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Although
Point Bay Marina has not
faced the fury of a major
storm in recent years, it
is always prudent to be
prepared for a strong
local blow or the remnants
of a coastal storm. The
following suggestions are
offered as a starting
point in preparing a storm
plan for your boat. This
preparation will allow you
to react to the impending
arrival of severe weather
with speed, efficiency and
confidence. You may wish
to utilize the information
below in developing a
storm preparation check
list tailored to your
boat.
If you have questions
regarding securing
your boat for storm
conditions, you should
discuss them with a Point
Bay staff member well in
advance of a storm’s
arrival.
Before the Storm…
·
Develop a
storm preparation plan
to protect your vessel.
Discuss this plan with
your family and friends.
·
Make
arrangements with a
responsible party if
you will be away for any
extended time during the
boating season.
·
Take
action early. Storm
preparations for your
boat(s) should be
completed 48 hours in
advance of a storm’s
predicted arrival. With
vessel preparations
completed, you can
concentrate on home and
family. If you delay, you
may not be able to reach
your boat.
·
We remind
all boat owners that it is
your responsibility
to prepare your vessel and
property for a storm.
Prior to the arrival of a
storm, Point Bay Marina’s
staff will be readying
docks and other property
and equipment; hence the
effort they can devote to
assisting individual boat
owners is limited.
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Make
sure your insurance is
up to date and
adequate for your needs.
Take photos or make
videos of your
boat(s) and contents.
Insurance claims can be
processed with greater
speed if this type of
documentation if
available. |
·
Maintain
appropriate lines and
chafing gear
throughout the season.
Replace worn, undersized
or inappropriate dock,
mooring or chafe gear
now. Do not
risk serious damage to
your boat or other
customers’ boats.
Suggestions for Lines and
Chafing Gear
Boats over 30’: ¾” laid
(3-strand) nylon
Boats between 22’ and
30’: 5/8” laid (3-strand)
nylon minimum
Boats under 22’: ½” laid
(3-strand) nylon minimum
Chafing gear can include
leather coverings, plastic
tubing, reinforced
radiator hose and snubbers.
The use of laid (3-strand)
nylon line is strongly
recommended over braid
during storm conditions
Preparing
for a blow…
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Remove all articles on
deck including
grills and dinghies.
Store these items
ashore. |
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Remove all sails,
covers, side curtains,
biminis, and dodgers.
Removal is preferred to
tying down. If a line
parts, a loose item will
become a very powerful
sail at the height of a
storm, inevitably
leading to major damage. |
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Secure halyards to
minimize flapping |
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Secure all hatches
and doors. Tape all
windows from the inside. |
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Check
batteries for a full
charge and make sure
bilge pumps are working. |
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Close
all thru-hull fittings |
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Shut
off fuel lines at
the tank. |
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Remove electronics
and other valuables
to prevent damage. |
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If you
have a trailerable
boat, consider
removing it from the
water and securing both
the boat and trailer in
the yard. Due to time
constraints marina
personnel will not
be able to haul
customer’s boats
immediately prior to a
storm. |
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Monitor
National Weather Service
marine broadcasts
(162.550 MHz). Pay close
attention to local TV
and radio for
information on how the
storm will affect this
area. |
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NEVER STAY ABOARD
YOUR BOAT DURING A
STORM! |
Additional Notes for
Dockage Customers…
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Double up the dock lines
and protect them from
chafing. Doubling lines
is better than just
increasing line
diameter. Avoid using
short dock lines that do
not have adequate
stretch. |
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Remember
to tie lines so that
the eye is on the boat
and the bitter end is on
the dock’s cleat so
that dock personnel can
adjust them during the
storm. |
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Add
spring lines to
minimize forward /aft
movement. |
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Make
sure bow is further
away from the dock
than normal. |
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Add
additional fenders
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Disconnect from shore
power and set
batteries to power the
bilge pump. Stow shore
power cords in the boat.
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Disconnect water and
other connections from
the dock. |
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Remove dock boxes if
not securely fastened to
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Remember, take action
early!
Do not stay aboard your
boat in a storm; it is
extremely dangerous!
Thanks…to
Jeff Lynner of the
Riverside (Connecticut)
Yacht Club; Tom Vegella
and Larry Grossman, of the
Parklawn Sailing
Association (Maryland) for
the ideas from their web
sites that provided a
starting point for this
document.
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