I am in a very well protected marina with floating docks. However, it looks like we will be having our first tropical storm over the next couple of days. This will be my first storm, and would like some extra advise. I plan to fold up the bimini and strap it down. I also am going to double up my lines. As far as the sail goes, I have inmast and roller furling. I was thinking that I should take a couple of extra turns around the jib and then tighten back down on the lines. Any other thoughts or something I am missing? Thanks, this is my first storm with a boat in a marina.
What to do, Tropical Storm
- Thread starter Doghouse
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advice
Furling main should be ok as long as you wrap the clew end around the mast and tie it off. Take everything off the outside of the boat that is removable except your main. Double the lines but also make them as much chafe proof as possible and make them tight too. Close all through hulls. Make sure your shore power is fasten on as tight as possible and charger is turned on. Everything else off. Take everything of good value home with you. Take a pictures of it before you leave for insurance claims. Then get a case of beer and a surfboard and head to the beach
Furling main should be ok as long as you wrap the clew end around the mast and tie it off. Take everything off the outside of the boat that is removable except your main. Double the lines but also make them as much chafe proof as possible and make them tight too. Close all through hulls. Make sure your shore power is fasten on as tight as possible and charger is turned on. Everything else off. Take everything of good value home with you. Take a pictures of it before you leave for insurance claims. Then get a case of beer and a surfboard and head to the beach
Take the jib down
Take the jib off. It's usually the first thing to come free and start flapping. If the main sticks out more than a few inches, undo the outhaul, wrap the piece of the sail that sticks out around the mast and lash well. To prepare our boat for a hurricane ( a tropical storm is a good time to practise) we try to reduce the windage as much as possible to the extent of taking down the boom and putting it down below. Don't just fold up the bimini, take it off. Double ( at least) all lines, reduce chafe wherever possible.
Take the jib off. It's usually the first thing to come free and start flapping. If the main sticks out more than a few inches, undo the outhaul, wrap the piece of the sail that sticks out around the mast and lash well. To prepare our boat for a hurricane ( a tropical storm is a good time to practise) we try to reduce the windage as much as possible to the extent of taking down the boom and putting it down below. Don't just fold up the bimini, take it off. Double ( at least) all lines, reduce chafe wherever possible.
Dog...,
I have a H-420. I'm at Bay Pt. (Norfolk) ... I was here 3 years ago w/ Hurricane Isabel. Took off bimini and enclosure. Tied down jib with an extra wrap. Rolled main almost entirely into mast. Doubled lines... That's about it.. All boats at Bay Pt did fine (w/ exception of a few on the very end slips that got bounced around a bit more than other boat and received slight superficial damage.) While I don't mean to minimize the effects of a tropical storm, it's effects really shouldn't be more than a northeaster or a series of Summer thunderstorms. I don't plan to make any extra precautions for the effects of this tropical storm (which should go North Northest and out to sea), and not effect us. If we are foracast to get a cat 3 or greater hurricane... don't worry about preparations.. just call your ins. man and make sure what your coverage is cause your boat will be sittin' on the Hampton Collisum ... Have a beer and enjoy the show...
I have a H-420. I'm at Bay Pt. (Norfolk) ... I was here 3 years ago w/ Hurricane Isabel. Took off bimini and enclosure. Tied down jib with an extra wrap. Rolled main almost entirely into mast. Doubled lines... That's about it.. All boats at Bay Pt did fine (w/ exception of a few on the very end slips that got bounced around a bit more than other boat and received slight superficial damage.) While I don't mean to minimize the effects of a tropical storm, it's effects really shouldn't be more than a northeaster or a series of Summer thunderstorms. I don't plan to make any extra precautions for the effects of this tropical storm (which should go North Northest and out to sea), and not effect us. If we are foracast to get a cat 3 or greater hurricane... don't worry about preparations.. just call your ins. man and make sure what your coverage is cause your boat will be sittin' on the Hampton Collisum ... Have a beer and enjoy the show...
That tropical storm is not...
packing strong winds at present and it looks like it will stay offshore so I would not go into panic mode. Take down the bimini, Put double dock lines. Tie safety lines to the concrete poles with enough slack to handle surge. Look over at your neighbors boats and insure they are adequately tied down. Furl the jib tight. I would take the main halyard outside of the spreaders and up to the forestay and wrap it around the furled jib. If storm intensifies and it looks is heading your way then take the jib down. Close all through the hulls and insure the bilge pump is working and that you have adequate battery power to run it. Place strong fenders at the points of contact. I don't particularly trust floating docks in a storm but it does not look like this tropical storm will be bad. Lock your rudder. We prepared for 5 or 6 storms last year and it was hectic; this year nock on wood we have only had one. Make sure your insurance is in force and good luck.
packing strong winds at present and it looks like it will stay offshore so I would not go into panic mode. Take down the bimini, Put double dock lines. Tie safety lines to the concrete poles with enough slack to handle surge. Look over at your neighbors boats and insure they are adequately tied down. Furl the jib tight. I would take the main halyard outside of the spreaders and up to the forestay and wrap it around the furled jib. If storm intensifies and it looks is heading your way then take the jib down. Close all through the hulls and insure the bilge pump is working and that you have adequate battery power to run it. Place strong fenders at the points of contact. I don't particularly trust floating docks in a storm but it does not look like this tropical storm will be bad. Lock your rudder. We prepared for 5 or 6 storms last year and it was hectic; this year nock on wood we have only had one. Make sure your insurance is in force and good luck.
good chance to find holes in storm prep plans
It shouldn't be much more than a little breeze and some rain, but it's a good way to set yourself in storm prep mode and see what you need and what you need to do in the event of the real deal later in the year. I'm on the south shore of Broad Bay, so I'll go ahead and batten down for the northerly winds. You wouldn't know we had a storm on the way by looking at the lower Bay forecast, but I go by the coastal waters forecast just to be conservative, at least for my more unprotected location (about a mile of fetch for northerlies, about twice that for northwesterlies). I'm removing all the sails, locking down the hatches (I leave them cracked for ventilation), I may or may not double the lines for this event (I'll decide tomorrow), and I seize the eyes to my stern cleats because they're a bit undersized. I'll keep an eye on her and have a better idea of what I should account for when the big blow comes later. Though it's not forecast to be much more than a breezy day, and, as I mentioned, barely that according to the lower Bay forecast, at least I'm set should we bear more of the brunt of the storm. I'm familiar with Hampton Creek. It is very well protected from the seas with the exception of perhaps the outer slips of at Hampton Yacht Club and the commercial docks at the bend in a southerly blow. But that's not a worry this go-round.
It shouldn't be much more than a little breeze and some rain, but it's a good way to set yourself in storm prep mode and see what you need and what you need to do in the event of the real deal later in the year. I'm on the south shore of Broad Bay, so I'll go ahead and batten down for the northerly winds. You wouldn't know we had a storm on the way by looking at the lower Bay forecast, but I go by the coastal waters forecast just to be conservative, at least for my more unprotected location (about a mile of fetch for northerlies, about twice that for northwesterlies). I'm removing all the sails, locking down the hatches (I leave them cracked for ventilation), I may or may not double the lines for this event (I'll decide tomorrow), and I seize the eyes to my stern cleats because they're a bit undersized. I'll keep an eye on her and have a better idea of what I should account for when the big blow comes later. Though it's not forecast to be much more than a breezy day, and, as I mentioned, barely that according to the lower Bay forecast, at least I'm set should we bear more of the brunt of the storm. I'm familiar with Hampton Creek. It is very well protected from the seas with the exception of perhaps the outer slips of at Hampton Yacht Club and the commercial docks at the bend in a southerly blow. But that's not a worry this go-round.
Me too,
At least this was an early enough scare to alert me to the fact that I did not know enough about what to do. Now I can be more prepared for the next one.... Thanks everyone for the advise. I have a new shopping list to work on.
At least this was an early enough scare to alert me to the fact that I did not know enough about what to do. Now I can be more prepared for the next one.... Thanks everyone for the advise. I have a new shopping list to work on.
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