As Hurricane Frances draws an increasingly sharp bead on us, we are facing the prospect of returning home to a slab where the house WAS, as well as the interesting looking remains of our 2004 H216. We have it home, on the trailer, and lashed down at 4 points. The stern is tied off to the corner posts of our chain-link fence, and the bow to two screw-in anchor posts. I've raised the centerboard to further load the hull, and there is extra weight in the cuddy. I guess this is the price we pay for the 25 years we've had living in "paradise", which those who DON'T live here like to call Florida, especially in the winter. Carol and I (and our Himalayan cat, Natty) will be going to Macon, Ga. to a motel through Sunday. To any of the rest of you fine folks who might be impacted by this storm, I urge caution if you're considering riding it out. This one makes Charley look like a summer breeze, and you see the damage that Charley did! May God be with and protect you all. Bob Cowgill
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Fingers Crossed...
I just wanted to wish Bob and everyone else good luck with Frances. Living here in the Outer Banks - "Hurricane Alley" to some - makes you acutely aware of how much blood, sweat, and tears goes into owning a boat, and how quickly it can all be gone. Sounds like you've taken every precaution. Hunker down and good luck.
I just wanted to wish Bob and everyone else good luck with Frances. Living here in the Outer Banks - "Hurricane Alley" to some - makes you acutely aware of how much blood, sweat, and tears goes into owning a boat, and how quickly it can all be gone. Sounds like you've taken every precaution. Hunker down and good luck.
Mobile Home?
Bob, I feel your anxiety. We felt the same last year with Hurricane Isabel with her sights on the Virginia/NC area. We don't have the ability to easliy trailer a H29.5. So we moved it up the Rappahanock to a very realiable Hurricane hole. She faired very well. We stripped everything off her except the mast. Reinforce all the portholes and lined the inside with a tarp to funnel any water directly into the bildge. We had a very safe large slip. It was 18 feet wide and 40 feet long. She was nestled in with 8 lines of different lenghts, and we even put the anchor out for a last resort. Because of trees down it took us 2 painfully long days to find out whether she was still afloat. We were so realived that NOTHING had happened. All our prep work paid off. Albeit the lines on the windward side were pulled so tight on the cleats we had to work them free. Showed us the true force and duration of the wind and tide. My advice. keep a positive attitude, think through some good prep work. You still have some time. And could you possible take it with you? Might be a great mobile home for you up in Georgia. Plus you could load it with supplies in GA to bring back to FL should you be without food or power. If you decide to keep it at home. I'm not sure a chain link fence would keep it at your house. Maybe try to tie if off to a tree down near the base of the trunk. Purhaps, put out the anchor as well. Maybe consider flattening the tires to make them less bouyant and less likely to roll away should the fence come with it. Trim away large branches down low and maybe snug it up to a sturdy tree. Also might add lots of extra tie downs to the boat and trailer. Strap lots of oversized fenders to the rails, so if the trailer is blown over, the boat will fall onto the fenders. And if you have an old mattress, might want to lash it into the cockpit. I hope something might help. Please let us know how you fair! Good luck. We know how you feel.
Bob, I feel your anxiety. We felt the same last year with Hurricane Isabel with her sights on the Virginia/NC area. We don't have the ability to easliy trailer a H29.5. So we moved it up the Rappahanock to a very realiable Hurricane hole. She faired very well. We stripped everything off her except the mast. Reinforce all the portholes and lined the inside with a tarp to funnel any water directly into the bildge. We had a very safe large slip. It was 18 feet wide and 40 feet long. She was nestled in with 8 lines of different lenghts, and we even put the anchor out for a last resort. Because of trees down it took us 2 painfully long days to find out whether she was still afloat. We were so realived that NOTHING had happened. All our prep work paid off. Albeit the lines on the windward side were pulled so tight on the cleats we had to work them free. Showed us the true force and duration of the wind and tide. My advice. keep a positive attitude, think through some good prep work. You still have some time. And could you possible take it with you? Might be a great mobile home for you up in Georgia. Plus you could load it with supplies in GA to bring back to FL should you be without food or power. If you decide to keep it at home. I'm not sure a chain link fence would keep it at your house. Maybe try to tie if off to a tree down near the base of the trunk. Purhaps, put out the anchor as well. Maybe consider flattening the tires to make them less bouyant and less likely to roll away should the fence come with it. Trim away large branches down low and maybe snug it up to a sturdy tree. Also might add lots of extra tie downs to the boat and trailer. Strap lots of oversized fenders to the rails, so if the trailer is blown over, the boat will fall onto the fenders. And if you have an old mattress, might want to lash it into the cockpit. I hope something might help. Please let us know how you fair! Good luck. We know how you feel.
Maybe a Little Different
Bob, If Frances comes across the State and passes North of us then the conditions could be quite different from the normal "from the Gulf landfall". First off the storm forward speed is subtracted from the wind speed diminishing the potential for trouble significantly. Second up here a little North of you the wind will blow all the water out of St. Andrew Bay rather than in as more typical and I would expect similar but less dramatic results in St Joe Bay. If the storm passes South of us then things will be quite different but still not as bad as a direct hit from the South. Don't call your insurance agent yet we should be a lot better off than those on the East coast.
Bob, If Frances comes across the State and passes North of us then the conditions could be quite different from the normal "from the Gulf landfall". First off the storm forward speed is subtracted from the wind speed diminishing the potential for trouble significantly. Second up here a little North of you the wind will blow all the water out of St. Andrew Bay rather than in as more typical and I would expect similar but less dramatic results in St Joe Bay. If the storm passes South of us then things will be quite different but still not as bad as a direct hit from the South. Don't call your insurance agent yet we should be a lot better off than those on the East coast.
Empathy
Hi Bob! Wish I had advice, being in upstate New York, but want to share our experience with Hurricance Isabel last year. Yep, Isabel, tail end of her that is. The lake our new 216 was moored at really kicked up with steady winds. 1/2 in. lines popped, boat slammed into it's neighbor,motor torn off although tethered, chewed up the rudder, stem beat up, etc.,etc. On all fours on the bucking bronco dock tried to secure, no luck, watched it happen. Hope yours'll be ok. Good luck. John
Hi Bob! Wish I had advice, being in upstate New York, but want to share our experience with Hurricance Isabel last year. Yep, Isabel, tail end of her that is. The lake our new 216 was moored at really kicked up with steady winds. 1/2 in. lines popped, boat slammed into it's neighbor,motor torn off although tethered, chewed up the rudder, stem beat up, etc.,etc. On all fours on the bucking bronco dock tried to secure, no luck, watched it happen. Hope yours'll be ok. Good luck. John
H216 hiding in Zephyrhills
We towed the 216 to myt nephew's house in Zephyrhills, near Tampa. It's VERY securely tied down. My wife's car is also there. We loaded up everything else from the house we wanted to keep in our 6X12 enclosed trailer, and are now in Macon, Georgia. The motel has a high speed connection FREE with the room, so we brought our computer in and are sitting here watching the Weather Channel! Bob Cowgill
We towed the 216 to myt nephew's house in Zephyrhills, near Tampa. It's VERY securely tied down. My wife's car is also there. We loaded up everything else from the house we wanted to keep in our 6X12 enclosed trailer, and are now in Macon, Georgia. The motel has a high speed connection FREE with the room, so we brought our computer in and are sitting here watching the Weather Channel! Bob Cowgill
Road Trip....
I help my friend Pete pull his 26 out, pack it and get it ready for a road trip last Thurs. He towed it North up into the Atlanta area. After Charley 3 weeks ago, he figured he couldn’t take the risk. Good idea given the fact that Francis is twice as big as Charley. I myself was supposed to be in route this weekend to pick up my 99 260 up in Raleigh, NC. But do to the storm, I have since waved off the trip. I will go next weekend. Peter Suah, I know you have your boat out in Titusville. I can pretty much guess you brought it inland, if not hit the road too...
Good luck to everyone in Florida... hopefully this storm will continue to dissipate before coming ashore. Greg A.
I help my friend Pete pull his 26 out, pack it and get it ready for a road trip last Thurs. He towed it North up into the Atlanta area. After Charley 3 weeks ago, he figured he couldn’t take the risk. Good idea given the fact that Francis is twice as big as Charley. I myself was supposed to be in route this weekend to pick up my 99 260 up in Raleigh, NC. But do to the storm, I have since waved off the trip. I will go next weekend. Peter Suah, I know you have your boat out in Titusville. I can pretty much guess you brought it inland, if not hit the road too...
Good luck to everyone in Florida... hopefully this storm will continue to dissipate before coming ashore. Greg A.- Status