sheltershurricaneholesand o er an attractive alternative to crowded harbors and marinas. Your mooring arrangement will depend on the nature o the hurricane hole.

In a narrow residential canal, a boat should be secured in the center with several sturdylines ashore (the spider web) to both sides o the canal. This technique was common tomost o the boats in canals that survived recent hurricanes. Conversely, boats that werele t at docks without the bene t o lines to both sides o the canal didnt are any betterthan boats at marina docks.

The boat should be acing the canals entrance and be as ar back rom open water aspossible. Besides sheltering the boat, being away rom the entrance should help withanother consideration, which is the need to maintain a navigable waterway.

Securing boats in residential canals is possible only i you make arrangements with thehomeowners whose trees and pilings you will be using to secure your boat. This can bedi cult i your boat isnt normally moored in the canal. I your boat is already in thecanal, getting other homeowners involved in planning or a hurricane increases thechances that your boat (and theirs) will survive. This is important. All it takes to wreakhavoc in a narrow canal is one or two neglected boats coming loose.

In wider canals and waterways, boats should be secured using a combination o anchorsand lines tied to trees ashore. More lines and anchors are always better. Try to nd aspot that is well away rom open water and that has tall banks, sturdy trees, and ewhomes. Moor your boat away rom the main channel. Other considerations: A hurricanehole that ordinarily takes an hour to reach may take two hours to reach when winds andseas are building; bridges may not open as requently once a hurricane warning has beenposted; or the bridges may be locked down to evacuate cars. Plan on moving your boatearly.

at M , t a ch , B thMooring in a sheltered location can also be a good alternative to exposed harbors and/orcrowded marinas. A boat on a mooring can swing to ace the wind, which reduces wind-age, and it cant be slammed into a dock unless the mooring or anchor drags.

The rst question, then, is: Will your mooring hold? As a result o numerous mooringsbeing dragged during recent hurricanes and northeasters, a search has been underway

or a more secure mooring anchor. A study by the BoatU.S. Foundation, Cruising Worldmagazine, and Massachusetts Institute o Technology (MIT) ound that a 500-lb. mush-room buried in mud could be pulled out with 1,200 lbs. o pull (supplied by a 900-hp tug);an 8,000-lb. deadweight (concrete) anchor could be pulled out with 4,000 lbs. o pull.

A helix morring, however, could not be pulled out by the tug and the strain gauge re-corded 12,000 lbs. o pullits maximumbe ore a shackle was burst apart by the strain.Scope in each case was slightly less than 3:1. (In another helix test, a strain gauge hadregistered 20,800 lbs. be ore the hawser snapped.)

The holding power o a mushroom or deadweight mooring anchor can be increased by

extending the pennants scope, which has as much to do with holding power o a moor-ing as the anchor itsel . (Additional scope, while always advantageous, appears to be lesscritical with helix anchors.) Studies have ound that when the angle o pull increases to25, a moorings holding power begins to weaken precipitously. So in shallow harbors,where a scope o 3:1 can be had with, say, 20- 30 o chain, the advantage o scope is allbut eliminated in a storm by a combination o a large tidal surge and the high, pumping motion o waves. Note that in a crowded harbor, scope must be increased uni ormly onall boats.

Finally, when was the last time your moorings chain was inspected? Chain that is mar-ginal in the spring will not be su ciently strong at summers end to stand up to a hur-ricane. A harbormaster should know how long your chain has been in use and whetherits condition could be i y.

Anchors used in tandem give you the advantageof 100% holding power of both anchors simulta-neously. Use only chain to join the anchors beforesetting. Tandem rigs should be prepared well inadvance of the hurricane season, as it is usuallynecessary to weld a pad eye to the traileringanchor.

Swivel

Using three anchors set 120 apart allows the

boat to swing and face the wind. This is anespecially good technique if the boat must bemoored in a crowded harbor because the boatwill not swing in as wide an arc as a boat that isriding on only two anchors.

This sailboat was tied off in a canal in Gulf Breeze,Florida using three large anchors and 13 linesto shore. Despite considerable damage to othernearby boats and homes, the sailboat survivedHurricane Ivan without so much as a scratch.

For more damage-avoidance articles tohelp prepare your boat or a hurricane,go to BoatUS.com/hurricanes . Thesite includes up-to-date in ormation onactive hurricanes, including tracking models and NOAA orecasts.



6/12

BoatU.S. Marine Insurance Damage Avoidance Program6

I you have any doubts about your mooring, the chances o it ailing can be reduced sig-ni cantly by using one or two additional storm anchors to enhance its holding power andto decrease the room your boat will need to swing.

at a ch As with moorings, conventional storm anchors rely on scopeat least 10:1 i possibleto increase holding power. Heavy, oversize chain is also recommended; 50/50 is prob-ably the optimum chain-to-line ratio. In theory, a riding weight, or sentinel, placed at

the chain/line juncture will lower the angle o pull on the anchor and reduce jerking and strain on the boat. During a hurricane, however, its value will be diminished by theextreme pressure o wind and waves and a sentinel (and the weight o the chain) shouldnever be relied on to compensate or lack o scope. To absorb shock, an all-chain rodemust have a snubber (usually nylon line) that is 30% o the rodes length. Without thenylon line, the surging waves and intense gusts are much more likely to yank the anchorout o the bottom.

BoatU.S. CAT team members have consistently ound boats that used single working an-chors were much more likely to have been washed ashore. Conversely, more and largeranchors (suited or the type o bottom) increased a boats chances o staying put. OneCAT team member says he is impressed with the number o boats that ride out stormssuccess ully using two large anchors with lines set 90 apart. With this technique, onerode should be slightly longer than the other so they wont become tangled should theydrag. Even more staying power can be had using the tandem anchoring technique

backing each anchor with a second anchor. Using tandem anchors allows the rst anchorto dig a urrow so that the second can dig in even deeper (see diagram, page 5). A studydone by the U.S. Navy (Technical Note CEL N-1707, October 1984) ound that the useo tandem anchors yields a 30% improvement over the sum o their individual holding powers.

One more important note: Cha e gear is essential on any line, but it is especially impor-tant on mooring and anchor lines. Recent storms have given dramatic evidence that aboat that is anchored or moored is especially vulnerable to cha ng through its pennants(see Critical Points). Unlike a boat at a dock, which is usually more sheltered and se-cured with multiple lines, a boat on a mooring is more exposed to wind and wave and willtypically be secured with only two lines. Lines on the latter will be under tremendousloads and will cha e through quickly i they arent protected.

T b B t A trailer is, or should be, a ticket to take your boat inland to a more sheltered locationaway rom the tidal surge. But your boat wont get ar on a neglected trailer that has twofat tires and rusted wheel bearings. Inspect your trailer regularly to make sure it will beoperable when its needed.

I you take your boat home, you may want to leave it, and not your car, in the garage. Aboat is lighter and more vulnerable to high winds than a car. I this isnt practical, putthe boat and trailer where they will get the best protection rom wind, alling branches,etc.

Let some air out o the trailer tires and block the wheels. You can increase the weight o lighter outboard boats by leaving the drain plug in and using a garden hose to add water.(Rain will add a lot more water later.) This has the added advantage o giving you emer-gency water (non-drinking) i the main water supply gets knocked out by the hurricane.

Place wood blocks between the trailers rame and springs to support the added weight.On a boat with a stern drive, remove the drain plug so that the engine wont be damagedby fooding.

Secure the trailer to trees or with anchors or augers. Strip all loose gear, bimini tops,canvas covers, electronics, etc. and then lash the boat to the trailer.

B t D t d l t When asked, Where wouldnt you want your boat to be in a hurricane? just about allo the BoatU.S. CAT Team members consistently say they wouldnt want their boat tobe on a hoist or li t. Damage to boats on li ts has been high and has included boats being blown o cradles; bunk boards breaking (and spilling the boats); boats grinding againstli t motors and pilings; boats being overcome by the storm surge; and boats lling with

One boat that survived Hurricane Andrew wassecured in a mangrove channel with eight 5/8lines to shore and three large anchors: a 60-lb.Danforth; a 37-lb. Fortress; and a 45-lb. Bruce.Each of the lines had 10 of slack to allow for thetidal surge.

A boat on davits is extremely vulnerable to stormsurge. If possible, store the boat ashore.

Most boats do well on trailers in a hurricane.The exception is deep-draft sailboats, whichare vulnerable when the wind is on the beam.Whenever a sailboat with a deep keel is storedon a trailer, jack stands should be used to provideadditional support.



7/12

7BoatU.S. Marine Insurance Damage Avoidance Program

rainwater and collapsing li ts. Have any boats on li ts survived? In areas that have beenhard hit, the answer is not many. The ew that did survive were typically subjected toonly a slight surge, and the li t had been secured so that the boat and its cradle couldntbe tossed around by the wind. Whenever possible, boats on li ts or davits should be storedashore or moved to a sa er location in the water (dock or anchorage).

I the boat must be le t on its li t, remove the drain plug so the weight o accumulatedrainwater will not collapse the li t. (I the tidal surge reaches the boat, it will be fooded,but to leave the plug in place is likely to result in more serious structural damage.) Tiethe boat securely to its li ting machinery to prevent the boat rom swinging or dri ting away. Plug the engines exhaust outlet and strip the boat. Make sure cockpit drains are

ree o debris.

B t H h-r st r ckIn Hurricane Wilma alone, three large steel storage racks with thousands o boats werecollapsed. Typically, older storage racks are more vulnerable than ones that were con-structed in the past ew years. On newer buildings, the supports will be ree o rust andthe loosening e ect o previous storms. Newer ones are also more likely to have beenbuilt to a higher standard with more and heavier structural supports to withstand higherwinds. (A marina owner should know how much wind a steel building was designed towithstand. ) I not, or i there is any doubt about the structures ability to stand up toan approaching storm, boats on storage racks should be placed on trailers and takenelsewhere.

One o the most dangerous mistakes a skipper can make is to stayaboard his or her boat during a hurricane. Several accounts given inclaim iles indicate that there is little, i anything, a skipper can do tosave a boat when winds are blowing over 100 mph, tides are surging,and visibility is only a ew eet.

What can happen? Consider the case o a 68-year-old skipper inCharleston, who together with his grown nephew, took their trawlerup the Wando River to ride out Hurricane Hugo in what theythought would be a "sheltered" hurricane hole. He reported that theboat seemed to be doing airly well initially, but later that night thewind picked up to over 100 mph and 15 seas sent the boat crashing completely over.

The two men were trapped brie ly in a pocket o air underwater whenanother wave rolled the boat back upright. They then scrambled ontothe deck and were eventually rescued, but not be ore almost drowning and being overcome by exposure.

Another skipper who stayed aboard his motorsailer at a marina during Gloria had to jump overboard and swim through breaking waves,

dri ting boats, and debris a ter another boat broke ree and rammedits mast (the boat was on its beam ends) through his boats pilothousewindow. Again, he was lucky to reach shore alive. Two Miami menwho stayed aboard a Sport isherman (not insured by BoatU.S.) during

Andrew were not so lucky. They both drowned while trying to escapetheir battered and sinking boat.

When a hurricane is approaching, you should certainly do everything you can to protect your boat: Secure extra lines, set out anchors,add cha e protection, strip the boat above and below decks, etc. Dowhatever it takes, and then head inland. Your boat can be replaced;

you cant.

Axiom: Never Stay Aboard in a Hurricane!

High-rise storage racks can be toppled by astorms high winds. Especially if your boat is in anolder building, consider putting it on a trailer andmoving it further inland.

Note to BoatU.S. insureds: BoatU.S. Marine Insurance will pay up to $1,000(half the cost) to haul and block a boat ashore or have it moved by a profes-sional captain.



8/12


backed properly with stainless steel oraluminum plates. Marine plywood is OK i its healthy ree o rot and delamination.On sailboats, winches (i backed properly)and even keel-stepped masts can also beused to secure lines at a dock. (NOTE: An-chor lines should NOT be secured to themast, as it creates that much more stretchon the line at the chock, which urtherincreases the chances o cha e ailure.)

Dont put too many eggs in one basket byleading numerous lines to a single cleat,even i it is backed properly. Two lines percleat is the maximum. Also, a cleat is notreliable when lines are led perpendicularto the base and the cleat can be wrenchedout by the tremendous loads (see dia-gram).

Reduce Windage!Strip all loose gear that creates windage:canvas covers, bimini tops, outriggers, an-tennas, anchors, running rigging, booms,li e rings, dinghies, portable davits, etc.Remove cowling ventilators and seal theopenings. Anything on deck that cant betaken o should be lashed securely.

Unstepping masts on sailboats is stronglyadvised. I this is impractical, sailspar-ticularly roller urling headsailsmust beremoved. Roller urling headsails create alot o windage, especially when they comeun urled, which is almost guaranteed tohappen no matter how care ully theyresecured. All halyards should be run tothe masthead and secured with a singleline led to the rail. This reduces windageand minimizes fogging damage to themast. The line can be used to retrieve thehalyards.

Fenders and Fender BoardsFenders and ender boards wont compen-sate or a poor docking arrangement in ahurricane. However, when the boat hasbeen well secured, they may o er someadditional protection. When asked about

ender boards, CAT Team members saidthey were e ective at preventing dockrash but only i heavy boards were usedwith several large enders. Using onlytwo enders at either end o a long boardwasnt e ective; the enders were eitherbounced out or the boards broke in themiddle.

One example o a system that worked: A member in Punta Gorda said he usedseveral 12 x 32 enders and a 2 x 10x 16 ender board at his dock to keep his50 Sea Ray rom banging against a piling during Hurricane Charley. The member

credits the ender board or helping tominimize damage to his boat.

Preventing TheftElectronics and other valuable gear shouldbe taken home or sa ekeeping. Not onlyare electronics vulnerable when vandalscomb through boatyards a ter the storm,they can also be wrecked by all o thewater. Personal belongings and other loosegear (potential missiles) should be takenhome and the cabinets and cabin doorssecured. All ships documents should betaken o the boat.

Preventing Water DamageRemove cowl ventilators and seal theopenings. Use duct tape to cover instru-ment gauges. Duct tape should also beused around hatches, ports, lockers, etc. toprevent water damage below. (Some typeso duct tape leave less gummy residuethan others.) Close all but the cockpitdrain seacocks and shove a plug into theengines exhaust ports. I the boat doestake on water, it will sit lower, and watercould back up into the cylinders. (Remem-ber to remove the plug be ore starting theengine when the storm has passed.)

Using a polyester line from the cleat throughthe chock, secured to an existing nylon lineto the piling or mooring, gives you betterprotection from chafe, while also absorbingshock. Make eye splices in both lines with atleast five tucks.

This

Not This

Lines led perpendicular from a cleat can wrenchthe cleat out of the deck. Two-hole cleats aremore vulnerable than four-hole cleats.

2006 Boat Owners Association of The United States, except graphicmaterial from government publications in the public domain. Repro-duction of this material is encouraged. Contact BoatU.S. TechnicalServices (703) 823-9550 for permission to reprint.

Chafe Gear!Nylon stretches and absorbs shock, whichis good, but this stretching under tremen-dous loads also works the line againstchocks and other contact points. Cha eprotectors are essential on all lines: ata dock, at a mooring, or at anchor. At adock, lines are liable to abrade againstchocks, pilings and the dock itsel . I yourchocks are large enough, t a second,larger-diameter hose around another hosethat ts snugly to the line. Drill holes inboth hoses, and use cord to tie them se-curely to the line. In a pinch, you can usea single hose.

On moorings or at anchor, the linestretched over the edge o the rail cancreate su cient heat to melt the lineinternally. Using hose to protect the linecan encourage heat related ailure by not

allowing water to cool the nylon bers.One solution is to mount the chocksdirectly at the rail so that the line wontbe worked against a chock. Another is touse polyester (Dacron) line, which `hasmuch less stretch, but is ar more cha eresistant than nylon. By using a polyesterline rom the cleat through the chock andthen joining it with a nylon line (use twoeyes) to the piling or mooring, you can getthe best o both types o linethe cha eresistance o polyester and the stretch o nylon. An alternative is to use polyestersleeves, which are available at chandleriesand will protect the nylon lines rom cha ewhile also allowing water to reach theheated bers.

I you need cha e protection quickly, useduct tape (a lot) to secure several layers o heavy canvas to the lines. It isnt pretty,but works surprisingly well.

Cleats and ChocksMany boats have cleats and chocks thatare woe ully inadequate. This problembecomes critical when more and larger-diameter storm lines are used during astorm. I necessary, add more and largercleats and chocks now; theyll make secur-ing the boat easier all year.

Assess the ability o cleats to carry heavyloads. This means making sure all are

Super system for chafe: use neoprene gardenhose at all potential cahfe points. Drill holesand use cord to secure it to the line.

criti l Point



9/12

Use this worksheet, after reading the material in this guide, to adaptit to your own circumstances. Then be sure to distribute copies to

your alternates as well as your marina owner/manager.

Boats Name: ___________________Length: _____ Model: _____ Your Name: ___________________________________________________ Address: ______________________________________________________City:____________________________State: ______ Zip: ______________Phone Day: ______________________Night: _______________________

Alternates/Caretakers (if you are not available):Name: ______________________________________________________

Address: ______________________________________________________City: _______________________________ State: ______ Zip: _________Phone Day: _______________________Night: ______________________Has Boat Keys? _________ Access to Hurricane Equipment?________

Name: ________________________________________________________ Address: ______________________________________________________

City: ______________________________ State: ______ Zip: __________Phone Day: ______________________ Night: ______________________Has Boat Keys? _________ Access to Hurricane Equipment?________

Boats Current Location: Slip #: ______________________Marina Name/Address: _______________________________________________________________________________________

List All Equipment Needed Aboard to Prepare Boat: Equipment Current Location1. Extra Lines ______________________________________

2. Chafe Protectors _____________________________________

3. Fenders ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. Anchors _____________________________________

5. Swivels _____________________________________6. Shackles _____________________________________7. Duct Tape _____________________________________8. Plugs (Exhaust Ports) _____________________________________9. _______________ _____________________________________

10. _______________ _____________________________________

List Equipment To Be Stripped from Boat:

Equipment Storage Location1. Electronics ____________________________________2. Dinghy ____________________________________

3. Outboard/Fuel _____________________________________4. Sails _____________________________________5. Bimini _____________________________________6. Galley Fuel _____________________________________7. Ships Papers _____________________________________8. Personal Effects _____________________________________

9. _______________ _____________________________________10._______________ _____________________________________

Bo t Own r Hurri n Work h tPlanned Location During Hurricane: ____________________________________________________________________ If at a Dock: Slip #: _______________________________________Marina Name/Address: ___________________________________________________________________________________

Additional Lines #: ______________ Length: ________ Size: _________Chafe Gear: _____________________ Fenders: ______________________If at a Hurricane Hole:Travel Time by Water from Present Location: _____________________

Are There Any Bridges? _________________________________________

If Yes, Will They Open Prior to Hurricane? ________________________Has Owner of Surrounding Land Been Contacted? _________________How Will the Skipper Get Ashore? ________________________________Type of Bottom: _________________________ Depth: ________________

Additional Anchor Needed: #: _________ Size(s): __________________Type(s): ________________________________________________________

Additional Lines: #: ____________ Length: _________ Size: _________ Additional Chain: #: ___________ Length: _________ Size: _________Chafe Gear: __________ Swivel: ____________ Shackle(s): __________

If at a Mooring/Anchorage:Has Mooring Been Inspected Within the Last Six Months? __________How Will the Skipper Get Ashore? ________________________________Type of Bottom: ________________________ Depth: _________________

Mooring Line Should Be Extended __________ to Increase Scope Additional Anchors Needed: #: ___________ Size: _________________Type(s): ________________________________________________________

Additional Lines: #: __________ Length: __________ Size: ___________

Additional Chain: #: __________ Length: __________ Size: __________Chafe Gear: ____________ Swivel: ___________ Shackle(s): __________

Diagram of Proposed Hurricane Docking/Mooring Arrangement:

If Stored Ashore: Windage Reduced by Stripping Sails, Furling Gear, Bimini, Antennas?_______________________________________________________________Blocking Adequate for Storm Conditions? _________________________

What Arrangements Have Been Made for Hauling? ________________Storage Location: _______________________________________________Contact Name (Marina/Property Owner): _________________________

Phone #: ______________________________________________________




10/12

Learning from Experience: a Guide for Prep ring M rin s for Hurric nesPhilip Hale says he sometimes standsin his boatyard and imagines it under

our or ive eet o water. Philip looksat all o the yards valuable equipmentand he looks at the boats. What couldbe done to secure all o those boats?

Its a scene that isnt di icult or Haleto imagine. His marina, Marthas

Vineyard Shipyard, has been poundedon at least two occasions, by HurricaneBob in 1991 and then by the big No-Name storm that swept up the coastin early 1992. Other marina owners inareas like Louisiana, Mississippi andFlorida, who were hit hard by Katrina and

Wilma, are plagued by the same sorts o questions. Hurricanes do that to people. What i it happens again?

exp c . . . th T ch th tg Y th T t f t d thl a t w dOne mistake that any responsible marinaowner would never make twice is to waituntil a hurricane warning is posted tothink about hurricane preparations. Anextraordinary amount o work has to bedone in a short time, perhaps only a ewhours, and important decisions have to be

made months in advance. Where will boatsbe stored? I boats are going to be storedashore, which boats will be pulled irst?

What arrangements have been made withthe owners?

Any hurricane plan ultimately involvespeople, and one o the irst things Haledid a ter Bob was to put together a listo emergency employees, including many

ormer employees and some local boatowners who are amiliar with the boatsand boatyard. This emergency sta isorganized into teams, each having a speci icassignment and leader, who can be called

upon to join the regular sta whenever alarge storm is approaching.

Most marinas dont have the personnelavailable to attend to all o the boats,and they depend on boat owners to striptheir boats and add extra lines and cha eprotection. James Frye, who runs a groupo Westrec marinas in Florida, says thatin addition to evaluating their own proce-dures, one o the biggest parts o their newhurricane plan is getting the name o alocal alternate or each boat owner who willtake care o hurricane preparations i the

owner is out o town. There isnt enoughtime be ore a storm, Frye says, or marinapersonnel to take care o all o the boatsand still have time le t or their homes and

amilies.

Time is critical. At Marthas Vineyard Ship- yard, preparations start at the beginning o the boating season by requiring thatall boats in the harbor use extra pennantsand cha e gear. At other yards, like BurrBrothers in Marion, Massachusetts, asecond, extra-heavy pennant is added toboats in the beginning o August, when thehurricane season gets started in earnest.

Although boats would still have to be

stripped, sails stowed, ports taped, etc.,adding extra lines and cha e gear givesmarinas and boat owners a valuable headstart be ore a storm.

In the likely event that at least some ownerswont be available to prepare their boats,many marinas will haul and/or prepareboats or a ee, but this should be arrangedat the start o the season, not in the waning hours be ore a storm is due ashore. Onemarina in a particularly exposed Floridalocation has arranged to have severalpaid captains available to move boats toa more secure marina urther inland. Inthis case, the agreement was written intothe hurricane contract, but extra servicesusually require a separate agreement.

H B t A study by MIT ound that boats storedashore were ar less likely to have beenwrecked than boats stored in the water,and or many marinas, hauling boats is the

oundation o their hurricane plan. TobyBurr at Burr Brothers has a list o boatowners who have agreed to have their boatshauled by the marina whenever a hurricane


threatens. The decision to haul boats isle t to the marina, and Burr says it putsan extra burden on them to decide atwhat point a storm might pose a threat.The responsibility is more than o set,however, by the additional time it givesthem to evacuate boats.

While almost all o the boats hauledby Burr Brothers or Hurricane Gloriaescaped with relatively little damage,boats that were stored ashore during Hurricane Bob were not so ortunate.Unlike Gloria, which came ashore atlow tide, Bob came ashore at high tide

and many o the boats stored in the yard

got knocked o their cradles by the surge.To prevent a recurrence o the damagedone by the rising water, Burr Brothershas arranged to receive NOAA charts thatpredict when and where the surge is likelyto be highest. I the surge predicted poses athreat to boats stored ashore, Burr Brothershas a contingency plan to unstep masts sothat boats can be moved urther inland tohigher ground.

Ashley Marina in South Carolina doesnthave the acilities to haul boats, and eveni it did, Ed Rhodes at Ashley says thegrounds are too close to sea level to o ereven minimal protection rom tidal surge.Rhodes recommends boat owners takeboats to nearby Ross Marina, which has atravel li t and a storage area that is a muchsa er 15 above sea level. David Browder atRoss acknowledges that many o his regularcustomers have already made arrangementsto have their boats hauled and stored at his

yard whenever a storm threatens.

a M d P :Th H t Y cht C bProbably the best known and most compre-hensive hurricane plan or a acility wasdevised by the Houston Yacht Club a terHurricane Alicia wrecked the clubs docksand 141 o its members boats in 1983. Theplan, now used as a model or many othermarinas and yacht clubs, is anchored by theindividual e orts o all its members, each o whom is required to submit a hurricane planwith their harbor rental agreement. Eachplan must include details on where the boatwill be kept, what equipment is available,and the name o a boat buddy who willtake care o the boat i the member is sick

Continued on page 11



11/12

A ter a storm has passed and authoritiesare allowing travel, get to your boat quickly.It is a boat owners responsibility to protectthe boat rom urther damage, and itsequipment rom the t, regardless o itscondition. I there is severe damage at themarina, you will be needed to help arrangemoving the boat. An important task iscalling your insurance company. They needto know the exact location and condition o the boat, and will assist you in what stepsto take. The BoatU.S. Emergency Dispatchphones are manned 24 hours a day, and willbe heavily sta ed a ter a storm to assist

BoatU.S. insureds.

Dont take chances. A marina can be ahostile environment a ter a storm. Leavechildren and sightseers at home. Be cautiouso exposed electrical lines, leaking uel,sewage backups, missing dock boards, andother dangers. And dont mind i you arechallenged to show proo o ownership orasked to keep out o damaged areas. Marinamanagement and authorities should restrictaccess to damaged and undamaged boats.

Some things to take to the boat include duct

tape to secure broken rigging or railingsand seal cracks or holes; pencil and paper toinventory damage; and lots o cleaning gearand anti-corrosion spray. Removing salt,mud, and moisture should begin as soonas it can be done sa ely. Take trash bags toremove leaking cans and debris that couldclog bilges and pumps. Dont orget bug spray, boots, and gloves.

aft r th storm

I the boat appears undamaged orhas only minor scrapes, inspect

or cha ed lines and broken portsor hatches where rain can enter.Monitor water level in the bilgein the event there is underwaterdamage. Make sure the galleyand main engine uel systems areundamaged and the bilge pumpis working. Report damage to theinsurance company.

I the boat is sunk, beached, orotherwise in need o salvage,

contact your insurance represen-tative on how to proceed. While you have theright to salvage your boat, contracting withsalvors can be tricky business and is bestle t to insurance pro essionals. Inexperi-enced, poorly equipped, or overpriced crewscan cause delays and additional damage thatmay keep you ashore longer than necessary.I the marina wants to act as a contractor,it should have your permission and theagreement o your insurance companybe ore moving or salvaging your boat.

Boat owners insured with BoatU.S. shouldcall the 24-hour Emergency DispatchCenter, 1-800-937-1937, be ore contracting

or salvage or removal work. I communi-cations are impaired, look or BoatU.S.Catastrophe Team ield people who willbe in the area immediately a ter a majorhurricane.

Whoever raises a sunken boat shouldbegin cleaning the boat and pickling


Some Guidelines to Help Get You Back on the Water Sooner

or out o town. The plan must be approvedby the clubs Hurricane Committee.

Individual plans must con orm to theoverall guidelines set by the club. Forexample, boats in the outer harbor haveto be evacuated, and arrangements mustbe made to move them to hurricane holesand alternative dock sites urther inland.During hurricane season, owners o boatsin the outer harbor are required to keep

uel tanks topped o and extra mooring gear aboard.

In the event o a storm, boat owners report toone o the 14 dock captains, who coordinatethe preparation e orts at each o the clubs

and preserving the engine and machineryimmediately. Flush everything with reshwater, remove cushions and clothing to dry,and dry out the interior. Your yacht policyshould cover the reasonable cost o anysteps you take to reduce urther damage.

Your policy should also reimburse any costsincurred or security you may hire i theboat is exposed. A ter past storms, boatsthrown onto beaches or parking lots ellvictim to looters. In one sad case, a classic

yawl cast onto a New England beach bya storm was dismembered by souvenir

hunters with chain saws. A ter Wilma,boats stranded in marshes were strippedclean be ore salvors could reach them. A ter

Andrew, someone painted a claim on alarge yacht, mistakenly thinking that anabandoned boat was up or grabs. Policewill be occupied with higher priorities andit is up to you to protect your damaged boatand its equipment.

docks. There are other captains and teamsto haul and secure boats in the clubs one-design leets and strip them o masts and

sails. Each captain has a backup.In addition to the dock and leet captains,there are also crew chie s who are responsible

or the crane operations, harbor operations,and securing the clubhouse and grounds.The crew chie or the grounds, or example,is responsible or seeing that volunteersboard windows, store outdoor urniture,shut o electricity, store emergency water,and provide sources o electricity.

The captains and chie s report to thehurricane operations group at the clubhouse,

and the entire e ort is coordinated by theclubs Commodore and Vice Commodore.Preparations are implemented in care ully

planned phases, beginning 72 hours be orethe hurricanes ETA.

Perhaps the most notable accomplishmento the Houston Yacht Club is that theirplan wasnt written and then le t on a shel to gather dust. Although it has been overa decade since the club was devastated by

Alicia, the plan continues to be examinedand revised. Members must still submitindividual plans whenever they bring a boatinto the acility. And every year at the starto hurricane season, the entire membershipgathers together to rehearse the plan.

HOUSTON YACHT CLUB, from page 10



12/12

Hurricanes: Preparing Boats & Marinas -- by Boat U.S. Marine Insurance, 2006

Documents

Transcript of Hurricanes: Preparing Boats & Marinas -- by Boat U.S. Marine Insurance, 2006