With all the current activity of this hurricane season, I thought this was good information from Motor Boating Magazine. Apparently, it was copyrighted in 2004, but it is still very applicable today.
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Midsummer is the time of year when tropical disturbances spring up in the Atlantic. Here's how to protect your boat.
by Capt. Stuart Reininger
Hurricanes—as well as other cataclysmic events like tornadoes, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions—are Mother Nature's way of getting our undivided attention. There is one difference between hurricanes and these other disasters. In this era of global satellite communication, boat owners know a week or more in advance approximately when and where landfall might occur. With this kind of advance warning, there is no reason to be caught offshore, or ashore, in the path of a hurricane. Therefore, for recreational boaters, it makes little sense to discuss survival tactics for offshore; for all practical purposes, there are none.
A boater's best survival tactic is to get ashore, haul and secure the boat and head for higher ground. In those instances when hauling is impractical, there are measures you can take to protect your boat before you go home to watch the action on The Weather Channel. Never consider staying aboard and tending lines; that would be foolhardy.
The course of least resistance is to leave the boat where it is. If your marina, slip or mooring is well protected and not likely to be affected by a storm surge or high winds, this strategy could work. But it's not an option if your boat is on a floating dock in a tidal area. Why? The surge from a direct hit can raise water levels 12 feet or more with the tides, causing the docks to rise over their fixed pilings, which can impale the boat when the tide and surge drops. Also, many floating docks consist of countless bolted connections. When one part lets go, the rest can follow downwind like a crazed pattern of broken zippers, chewing up any vessels that are attached to them.
How about leaving the boat on a mooring? That's the next option. Sure, your boat will swing freely as the winds shift, and if the rode is chafe-protected, the odds are good that the boat will stay attached. But the mooring may not stay set when the big surge comes in. Most moorings are attached to short chain scope, just enough to compensate for a normal tide range. No matter the weight of the mooring, it's coming up with the surge since the boat's buoyancy prevails. Also, mooring fields are usually crowded. As soon as boats start breaking loose—and they will—they turn into floating battering rams.
If the boat is tied to a protected fixed dock throughout the storm, there's plenty that you can do before the high winds hit. For starters, remove everything that can possibly catch the breeze. All canvas—biminis, isinglass and cockpit covers and their supporting frameworks—must come off. Additionally, wind-catching extensions like outriggers, moveable antennas and even anchors should be stowed aboard or ashore. Remember, a 60-mph breeze can tip a Volkswagen over and a 100-mph wind can carry it away, but not make the payments.
All lines should be doubled and made of nylon, not Dacron and never polypropylene. Lines should be of the largest diameter possible. But they shouldn't be so thick that you can't wrap one around the base of a cleat and form two figure eights. This is important because the lines will serve to "sling the boat in the slip. Fore and aft spring lines should be made up to the outlying pilings—the longer and at the most acute angle, the better. Therefore, springs from the bow and stern cleats should be made up to pilings as far forward and aft as possible; the same holds true in slips with bollards or cleats on the dock. Bow and stern lines should have enough slack in them to compensate for the greatest expected tidal change and be long enough to keep the boat from hitting the adjoining dock/pilings. It's the springs that will do most of the work. Ideally, you'll need to pull a line in to step off the boat and onto the dock when you're done. The spring action of the lines should pull the boat back and allow it to sit suspended in the middle of the slip (you'll still need fender boards). Naturally, wherever a line touches the boat, dock or another line, it must be chafe-protected—split garden hose, leather or even rags that are taped or sewn in place are ideal.
Another option is to anchor out. I would avoid this option if there is the possibility of other boats being set down on you, or if there isn't enough room to deploy the required scope of eight-to-one or 10-to-one. While using two anchors with plenty of chain lead is best—Bahamian style or in tandem—don't forget chafe protection. Otherwise, anything the rode touches will chafe it through in no time once the storm arrives.
Finally, resist the urge to visit the boat during the storm. Make the best preparations beforehand and then plan to ride out the storm from home.
©Motor Boating Magazine, July 2004
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