NEWSROOM
Protect
Your Boat During Hurricane Season
May
30, 2006
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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