Friends, I have a 2007 Hunter 25 on the trailer in PSL Florida. Any advice on pro active steps I can take to protect her from Irma? Looks to be possible for a direct hit, I am a mile off the river and 10 miles from the Ocean in a res neighborhood. I am currently 1600 miles away and will have to rely on neighbors and friends for any action to be taken. Right now I plan to have her attached to my Jeep Grand Cherokee and parked next to the house in the lower are (swale) between my house and the empty lot next door. Any thoughtful advice would be appreciated!!
Advice for weathering Irma
- Thread starter Rock Solid Ron
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I would concentrate on protecting her from wind and debris. Remove anything that can flail around. Secure the cockpit lockers. Pay attention to any lines that have to stay on the boat. Pretend you're gonna trailer her backward at 140mph for about 8 hours. Not sure how to protect from debris, except to be out of any obvious area a tree might fall.
Thanks Johann, I have secured anything that could come loose and tied everything down securely that remains!
Tie the boat to the trailer, front and rear. let air out of tires, block tires. and put stakes in the ground on the sides of the trailer, and tie boat to ground, like lacing shoes. or a Cessna. pin it to the ground. its got a lot of surface area...
if possible park on sheltered side of house, close as possible. if its a water ballast, put some water in the hull.
my .02
GL!
if possible park on sheltered side of house, close as possible. if its a water ballast, put some water in the hull.
my .02
GL!
Last edited:
From my experience with Sandy I lashed the boat, (30 foot S2), to my cradle. Closed all the through hulls, except for the scuppers. My boat floated in the cradle for about 50 foot and came down on a lot of debris. I had gelcoat damage from a powerboat that rubbed the starboard side and some bent stanchions from a 40 foot Hunter that came out of her cradle and leaned on my port side. Maybe bumpers would have helped. Minor damage compared to others in the yard. No matter how you prepare you will need luck too. After seeing the aftermath of Sandy, you can always replace a boat. Wishing you the best and stay safe.
Here In the north east I have tied pieces of carpet between old car tires to both sides the hull as fenders. The tires are placed the full length of the boat with out any gaps between the tires. Then placed one tire tube fully inflated under an old truck tire, then place both over the top of the piling as a heavy duty fender. Also added more dock lines and adjusted them for storm surge along with removed all sails and anything to reduce effects of wind.
We also hooked up 2 additional temporary bilge pumps to two separate batteries and suspended the batteries high from the ceiling in case of a hull breach. My thoughts are if the main battery shorts out I have 2 back up pumps. Note I used smooth hose instead of currugated hose, this increases flow rate.
Weathered quite a few storms this way and so far have been quite lucky, just had to remove a few black marks from hull.
Capt Robbie, Yesterday at 10:36 PMEditDeleteReport
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We also hooked up 2 additional temporary bilge pumps to two separate batteries and suspended the batteries high from the ceiling in case of a hull breach. My thoughts are if the main battery shorts out I have 2 back up pumps. Note I used smooth hose instead of currugated hose, this increases flow rate.
Weathered quite a few storms this way and so far have been quite lucky, just had to remove a few black marks from hull.
Capt Robbie, Yesterday at 10:36 PMEditDeleteReport
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On the hard
Here are a few things I do
1) If possible face the boat into the projected wind direction as opposed to broadside.
2) Placed plywood under jack stands to distribute waight better.
3) Empty water tanks.
4) Chain jack stands, if possible add more stands that is needed to combat winds.
5) Drive large tent stakes into the ground and use trailer straps to cleats and ratchet boat tightly.
6) Try to clear and yard debris such as 2x4 boards away from boat they can become projectiles at 100 mph.
7) Remove sails, Bimini, and flags.
8) If possible drive your anchors into the ground on both side of the boat attach them with two lines to both forward and aft cleats in a v pattern.
9) Take lots of videos and photos to document.
In the water
1) double up lines and chafing gear.
2) fenders old tires
3) close thru hulls
4) if possible add additional lines to adjacent pilings
5) if possible add another temporary bilge pump
6) remove any electronics , sails, and gear you can
7) set an anchor/ anchors
8) tape a sign inside cabin/ to hull with you contact info should the boat break free.
9) photos/ videos to document
10) try to tie up somewhere that gives you the most protection from the wind and elements, take note of wind direction.
Here are a few things I do
1) If possible face the boat into the projected wind direction as opposed to broadside.
2) Placed plywood under jack stands to distribute waight better.
3) Empty water tanks.
4) Chain jack stands, if possible add more stands that is needed to combat winds.
5) Drive large tent stakes into the ground and use trailer straps to cleats and ratchet boat tightly.
6) Try to clear and yard debris such as 2x4 boards away from boat they can become projectiles at 100 mph.
7) Remove sails, Bimini, and flags.
8) If possible drive your anchors into the ground on both side of the boat attach them with two lines to both forward and aft cleats in a v pattern.
9) Take lots of videos and photos to document.
In the water
1) double up lines and chafing gear.
2) fenders old tires
3) close thru hulls
4) if possible add additional lines to adjacent pilings
5) if possible add another temporary bilge pump
6) remove any electronics , sails, and gear you can
7) set an anchor/ anchors
8) tape a sign inside cabin/ to hull with you contact info should the boat break free.
9) photos/ videos to document
10) try to tie up somewhere that gives you the most protection from the wind and elements, take note of wind direction.
NYSail
Take all sails off even if mast furler sys. All it takes is a small sect of sail at 80 mph to unfurl and you are screwed. My friends boom furler failed and his boat was destroyed on the harbor breakwater in only a 65 mph storm.
Take all sails off even if mast furler sys. All it takes is a small sect of sail at 80 mph to unfurl and you are screwed. My friends boom furler failed and his boat was destroyed on the harbor breakwater in only a 65 mph storm.
Both Boats are ready....... Hopefully... 6 Lines, multiple Anchors. Enough slack for 9+ storm surge. Sails and Canvas in the Garage. Wishing all fellow sailors an event free Irma. -Jon
On the 25 as I know it too well. Lash it to the trailer. I am not sure about flooding but you could tie the trailer and boat allowing for a 10 foot surge so it will not float away
IMHO, A 800 lb mooring for a 40+ foot boat would be a little light to expect it to still be there after a major storm event let alone a hurricane.
1+ on remove that cover from the boston whaler. and tie the whaler to the land. calling for 10' storm surge on west coast.
if you MUST go out in the middle of the storm, use a diving mask and snorkel. hard to breathe w/o.
Still have power in FLL, my mother in s miami lost power at noon sat. gusts to 90 in miami.
crossing big pine key now. heading to naples...
if you MUST go out in the middle of the storm, use a diving mask and snorkel. hard to breathe w/o.
Still have power in FLL, my mother in s miami lost power at noon sat. gusts to 90 in miami.
crossing big pine key now. heading to naples...
Both Boats & covers made it through the hurricane.... We evacuated to NC for 2 days. We were lucky.. just minor damage around the house... Our neighbors seawall collapsed.... I was told by the city that as of yesterday AM more than 1 mile of seawall has collapsed in Punta Gorda..... -Jon
PGI, You guys got hit harder then us in Port Charlotte..... As i have been told we really have no damage and no need to go down early.... I cant hardly believe how lucky we were. Had my boat strapped up high in boat lift above sea wall, but still worried it would end up in the pool or down the block...
Thats a lot of sea wall to replace and we all know how cheap thats gonna be... Glad your safe...
brian
Thats a lot of sea wall to replace and we all know how cheap thats gonna be... Glad your safe...
brian
The spider web cross tying and doubled up lines worked. If we had had more surge, it might not have. Next time I will tie to pilings under the dock rather than above. Our bows were facing east. the neighbor across the canal said that when the wind shifted south, the boats were leaning way to port.
During the Storm.
After the storm
During the Storm.
After the storm