Protect
Your Boat During Hurricane Season
Posted:
5/30/06
You need
to take some precautions during hurricane season if you have
a boat moored, docked or stored in a recreational harbor along
the Gulf Coast, an LSU AgCenter expert says.
Dr. Brian
LeBlanc, an associate professor with the LSU AgCenter, says
even relatively small storms can damage boats, so he advises
making decisions before hurricane season about what to do
with your boat if a storm threatens.
"Even
a Category 1 hurricane, with winds between 74 and 95 miles
per hour and a storm surge of 4 to 5 feet above normal, can
have devastating effects in a crowded harbor," LeBlanc
says.
"You
need to consider your situation, determine the safest place
for the vessel to ride out a storm, think about the adequacy
of the present mooring or dock and evaluate what type of equipment
is necessary to have onboard," he explains. "Then
put those decisions into play well in advance of the approaching
storm."
LeBlanc
stresses protecting human life is the most important factor.
"Storms
of the magnitude of Katrina or Rita can override even the
best precautions," he says. "If you cannot get your
vessel out of harm’s way, secure it the best you can,
then get you and your family out."
While
the LSU AgCenter expert says only boat owners can decide what
is best for them, he offers these general suggestions for
guarding your vessel against storm damage:
–The
best choice, if possible, is to get it out of the water. If
the vessel is small and can be easily transported on a trailer,
get it out of the water and move it to higher ground. Just
be sure your tow vehicle is capable of adequately moving your
boat. Also, check your trailer tires, bearings and axles to
make sure all are in good shape and ready days or weeks prior
to a possible departure.
–Consider
rain and wind. Getting a vessel out of the water does not
automatically mean it’s safe. That just protects the
boat from the storm surge and wave action. Rain and wind still
must be considered and taken into account in your plans for
storing the boat.
–Store
the boat in a covered area. The best solution is to store
small vessels removed from the water in a covered area such
as a garage or other dry storage facility. If in dry storage,
lash the boat to its cradle with heavy lines.
–Protect
boat and contents. If it is not possible to store your boat
inside a shelter, remove all equipment and store that indoors.
If you have it on a trailer, place the trailer frame on blocks
so the frame, instead of the axle and springs, will carry
the boat’s weight. The drain plug should be installed
and the boat partially filled with water if the hull is strong
enough to withstand the weight (as are most fiberglass hulls).
Also, secure your boat with heavy lines to fixed objects from
four directions, if possible, in case storm surge hits the
area. If the hull is not strong enough to hold water (such
as plywood or wooden planked hulls), use heavy lines to fixed
objects from four directions, if available, or use multiple
anchor tie-downs, such as large tent pegs or house trailer
tie-downs, to hold the boat in position and make sure the
drain plug is removed.
If you
can't remove the vessel from the water because of its size
or other conditions, LeBlanc offers these tips for protecting
a boat that remains in the water:
–Take
precautions if the boat is to remain at dock. Keeping a boat
at the dock may be the most hazardous location, even during
moderate storms. Many marinas have particular guidelines you
must follow, and some may require you to move your boat from
the facility. Talk to the harbor master about these policies
well in advance of a storm so you can make the best possible
decisions. If the decision is to stay at the dock and the
facility doesn’t have standard policies about tie-down
procedures, ensure all lines are doubled and that chafing
protection is in place where dock lines pass through fairlead
chocks or over the sides of the vessel. The best chafing protection
is to cover lines with a rubber hose of the same diameter
and then tightly wind it with fabric and fasten with heavy
tape. A vessel tied to a dock also should have ample fenders
to provide protection to the hull. Dock lines should be fastened
to the pilings rather than to the cleats or other fastenings
on the dock. As flooding and storm surge raise the water level,
dock lines will move up the pilings. Do not stay on board!
–Staying
at a "safe" mooring is an option for boats in the
water – if you have ensured that the mooring tackle
meets safety standards and has been inspected for wear. Any
mooring gear that has worn by one-third of its original diameter
should be considered unsafe. On the other hand, like staying
at the dock, one of the drawbacks of staying at the mooring
is the threat of the storm surge. If the water level rises
even moderately above normal conditions, the mooring scope
may not provide sufficient holding power. Check the expected
storm surge reports. Do not stay on board!
–Minimize
the amount of surface area exposed to wind. Whether the boat
stays at the dock or mooring strain on your vessel and the
dock mooring increases as more surface area is exposed to
the wind.
–Remove
the sails and stow them below deck. If it’s not possible
to remove the sails, you must fasten the sails as securely
as possible.
–Look
around and remove other possible objects that can catch wind
such as flags and pennants. After you have removed flags and
pennants, make sure all loose items are stored away or tied
down.
–Make
sure all ports are closed securely and that all funnels are
removed and capped.
–Using
lines from both sides, secure the tiller or wheels that operate
the rudder.
–Do
not leave coils of line on the deck without proper stops or
other means of rendering them immovable, and take out all
slack from any running lines on the deck or mast.
–To
minimize the impact of loose vessels, all protruding objects
such as anchors must be removed and stowed, and fenders should
be set on both sides of the vessel.
If your
boat is in a crowded area, LeBlanc says you may want to consider
moving to an area of safe anchorage, also known as a safe
harbor.
"Before
making such a move, however, consider that safe harbors can
become crowded with other vessels seeking refuge from approaching
storms," he says, adding, "Safe harbors should be
located before the storm season by consulting an inland chart.
Several options should be available."
He also
offers these tips on locating a safe harbor and taking your
vessel there:
–Look
for a location that has deep water (you may have to arrive
at low tide) and is close.
–The
best spot has a route free of highway and railroad bridges
and has good protection, such as a high bluff, outer reefs
or tall trees on as many sides as possible. Visit potential
areas ahead of time, if possible.
–Arrive
at the area of safe harbor at least 12 hours before the storm’s
landfall and set the anchor with at least a 7-to-1 scope.
(For example, in 7 feet of water, 49 feet of anchor line is
needed.) Nylon is the best anchor line, and chafing protection
should be used where the anchor line passes through the anchor
chute chocks.
–Leave
your vessel by means of a small boat once it is securely anchored
and you have rechecked all automatic switches.
–If
you elect to stay aboard, which is not advisable, stay in
touch with all weather advisories and stock up on fuel, water,
food, ice, clothing, portable radio, flashlight(s), extra
batteries and prescription medications. Also remember it might
be necessary to put the engine in gear during the worst part
of the storm to ease the strain on the anchor line, so stay
awake at all times to prevent the boat from drifting.
LeBlanc’s
final message is not to attempt to take your vessel offshore
when a storm is approaching or expected to approach.
"Unless
you have a large recreational vessel of 100 feet or more,
experts do not recommend that you go offshore," he cautions.
For more
general information on preparing for a storm, go to the LSU
AgCenter’s Web site at www.lsuagcenter.com
and consult the variety of storm-related links found there
under "Features."
###
Contact:
Brian LeBlanc at (985) 543-4129 or bleblanc@agcenter.lsu.edu
Editor: Tom Merrill at (225) 578-5896 or tmerrill@agcenter.lsu.edu
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