Any advice on securing a boat once its hauled?

[Captnkev25]

After a little back and forth I feel I should have my C25 hauled to ride out Irene. I'm located in central Long Island NY where we are expected to get good and slammed. Any advice on how to prep the boat AFTER its hauled?? Besides the obvious of removing sails, canvas and anything that can create windage? This is my first hurricane of boat ownership and am already sweating it lol. I find plenty of advice on securing her in a slip or advice that I should get her hauled but no advice on added precautions.

 

[Eric M]

Some ideas for you - you are definately correct to remove all the windage you possibly can. After that, some of the most heavy duty ratchet straps you can find to run up and over the boat, at least near the bow and stern to tie the boat to the ground. Hopefully the yard you are being hauled out at will have points in the ground to which you can tie down to. If not, look for the largest screw in augers you can find.
When the boat is set on the ground you want to make sure that it is sitting about the same orientation as in the water so that the deck and cockpit drain as they normally do.
Finally, you want to make sure the jack stands you are on are chained together and that the chains are locked to the stands so the stands can't possibly move out of position.
No promises here, just what I have seen others do around here. Hope this helps.

 

[KD3PC]

previous to hauling,

you have to assess the place that she will be landed...

is it above the "storm surge" predicted +>5'....if not you are better off floating, as she will now be on land.

How will she be propped (cradle, stands, blocks and boards, etc)? Because each of these has it's own issues once water is involved.

Is the landed site a concrete pad, or just sandy beach, or some other aggregate that is going to move, dissolve, slide, wash away?

Are there tie points (augers, anchors, pins, piles, etc) that can stand the strain of multiple boats pulling and bouncing?

Lastly are the boats lined up like dominos, often tied together? With all their sails/canvas/stuff still blowing? If so they can and often will drag your boat down with them, see: domino effect.

Once you have made the decision to haul, then you can line up, and while waiting remove and stow everything that be blown in any way shape or form. Remove any outboard engines, dinghies, grills, cans, brushes, hooks, solar panels, anchors. Stow gear that is out below and secure all doors, electronics, etc below. Shut down all battery switches, shorepower, etc. Double or triple up your lines. Plastic bag any dorades or vents and tape completely, same with companion way board(s).

Now notify your insurance company of where the boat is now, leave your contact information with them and the marina, go home and hope for the best.

 

[Captnkev25]

I will hopefully be above the surge line. The boat will be on jack stands in a dirt and gravel parking lot. Not an ideal situation but still better than in my slip I'm hoping.

 

[tommays]

Were are you as on the North Shore of LI for example a lot of the marinas land areas are only <4 to 5' above a normal high tide and flood as a normal coarse of events and in a 10' surge stuff would float about

West Shore Marina and the others on Mill dam road area have come within inches of losing there complete massive floating dock systems when they reached the top of the pilings

I know on no place up here that has ground anchors to strap down a boat like they have down south

 

[Captnkev25]

I'm on the south shore and will be hauled in Patchogue.

 

[sailaway78]

If your not sure your above the surge

If your not sure you will be above the surge, you are better off leaving it in the water. No amount of tie downs are going to stop her from going away, if the surge is enough to cause her to float. We saw boats in this area miles away from where they started after Katrina. Some were never found.

 

[HukilauMike]

I'm in Branford, Conn. and my current thinking is that I will ride it out at my dock. The hard at my marina is the parking lot, and at its highest point, it might be 4 or 5 feet above the really high tide line. I remember seeing water marks about two feet up the sides of the poppits holding up my boat one spring. Any real storm surge is going to flood the whole parking lot. I plan to take the sails down on Friday, put out as many docklines as I can, cut up an old hose to make chafing gear, duct tape up the foredeck vent and the companionway, then get out of Dodge and hope for the best.

 

[chp]

While I am not in line for Irene, we got hit last night with 100 KPH + winds and storms and went down to check my dry moored Mac. My boat was fine, however 2 others not so fine. Nieghbors boat was off its trailer and mast was only 2 feet from hitting mine. Another Sandpiper 565 was laying on its side with the trailer. Looks like the Genoa got loose on the furler and pulled the boat and trailer over. Also broke the forstay cable. This storm came up with very little warning otherwise I would have removed all sails. After seeing these boats over on their sides, I will remove my sails in the future whenever I hear any tornado warnings. Good luck all.

 

[Patrick17430]

I'm in Branford, Conn. and my current thinking is that I will ride it out at my dock. The hard at my marina is the parking lot, and at its highest point, it might be 4 or 5 feet above the really high tide line. I remember seeing water marks about two feet up the sides of the poppits holding up my boat one spring. Any real storm surge is going to flood the whole parking lot. I plan to take the sails down on Friday, put out as many docklines as I can, cut up an old hose to make chafing gear, duct tape up the foredeck vent and the companionway, then get out of Dodge and hope for the best.

Having been through Ike myself, This would be the best pre hurricane plan for the average boat owner. Mother Nature will decide the rest. Good luck.

 

[BobT]

I had the yard haul her out and I'm heading down this evening with some screw in anchors and ratchet straps. (Just happened to have 8 of them left over from a canvas-Quonset style garage/tent installation!) The gravel lot is at least 3 feet over the highest spring tide I've ever seen there and it would take another 4 feet to float her. It seems to me to be better than taking my chances on a mooring ball with short scope. The projected path has moved closer to the Chesapeake in the last 24 hours...

 

[JohnS]

Not sure how accurate predictions are this far out, but here's an interactive NHC map for storm surge probabilities: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/psurgegraphics_at4.shtml?gm

Do a search for online topographic maps to see if you can find the height above sea level for the yard. I was able to find one for MD that had contour lines every 5 ft. (My dad's house is between 5 and 10 feet above sea level on the waterfront. It's gonna be interesting.)

Being on a dirt and gravel lot, the surge doesn't have to be high enough to float the boats to cause havoc. If the ground starts washing away, stands are going to shift, and boats are going to fall. In addition to being chained side-to-side, and fore-and-aft, you may want to use rope to tie the bases of the stands together. Don't put tension in the lines. You just want them to help hold the stands in place if the ground starts shifting. Cradles may be slightly better if you can get one.

As for reducing windage - unless the rig has changed substantially since I worked on them 20 odd years ago, the Catalina 25 mast can be un-stepped by two or 3 strong young guys. Even the tall rig. And I was pretty scrawny back then. Disconnect any wiring, pull any aft run lines, and disconnect the forward lower shrouds. One or two people hold the mast vertical, another disconnects the forestay then runs to the cockpit, and the guy(s) on the cabin top lower(s) it to the cockpit guy, who holds it while the mast base is unbolted from the step. If you have a Windex or some sort of light plastic windwane on the masthead, remove it. May as well remove the antenna whip if you have one. Bring scraps of rug for padding, and tie the mast to the bow and stern rails. You may need to pad the cabin top. Coil the shrouds without disconnecting what's still connected, and tie or tape the coils.

Definitely take pictures, particularly noting the neighboring boats blocked up around you.

Or better yet, chances are some larger slips are going to open up from others hauling out. See if you can move to a larger slip, use lots of long doubled dock lines with spring lines. [DELETED STUPID ADVICE]. If you have a swing keel and deep enough water, lower it.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Bad suggestion

Or better yet, chances are some larger slips are going to open up from others hauling out. See if you can move to a larger slip, use lots of long doubled dock lines with spring lines, and ride it out on the boat so you can monitor and adjust lines. This also means being able to catch the neighbors boat that's broken free and about to destroy your boat. Make sure you've got plenty of fuel for the engine, and keep the anchor gear ready. If you have a swing keel and deep enough water, lower it.

NOT, definitely NOT, a better idea.

The very worst thing you can do is some stunt like this.

C25? Maybe $15K boat at best.

What's your LIFE worth to you and your family, to say nothing about us here who like your contributions and look forward to more of them.

Do what you will with your boat. Then find as safe a place ON LAND as you possibly can.

Good luck.

PS John, that was a pretty irresponsible post and suggestion. Dumb, more like it. (You should have seen my first draft of the reply...)

 

[Captnkev25]

According to the site you linked John my area is not supposed to experience much surge. I am in Patchogue which is blocked by Fire Island. I know there may be some but I'm also a good 10-12 feet above the normal high tide line. I do love my boat very much but I love my girl and stepson much more. I'll do everything in my power to safely protect my boat but they are the only two I'd risk my life for. (Besides if I'm gone then they would have to learn to sail)

 

[seadaddler]

Capt25

Good thing you are a smarter guy and have a good thinking brain,not going down with your boat.
We are keepping our fingers crossed for all our relatives and freinds on LI and all you guys too.
We were lucky it pass us up.
Nick

 

[Captnkev25]

Thank you Nick. Your good wishes are well appreciated. I sincerely hope all weather the storm ok and I'm a firm believer that you can always get another boat. IF your around to get it.

 

[dkdoyle]

Yup Irene will be right over you by noon Sunday. Hopefully not more then a cat 1 when it gets there. I am from Florida so we don't get excited about a cat 1 but what to prepare for. Put everything away and secure everything else. The wind will make projectiles of anything laying out including your Neighbors stuff. So if you are hauling out look around first at what's around you. You shouldn't have any big problems with a cat 1. Our friends in north Carolina keep your heads down.

 

[JohnS]

My apologies. That WAS profoundly stupid advice, and I've deleted it.