Damage in severe storms is nearly unavoidable. Securely moored vessels are frequently harmed by skyrocketing debris and by those boats less securely moored. Storm surge can wreak havoc on even the best prepared boats. But it is possible to minimize the destructive forces of a hurricane through prudent planning, proper techniques, and appropriate equipment. The first step – planning ahead – is often the most important.
Make a Plan
Uncrowded marinas well inland may offer safety, but those vulnerable to storm surge are a poor choice of refuge. Insurance data indicates that hauling the boat and securing it ashore increases the odds of survival, but you need only look at what Hurricane Ivan wrought on Grenada in 2004 to know dry storage in a boatyard presents its own risks.
If hauling, ensure that your boat is securely tied down and supported with multiple jackstands. Ideally, the yard should be well inland, roomy, and well managed. Tightly packed boats and hasty haulouts can lead to shortcuts (like leaving furling gear on) that put your boat and neighbors at risk. Unstepping the mast and tying it down lessens the risk of wind damage.
Bob Adriance, the technical director at BoatU.S., says: “If a marina gets hit by a hurricane, its very difficult to minimize the damage if a boat is in the water.” Several owners of boats in Southwest Florida survived the devastating 2005 storm season by moving upriver and using homemade hurricane moorings in isolated spots.
The reality is that in most localities, the majority of sailboats will remain in the water-docked or moored-during hurricanes. If a marina or dock is your only option, see if it is possible to move into a larger slip prior to the storms onset. Securing boats to more distant pilings and cleats means that they will have greater latitude to move and can rise and fall with the surge more safely. Adriance and his colleagues also advise using much larger-diameter lines for docking in these situations, and they recommend using long lines tied to secure fixtures well away from the boat to accommodate storm surge. Centering the boat in a canal is one tactic that many sailors used to survive the Florida blows.
Whether youll be keeping your boat at the dock, on shore, or moored elsewhere, its imperative that you eliminate windage by removing sails, biminis, dodgers, and other on-deck accessories (barbeque grills, radar radomes, etc.). Adriance also recommends unstepping your mast if at all possible. This, he says, is critical for boats kept on shore.
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