Southwinds Sailing June 2004 - Southwinds Magazine

HURRICANEPhoto by Capt. Bill Robinsonno law requiring the marina to provideyou with any information.In the state of Florida, we have over960,000 registered vessels and an estimated400,000 visiting vessels. There arelaws to protect the environment, themanatee, harbors, etc. It’s pretty amazingthat although this is a large votingforce, there is only one statute I couldfind that protects boaters.327.59 Marina evacuations(1) After June 1, 1994, marinas may notadopt, maintain, or enforce policiespertaining to evacuation of vesselswhich require vessels to be removedfrom marinas following the issuance of a hurricane watchor warning, in order to ensure that protecting the lives andsafety of vessel owners is placed before interests of protectingproperty.Many states do not even offer this protection. Virginia andNorth Carolina are two examples that allow marinas to forceyou to leave in the event of a hurricane. Many boaters are notaware that this can happen. If you are a live-aboard or cruiser,this can be life-threatening. These states need to revise their lawsto protect human life.What would you do if you found yourself in the direct pathof a hurricane? The more knowledge you have about the localtides, wind, and storm surges, the better chance you’ll have ofgetting through a hurricane. What should you look for in amarina?1. Find a marina as far inland as possible. Barrier islands andbay marinas offer less protection.2. Look for tall pilings that are secure. Storm surges can lift theboat high enough to be dropped on top of inadequate pilings(6 feet above gunwale).3. Wide slips. You will need enough room to hold the boat inthe middle of the slip—away from the pilings (140% of yourbeam).4. Check the cleats. Make sure they aremounted to the docks correctly and arelarge enough to hold your lines.5. Look for a protected marina entrancethat reduces wave action. Can the watercome straight through the channel?If your boat is tossed around by wakes,imagine how it will ride during a hurricane.6. Make sure the docks are maintained.7. If possible, pick a slip that faces thedirection of the approaching storm.8. Ask the residents of the marina ifthere has been any previous storm damageand how they protected their boats.Remember that the area could be without electric for weeks.Cruisers and live-aboards should make sure their water andfuel tanks are full, and batteries are charged. Check to makesure that your bilge pump is working properly. After a storm,commercial fuel and water can be fouled, and electric is neededto pump fuel.Don’t wait for a hurricane; know what to do and where togo. If you are cruising, this is twice as important. Any petsaboard? There are motels and even upscale hotels that welcomepets, but make sure you know how you’ll transport them. Itcan be a real problem. Most taxicabs and public transportationdo not allow dogs or cats without carriers.Many cruising magazines have important information onhurricane holes, and don’t buy a cruising guide without it. Thereare also excellent articles on the Internet and in boating magazinesthat will tell you how to prepare your boat. Don’t forgetto prepare a list of important papers and possessions to take ifyou have to evacuate. You need to post your hurricane list in ahandy place and update it as needed. Don’t stay with the boatif you can get to safety. Boats can be replaced; loss of life is neverworth the risk.More Hurricane Preparedness Information:See the July 2002 SOUTHWINDS reprint of the BoatUS article, Hurrican Preparedness, available online atthe SOUTHWINDS Web site: www.southwindssailing.com/articles/0207/hurricaneprepare.html.30June 2004 SOUTHWINDS www.southwindssailing.com