How To Prep Boat for Hurricane?

[lmannyr]

I was curious as to who everyone prepares their boats for a hurricane. My father suggested I use a hole digger and dig 3-4 foot deep holes around the trailer and drive rebar deeper into the ground and fill with concrete and attache an loop to the rebar. With one loop at each corner, a strap across the bow and stern to hold it down to the loops.

I have no idea so forgive me. With the hurricane season around the corner, I thought I would poke for info to prepare.

What are you recommendations?

THANKS!!!

 

[captain zac]

Re: How To Prep Boat for Hurricane?

Put on trailer

And get you and your family

OUT OF TOWN

 

[zach103]

Re: How To Prep Boat for Hurricane?

i like captains idea.. but it soulds like it would work.. ive dont live anywhere near hurricanes but teh straps across the bow and stern and maybe another one in the middle held down the way you described it sounds safe

 

[ksubigbuck]

Re: How To Prep Boat for Hurricane?

Put on trailer

And get you and your family

OUT OF TOWN

What he said! We don't need anymore people trying to "ride out" mother nature when they had plenty of advanced warning and options to leave...only to lose everything and then say it was "Bush's fault"...and ask for government handouts to get them back on their feet.

Sorry, I just did my taxes and am still ticked off,
Hunter

 

[jeeperman]

Re: How To Prep Boat for Hurricane?

I went to Lowes and bought four of those mobile home anchors. They are about 4 feet long 5/8" dia rod with a loop on one end and an augger on the other end.
Using a post hole digger I dug about 4 feet deep. I made the bottom of the hole about 12" dia. I then used thick goopy roofing tar and smeared it all over the steel anchor and dropped the anchor in so the very top is flush with the surface.
Then dumped in an 80lb bag worth of concrete. And them put the dirt back in.
Each anchor has a pvc pipe cap stuck over it so that I can mow over it and find them when I need them to anchor the boat down.
Do this now so that the dirt gets a chance to settle back in before August comes.
I use two of the 3" wide yellow nylon racket straps from side to side over the boat and trailer.

 

[Solittle]

Re: How To Prep Boat for Hurricane?

First make sure that you have adequate insurance and it is paid up. I like jeeperman's idea depending on the size of the boat. For a smaller boat - say 18' or less +/- you can deflate the tires, put the plug in and fill with 4-5" of water. Where you park it is important also - like close and alongside of the house and away from the expected max force of the wind.

 

[Nandy]

Re: How To Prep Boat for Hurricane?

What he said! We don't need anymore people trying to "ride out" mother nature when they had plenty of advanced warning and options to leave...only to lose everything and then say it was "Bush's fault"...and ask for government handouts to get them back on their feet.

Sorry, I just did my taxes and am still ticked off,
Hunter

He might not have that option.
Jepperman and Solittle advice is good. I did the anchoring while I lived in Puerto Rico. I was lucky the structures were already there so I did not had to do extensive work.

 

[Bushleaguer]

Re: How To Prep Boat for Hurricane?

http://www.yachtsurvey.com/huricane.htm
http://www.docksidereports.com/hurricane_season_2000_1.htm

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: How To Prep Boat for Hurricane?

luckily, in 60 years in Jacksonville, never had to do it. but i would just hook up and take it with me. or put in garage.

 

[F_R]

Re: How To Prep Boat for Hurricane?

First make sure that you have adequate insurance and it is paid up. I like jeeperman's idea depending on the size of the boat. For a smaller boat - say 18' or less +/- you can deflate the tires, put the plug in and fill with 4-5" of water. Where you park it is important also - like close and alongside of the house and away from the expected max force of the wind.

Sorry, I'm laughing so hard. A freind of mine was out of town when Hurricane Donna was approaching. So he called his dad and told him to put some water in his boat so it wouldn't blow away. Well, good ol' Dad went out and filled the boat to the brim. Cracked the hull and bent the trailer!! And destroyed the Unicharger junction box in the boat.

Worst part was the hurricane wasn't all that bad.

 

[JCF350]

Re: How To Prep Boat for Hurricane?

Set all boats on the ground, block the Stamas level, install as much water as possible in all boats, surround boats with equipment, Load up motorhome and leave.

 

[T-Topless]

Re: How To Prep Boat for Hurricane?

Hurricanes are one of the reasons I invented the T-Topless for my 18' center console. I wanted a T-Top, but Charleston, SC gets hurricanes from time to time (Hugo, Floyd, Charlie), so I (a Mechanical Engineer) designed a T-Top that would fold down to fit in the garage. I didn't want to drills holes in the floor, and also wanted to be able to remove it quickly for winter fishing, so I made it to clamp on the boat's windshield grab bars, and rotate forward below windshield height to fit in the garage by pulling 2 quick release pins.

My 18' boat fits in the garage at an angle after I cut 6" off the tongue, but then I discovered the Fulton folding trailer tongue, that would have been even better (you pull a pin and rotate the tongue back 12-18").

Anyway - everyone who saw the top loved it, and we started a business manufacturing these tops. I can't advertise here, but it does keep my boat safely in the garage (insured by homeowners) while we leave (Cat 3 or better) town.

 

[baconbiscut]

Re: How To Prep Boat for Hurricane?

Our boat is lift kept on the St.Johns River so when the big wind blows a 25ft cruiser in a little boat house swinging around can really do some damage. So we get out the canoe and take the boat 200yrds off shore and do a three anchor set up and hope the boat doesn't go anywhere when things get choppy then we paddle back to shore and wait out the storm or leave town.

Dan

 

[marine4003]

Re: How To Prep Boat for Hurricane?

Plugging the drain hole's and filling with water is a really BAD idea,water weighs 8lbs per gallon,figure with a 17' boat with 4' of actual depth and adding 2-3 feet of water, so what you have is 1526 gallons based on a boat with a 4' beam at 17' length,and adding 3' of water.Or lets even say 2' of water...still 8K of weight Bad for the trailer..Bad for the boat,Insure it for replacement value,tie it down as best as you can..and leave town.