Hey all, I had the same experience about 10 years ago when we had a really bad rain storm. I received a call that night from a friend at the sail club who told me my boat was tilted up and filled with water in the back. Took me 2 hours to bail the water out enough til I could get to the drain plugs all with it raining cats and dogs and lightening all around. I learned to keep the plugs out. It was a learning experience to say the least but no damage. However, this past October, I had my boat in dry storage at the marina. The mast was up and have been using two tarps--one over the
bow with jib sheet attached to pull the tarp up next to the mast and then bungee cords attached to the grommets and secured to the trailer. I used the main sheet to hold the back of the boom up and another tarp secured over the boom and also attached to the trailer with bungees like a tent. Previous years this had kept the boat fairly clean and the water ran off with no problems. Another step was that during previous times, I had used dog tie out anchors with a strap over the trailer itself to hold the trailer in place and the boat was tied down with two 2 inch straps to the trailer. Well this time I did not use tiedowns on the trailer. So, this past October, a tornado came over the lake. Some of the docks were damaged but none of the boats in dry storage had any damage ---except mine! No one had called me from the marina and when I went out a few days later, I found my boat halfway flipped over with the mast lying against the rub rail on another boat. The bow stay and the port and starboard shroud's wires had been damaged. Luckily the other boat's rub rail saved me. However the port shroud where it was attached to the side rail of my boat was torn up exposing the insides of my 16 foot Precision. Luckily I had a neighbor that came and helped me right the boat and take the mast down. My insurance took care of my $1400 damage and I have it back with all new rigging. The owner of the boat repair shop was even able to match the nonskid on the port rail. What did I do wrong? I should have anchored the trailer as I did before. When the tornado came through, the wind got up under the tarps and flipped the boat and trailer. If it had been anchored, the wind may have destroyed the tarps but I don't believe the boat would have had this much damage. The reason I feel secure in this evaluation is my boat was the only one to have had any damage. Needless to say, my little Precision is going back to dry storage next week so it will be ready to go when I want to sail. However, lesson learned? Anchors!! When she goes back this time, she will be tarped but I am using 2 mobile home anchors with a 2 inch ratchet strap tying the trailer. The good thing about these anchors? On a mobile home, one strap goes over the top of the home and one attaches underneath to the frame. There are two attachment bolts per anchor. Therefore, it might be overkill, but there will be a ratchet strap also going over the boat but under the tarps. It'll take quite a wind to flip her again but that doesn't mean she will not be susceptible to flying debris or damage from other boat's that are not tied down.