Where's the wind?

[capta]

Forecasters here in New England are warning us that a strong Nor'easter will be passing through over the weekend. Interestingly, other forecasters out west a ways, are forecasting Hurricane Polo, with an historic 120 mph jump in maximum sustained winds over a span of just 33 hours, exploding from an ordinary tropical storm into a monstrous Category 5 hurricane off the west coast of Mexico.
Interesting stuff, if you're into meteorology.

 

[shemandr]

Just to get a Nor'Easter in near prime hurricane season seems a bit out of sorts. Tropical weather events are wandering around the Mid and Eastern Atlantic like gypsies.
I used to love a good rip snorting storm when I lived on the East End of LI. Not so much the loss of power. My boat slip had a fetch in a NE wind of maybe five feet.

 

[PaulK]

We're battening down the hatches here. Racing tonight was cancelled. Took down the jib. Rolled a line around the furled mainsail. Removed the anchor from the bow roller to avoid any chafe. Eased pennants in case of storm surge. Gusts to 30 kts today. Building through Saturday and adding rain according to NOAA marine reports.

 

[jssailem]

Good action preparation @PaulK. Nice to have a plan and to execute it in a timely way.

 

[shemandr]

[QUOTE="PaulK, post: 1870802, member: 93214”] ... Eased pennants in case of storm surge… [/QUOTE]
Pennants?

 

[BarryL]

Hello,

I just got back from prepping my boat. Mooring lines look good and I ran an extra line from mast to mooring ball. Bimini folded up and covered. Line around furling head sail. Checked all hatches, etc.

Barry

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

best advice ever received from another Florida boater about storm prep:

Make sure your insurance is paid. Everything else is “feel good” work.

 

[Davidasailor26]

best advice ever received from another Florida boater about storm prep:

Make sure your insurance is paid. Everything else is “feel good” work.

Probably true of large hurricanes, but with a storm like this there’s a pretty wide spectrum of impact, and some preparations can make a big difference depending on where you are in that spectrum. Roller furling jibs that aren’t taken down or at least lashed are often torn up; dodgers, biminis, and solar panels often damaged; and lines with minor chafe fail. All of these things are preventable with an hour of prep.

 

[kappykaplan]

Track of the nor'easter is moving farther west and looks like there will be a slight recurve to the south. Gonna be a rough, windy weekend.

 

[Davidasailor26]

Track of the nor'easter is moving farther west and looks like there will be a slight recurve to the south. Gonna be a rough, windy weekend.

Our yacht club invitational was scheduled for this Saturday. A few days ago it looked like the storm would be in the perfect spot to give us 15 knot winds. We just had to postpone the race for forecasted gusts over 30.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Probably true of large hurricanes, but with a storm like this there’s a pretty wide spectrum of impact,….

Not sure what that means but the implication seems to be that large hurricanes don’t have a wide spectrum of impact. On behalf of all Floridians, good luck with that.

 

[capta]

best advice ever received from another Florida boater about storm prep:

Make sure your insurance is paid. Everything else is “feel good” work.

Which is EXACTLY why boat insurance is so dam expensive!

 

[capta]

Hello,

I just got back from prepping my boat. Mooring lines look good and I ran an extra line from mast to mooring ball. Bimini folded up and covered. Line around furling head sail. Checked all hatches, etc.

Barry

Consider stopping by a fire station. They often have tons of used fire hose which they happily give away and it is the best chafe gear I've found.

 

[Davidasailor26]

Not sure what that means but the implication seems to be that large hurricanes don’t have a wide spectrum of impact. On behalf of all Floridians, good luck with that.

I guess you’re right. I think I was grasping too hard for some excuse to give the “other Florida boater” the benefit of the doubt. My point was - unless you take a direct hit from a very powerful storm, taking reasonable precautions will improve your chances of not needing an insurance claim and deductible. Seamanlike preparations are not just “feel good work” - they’re prudent steps toward a positive outcome.

 

[BigEasy]

Seamanlike preparations are not just “feel good work” - they’re prudent steps toward a positive outcome.

I think what @Don S/V ILLusion was trying to convey is that if you do due diligence with hurricane prep you “feel good” that you have done all you can, the rest is in God’s hands. I have personally prepped & been through approximately a dozen tropical storms & hurricanes over the years. I spend a few hours doubling lines, arranging chafe protection and fender positions, stripping canvas, & sails. When I complete those “feel good” tasks, I am satisfied that I have done all that I reasonably can. At that point, the eventual outcome is out of my control. I will not put my life in danger tending to my boat once storm conditions began. I have insurance to cover my losses if necessary. Over 30 years and 12 storms, I prepped the same way each time, I filed one claim for a total loss after Katrina; there wasn’t a damned thing that I could have to prevent the loss.

 

[shemandr]

One prep I used to do for my H356 was to move it to another more sheltered marina. And, of course, strip all the canvas off the boat etc. It always struck me how little others in the area did for prep.

 

[Art12050]

I think what @Don S/V ILLusion was trying to convey is that if you do due diligence with hurricane prep you “feel good” that you have done all you can, the rest is in God’s hands. I have personally prepped & been through approximately a dozen tropical storms & hurricanes over the years. I spend a few hours doubling lines, arranging chafe protection and fender positions, stripping canvas, & sails. When I complete those “feel good” tasks, I am satisfied that I have done all that I reasonably can. At that point, the eventual outcome is out of my control. I will not put my life in danger tending to my boat once storm conditions began. I have insurance to cover my losses if necessary. Over 30 years and 12 storms, I prepped the same way each time, I filed one claim for a total loss after Katrina; there wasn’t a damned thing that I could have to prevent the loss.

Some sound advice. I was in Boot Camp in Gulfport when Camille hit the Gulf Coast with devastation beyond believe. So it’s do what you can, prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
Meanwhile, here in New England our season is short. Weather events like this make it even shorter.

 

[Davidasailor26]

I think what @Don S/V ILLusion was trying to convey is that if you do due diligence with hurricane prep you “feel good” that you have done all you can, the rest is in God’s hands. I have personally prepped & been through approximately a dozen tropical storms & hurricanes over the years. I spend a few hours doubling lines, arranging chafe protection and fender positions, stripping canvas, & sails. When I complete those “feel good” tasks, I am satisfied that I have done all that I reasonably can. At that point, the eventual outcome is out of my control. I will not put my life in danger tending to my boat once storm conditions began. I have insurance to cover my losses if necessary. Over 30 years and 12 storms, I prepped the same way each time, I filed one claim for a total loss after Katrina; there wasn’t a damned thing that I could have to prevent the loss.

All great points. I was interpreting “feel good” as “it’ll make you feel good but not make any difference otherwise.” If it means “feel good because you’ve done the right things” then I agree with the idea.

 

[BigEasy]

Some sound advice. I was in Boot Camp in Gulfport when Camille hit the Gulf Coast with devastation beyond believe. So it’s do what you can, prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

Art,
You have witnessed nature’s fury at its worst. For storms like Camille & Katrina, one would have to move a boat almost 200 miles to be “safe.” Unfortunately, there isn’t time to take care of all concerns; family, home, business, boat, etc. For Katrina, I had approximately 30 hours advance notice prior to evacuating. I was at marina from midnight until 2 AM securing boat during passing squalls. Went home & got 3 hours sleep before evacuating to north LA. As you mentioned, you do the best you can & hope for the best. My boat didn’t sink, it remained tied to the dock; however, concrete sections of floating dock as well as boats that had broken free, holed my boat enough that it was a total loss.
I bet the night that Camille hit was a night you will never forget. Camille made landfall at the southern aspect of Louisiana before hitting the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. We stayed in a substantial school building approximately 60 miles from the eye wall. That was a night that I will remember! Had a couple weeks before starting junior year of high school. Worked relief efforts at same school receiving trailers of food & clothing for those who lost everything, as in house completely gone, in LA & MS.