Prepping Your Boat for a Storm
We have collected tips for preparing your boat for a hurricane from old salts and veterans of hurricanes Floyd, Bonnie and Fran.
Docked Boat Moored Boat Anchored Boat Trailerable Boat
remove excess gear, including spare rigging
leave auto bilge pump on clear self-bailing cockpit drains check openings to ensure boat is watertight close all through hull fittings set and check storm anchors set chafe gear where lines will rub
(chocks, crosslines, deck edge, dock edge etc.consider attaching lines to cleats at a 45 degree angle remove portable fuel and oil storage containers consider tying your boat between two piers or along a pier and anchored off one side remove ship papers set and check storm anchors shut off fuel tanks consider attaching 3 sets of bow and stern spring lines leave anchor light on
remove excess gear, including spare rigging
clear self-bailing cockpit drains close all through hull fittings remove portable fuel and oil storage containers remove ship papers shut off fuel tanks leave anchor light on leave auto bilge pump on check openings to ensure boat is watertight use storm pennants to increase scope attach chains directly to pennants instead of swivels add an emergency catenaray weight at the vessel end of the chain use double of triple chafe protection use chafing gear over entire length of pennants use two pennants if no permanent mooring is available, use tow storm anchors at 45-degree angles
remove excess gear, including spare rigging clear self bailing cockpit drains close all through hull fittings remove portable fuel and oil storage containers remove ship papers shut off fuel tanks leave auto bilge pump on check openings to ensure boat is watertight use 3 or 4 substantial anchors and good tie rope tie your boat high on the mainland to a substantial tree or similar structure do not tie parallel to the bank keep a navigable passage at tour stern to allow other boats passage use enough line to allow for storm surge leave enough room between your boat and others to allow for swing take valuables off
STORE IN A GARAGE IF NO GARAGE IS AVAILABLE remove excess gear, including spare rigging secure trailer to a sturdy object clear self-bailing cockpit let half the air out of the trailer tires close all through hull fittings put wood blocks between the frame and axle remove portable fuel and oil storage containers take out the drain plugs remove ship papers cover with tarp shut off fuel tanks use tie-downs leave auto bilge pump on check openings to ensure boat is watertight Now get that weather radio, flashlight, libation of choice and wait it out!
