- Local News for Southern Sailors - July 2002 Next Story
FEATURE
Hurricane Preparedness: Is your boat ready?
A Guide to Preparing Boats and Marinas for Hurricanes
Boat owners from Maine to Texas have reason to
become edgy in the late summer and fall. Each
year, on average, two hurricanes will come ashore somewhere along the Gulf or Atlantic coast, destroying homes, sinking boats, and turning people's lives topsy-turvy for weeks, or even months. This year, who knows? Florida is struck most often, but every coastal state is a potential target.
Experts predict that in the next 20 years there will be much more hurricane activity than has been seen in the past 20 years. Experts also fear that after a number of storm-free years, people in some of the vulnerable areas will be less wary of a storm's potential fury. But to residents of Wrightsville, NC, crippled by Fran in 1996, and people in Dade County, FL, ravaged by Andrew in 1993, the hurricane threat won't soon be forgotten.
Developing a Plan
If you own a boat, the first step in developing a preparation plan is to review your dock contract for language that may require you to take certain steps or to leave the marina when a hurricane threatens. Ask the marina manager what hurricane plan the marina has in place.
Planning where your boat will best survive a storm, and what protective steps you need to take when a hurricane threatens, should begin before hurricane season. The Boat/U.S. Marine Insurance claim files have shown that the probability of damage can be reduced considerably by choosing the most storm-worthy location possible and having your plan ready long before a hurricane warning is posted.
Knowing What to Expect
Preparing a boat for a hurricane means defending against wind, rain, waves, and high water — all in proportions rarely experienced by boaters. Claim files from past storms show that damage is usually due to a combination of these factors:
SURGE The damaging influence of high water, or storm surge, is often underestimated in preparing a boat for a storm. Storm surge raises the water level far above normal high tide, cutting off roads, forcing evacuation, and lifting boats above their docks and pilings. Surge accounts for major damage to boats because it puts docks and dock line arrangements underwater as the boat tries to float above.
Surge is the result of several factors. Due to low barometric pressure, the ocean surface is drawn upward forming a mound about one foot higher than the surrounding ocean. Large swells generated by the storm reach land first, while storm winds drive water toward the coast. As the storm makes landfall, water levels 10 to 20 feet above normal high tide are possible. Surge is responsible for extensive flooding and much of the loss of life that accompanies a hurricane. Dangerous high tides can reach outward 20 to 50 miles from the storm's center. Surge makes extra length and positioning of dock lines critical.
WIND A hurricane, of course, brings high winds. Wind speeds of 70 to 130 mph are common, and winds over 200 mph have been recorded. What may be less understood is the force created by such winds. When wind speed doubles, the wind pressure quadruples. Other factors influence wind force. To put it in practical terms, when the wind speed increases, the damage it causes increases at a much greater rate. This illustrates the importance of reducing the boat's windage, which is the amount of area your boat presents to the wind, by removing as much rigging, canvas, and deck gear as possible and facing the bow toward the greatest exposure. WAVES Waves in the ocean have tremendous energy and can reach mountainous heights. But even in relatively small harbors, sounds, and lakes, waves can build to surprising heights. In a hurricane, it is not unusual for steep, breaking waves three to six feet high to pound normally peaceful harbors. Seawalls, barrier beaches, and other structures that normally protect docks and moorings are submerged by the storm surge. This has the effect of greatly extending the "fetch" or distance over which the wind can generate waves. RAINFALL Rainfall of six to l2 inches within 24 hours is normal during a hurricane, with extremes of 24 inches having been recorded. A hurricane that struck Puerto Rico in 1928 is estimated to have dumped over two-and-a-half billion tons of water on the island. Boats that are spared the worst high water and wind still can be sunk by the torrential rain. Cockpit decks are seldom 100 percent watertight, and the ability of a bilge pump and battery to handle rain accumulation is greatly overestimated. Deck drains and pump discharges located near the waterline can backflow when waves and rain put drains underwater. TORNADOES Tornadoes are sometimes spawned by hurricanes. Of the 46 people who died during Hurricane Carla in 1961, 11 were killed by tornadoes. Little can be done to protect a boat from a tornado. The possibility of a twister, however, is a strong reason for you, your family, and your boat, if it is trailerable, to be far from the coast when a hurricane makes landfall. This article was originally printed in "Seaworthy," the BoatU.S. Marine Insurance and Damage Avoidance Report. Reprinted with permission. |
Preparing a Boat for a Hurricane: A Success Story by Jonathan E. Ross On Thursday afternoon, the path of Hurricane Hugo was still uncertain, but I wasn't going to take any chances. I found our old issue of the BoatU.S. damage avoidance newsletter, "Seaworthy," with the article on hurricane preparation and headed for the boat.
The first thing we did was take off the sails, including the roller furling headsail. I lashed the boom to the stern cleats, tightened the yang down so that the boom wouldn't move, and tied off the halyards. I also took the dodger and its frame completely off the boat.
Down below, I packed up anything valuable that could be damaged or stolen later: the loran, GPS, clothing, charts, etc. I also took home my owner's manuals, radio license, logbooks, and registration papers.
The big issue was where to leave the boat. Although the pilings at our floating dock were about 12 feet above low water, we didn't feel that was enough to protect us from a storm tide and surge. We talked to a lot of other boat owners and learned where most were going to seek a protected mooring. It sounded good, but "Seaworthy" had pointed out that many boats are damaged by other boats that drag moorings or break free, so we went another direction to anchor away from the other boats.
The announcement that a hurricane was coming sent us scrambling around trying to get the needed gear. I wanted to use three anchors but waited too long and had to use two; the plow anchor I wanted was unavailable. The CQR and Danforth each had over 100 feet of line and 10 feet of chain. I would have liked more, but chain was in short supply, and so were fittings. Marine stores were out of big anchors and low on shackles and swivels. I had to piece something together using oversized shackles in a row to give the line some twist.
For chafe protection, I had to buy a garden hose because the marine stores were out of the ready-made chafe protectors. I just cut up the hose and used two layers wrapped in duct tape to secure it to the line. This held, although I would have preferred to drill holes so it could be lashed to the line, but I didn't have time. Once the anchors were set, I closed all of the through-hulls. The one thing I didn't do that "Seaworthy" suggested was plug the exhaust port to prevent water from getting up the pipe and maybe ruining the engine. In retrospect, I should have looked for some cork or Styrofoam.
After the Storm: Of the boats that stayed back at the marina, some were high and dry on the docks or nearby street. Some were off in the marshes still tied to the floating dock. Some were sunk at the marina — what was left of it. Our boat survived with some scratches, a twisted bow pulpit, and some minor water damage below.
There are things I would have done differently if I had given myself enough time. First of all, anything that is not well above the cabin sole should be taken off the boat. Even though a lot of what I left on the boat wasn't valuable, it created a big mess. Papers and water created a mush that clogged the pumps.
I strongly recommend getting your plan ready and working out details well ahead of time.
I waited and had to worry about where to leave the boat, how to get access by car, where to leave the dinghy, etc. Some people stayed on their boats because they didn't have a way to get to their houses — that could have been a deadly mistake.
Waiting until a hurricane watch is posted to begin implementing your plan is another mistake. As soon as the weather forecaster says there is some probability of a hurricane, you should get started. Maybe it won't be a false alarm.
AXIOM: NEVER STAY ABOARD IN A HURRICANE!
What can happen? Consider the case of a 68-year-old skipper in Charleston, who together with his grown nephew took their trawler up the Wando River to ride out Hurricane Hugo in what they thought would be a sheltered hurricane hole. He reported that the boat seemed to be doing fairly well initially, but later that night the wind picked up to over 100 mph and 15 foot seas sent the boat crashing completely over.
The two men were trapped briefly in a pocket of air underwater when another wave rolled the boat back upright They then scrambled onto the deck and were eventually rescued but not before almost drowning and being overcome by exposure.
Another skipper who stayed aboard his motorsailer at a marina during Gloria had to jump overboard and swim through breaking waves, drifting boats, and debris after another boat broke free and rammed its mast (the boat was on its beam ends) through his boat's pilothouse window. Again, he was lucky to reach shore alive. Two Miami men who stayed aboard a Sportfisherman (not insured by BoatU.S.) during Andrew were not so lucky. They both drowned while trying to escape their battered and sinking boat.
When a hurricane is approaching, you should certainly do everything you can to protect your boat: Secure extra lines, set out anchors, add chafe protection, strip the boat above and below decks, etc. Do whatever it takes, and then head inland. Your boat can be replaced; you can't.
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