No doubt your boat is one of the most important assets that you own, and you want to protect it as much as possible. You also need to have a hurricane boat plan for when you are on the boat as well as when it is unoccupied. Unfortunately, you have no control over mother nature, so you need to take these important steps to ready your boat for hurricane season.
A boat hurricane protection plan is something you need to develop and it needs to pertain to your specific circumstances.
Addressing where your boat is docked is the first step. If you are staying at a marina, then you need to know what plans the marina has in place in the event of such a powerful storm. Then you need to do your own assessment of the docking area. Here is a quick checklist for your boat storm protection at the marina:
- Look at the marina layout and the kind of protection it offers.
- What condition are the docks in? Are they we made and grounded? Are the cleats strong?
- Look at the boats docked on either side. Are they fastened down properly?
- Determine if the marina has an evacuation program in place and study this.
Next, you should develop a docking plan for boat hurricane protection. It is different than how you would normally dock.
- Point the bow toward open water.
- Create a long line with your docking.
- Work in harmony with other boat owners and the marina to tie down the boat.
- The key is to prevent lateral movements of the boat but allow it to rise and fall with the surges.
Other docking alternatives for boat storm protection include canals and rivers. However, if you are using a floating dock then there are other problems that you will need to address.
Substantial damage can occur to the interior of your boat, so make sure that everything is anchored down. Remove any portable equipment and important items. Make sure that you remove all important paperwork from the boat and ensure that it is put in a safe location.
Lastly, stay aware.
Always keep yourself updated during hurricane season so you can be well prepared for what is coming. Having time to prepare for boat hurricane protection will give you a much better chance of ensuring your boat is able to weather the storm.
