Tips To Prepare Your Boat For A Hurricane

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We have collected tips from old salts..... and veterans of hurricanes Floyd, Bonnie and Fran.

remove excess gear, including spare rigging	leave auto bilge pump on
clear self-bailing cockpit drains	check openings to ensure boat is watertight
close all through hull fittings	set and check storm anchors
set chafe gear where lines will rub (chocks, crosslines, deck edge, dock edge etc.	consider attaching lines to cleats at a 45 degree angle
remove portable fuel and oil storage containers	consider tying your boat between two piers or along a pier and anchored off one side
remove ship papers	set and check storm anchors
shut off fuel tanks	consider attaching 3 sets of bow and stern spring lines
leave anchor light on

remove excess gear, including spare rigging	clear self-bailing cockpit drains
close all through hull fittings	remove portable fuel and oil storage containers
remove ship papers	shut off fuel tanks
leave anchor light on	leave auto bilge pump on
check openings to ensure boat is watertight	use storm pennants to increase scope
attach chains directly to pennants instead of swivels	add an emergency catenaray weight at the vessel end of the chain
use double of triple chafe protection	use chafing gear over entire length of pennants
use two pennants	if no permanent mooring is available, use tow storm anchors at 45-degree angles

remove excess gear, including spare rigging	clear self bailing cockpit drains
close all through hull fittings	remove portable fuel and oil storage containers
remove ship papers	shut off fuel tanks
leave auto bilge pump on	check openings to ensure boat is watertight
use 3 or 4 substantial anchors and good tie rope	tie your boat high on the mainland to a substantial tree or similar structure
do not tie parallel to the bank	keep a navigable passage at tour stern to allow other boats passage
use enough line to allow for storm surge	leave enough room between your boat and others to allow for swing
take valuables off

STORE IN A GARAGE	IF NO GARAGE IS AVAILABLE
remove excess gear, including spare rigging	secure trailer to a sturdy object
clear self-bailing cockpit	let half the air out of the trailer tires
close all through hull fittings	put wood blocks between the frame and axle
remove portable fuel and oil storage containers	take out the drain plugs
remove ship papers	cover with tarp
shut off fuel tanks	use tie-downs
leave auto bilge pump on
check openings to ensure boat is watertight