Time to ready your boat for a storm is now, UF researcher says
Boat owners should prepare for a hurricane now, not when a storm is bearing down on them, a University of Florida Sea Grant specialist warns.
Bob Wasno, based in Fort Myers with the UF-affiliated coastal research and education program, reminds boat owners that preparation is imperative and procrastination can be dangerous.
鈥淓ach and every boat is going to be a little different,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd there鈥檚 a whole checklist of things that need to be done.鈥�
First on that list: Decide where to put your boat when a storm is on the way.
Boats that are stored ashore are much more likely to escape damage than those stored in the water, officials say.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not necessarily the safest place when you鈥檙e in a marina with 50 other boats. Chances are that one of them is not going to be tied down right,鈥� he said.
And just one loose boat can damage many others, Wasno said.
If your boat is on land, the best place is inside a garage. If that鈥檚 not feasible, parking the boat and trailer away from trees but close to a building is a good bet.
Let some air out of the trailer tires and block the wheels so it won鈥檛 roll. Wooden blocks should be placed between the trailer鈥檚 frame and springs, and the boat filled no more than halfway with water. Then lash the boat to the ground at all four corners.
For boats kept at a marina, preparations are even trickier.
That鈥檚 why Leif Lustig, dockmaster at the Fort Myers Yacht Basin, says he and his staff begin reminding their patrons 鈥� many of them people who live on their boats 鈥� early in the season to start preparing.
Though procrastination is human, Lustig says they do their best to counter it.
鈥淚 think that鈥檚 pretty much the way people think. But I think we鈥檝e got it a little more in their minds to get ready here,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd if we can keep anybody鈥檚 insurance premiums down, the better off we all are.鈥�
One of the most important things boat owners forget is to have duplicate copies of ownership paperwork, such as the boat鈥檚 registration, stored someplace other than on the boat, where it can easily be damaged, Lustig said.
鈥淢ail it to your mother in Paducah, I don鈥檛 care, just have it someplace off the boat,鈥� he said.
Among their other recommendations:
-- Remove any gear, such as canvas tops, that can act as a sail.
-- Anything on deck that can鈥檛 be removed, such as chairs, cushions or grills, should be lashed.
-- Dock lines should be doubled, at a minimum, and should be as long as possible to accommodate storm surge.
-- You鈥檒l need chafing gear at all rub points. There are readymade types of chafe protection, or garden hose is another option. In a pinch, using duct tape to bind heavy canvas or denim to the lines can work.
-- Make sure bilge pumps work.
-- If the boat is in a slip, it鈥檚 best to tie it so that it鈥檚 in the middle, rather than close to the dock, to keep the boat from banging into the dock.
-- When the boat is secure and the storm is imminent, head for higher ground. Trying to ride out a storm on a boat is a terrible idea.
-- If you鈥檙e a part-time resident, make sure there is a permanent resident who can act as your boat鈥檚 caretaker.
Source: University of Florida
