How do you protect your boats from storm damage?

GatorMike · Sep 3, 2004

Prepairing for Francis, just wondering how you guys protect your boats. I have 2, my 19 foot Welcraft will be hooked to my F150 so if I lose 1 I lose both. My 20 foot proline will be parked under an oak tree, would love to collect insurance money on a boat I am about to sell anyway. Will be putting the plug in both and adding a couple of hurdred galons of water to each to weight them down. Any other suggestions?

cuzner · Sep 3, 2004

Re: How do you protect your boats from storm damage?

Hey Gator good luck getting through frances... as for the other I think your about to take some heat about the insurance issue. Jim

Solittle · Sep 3, 2004

Re: How do you protect your boats from storm damage?

Not sure I would park either of mine under a tree - lessin my insurance was paid in full & I was plannin on sellin anyway. For grins - Six weeks before Andrew ripped through our neighborhood I sold our 27 1/2 flybridge (sittin on a triple axle trailer). Wished I'd kept it & contributed to the Andrew losses.

aspeck · Sep 3, 2004

Re: How do you protect your boats from storm damage?

Park 'em next to a wall on the leward side, so air will have a harder time getting under them. As you said, put the plug in and add water for weight. If you have a place where you can strap it to the ground, that is even better. Good luck! You Floridians are in my thoughts and prayers.

Stumpknocker · Sep 3, 2004

Re: How do you protect your boats from storm damage?

Well, I took mine and parked it in a steel building. Sorta cheating. Have about 12 other boats out back and when Charlie came not one boat was bothered other than a 21 footer having the cover ripped up a little. One 30 travel trailer was turned over.... so all of us boaters were very happy that we suffered zip. One of the boats is a 28 foot Sea Ray and it was sitting up pretty high on a triple axle trailer. We watched it closely... it never seemed to move at all. Its the biggest one out there. 32 feet with the diver platform. If Francis were to get really ugly on the way up here... we could park a few of them between the steel buildings as aspeck mentioned.

GatorMike · Sep 3, 2004

Re: How do you protect your boats from storm damage?

Gil you must live near Orlando if Charley got you and Frances is headding your way. If so and you have any post storm problems post them here. I work for Orange County Government and may be able to help. I don't have a lot of pull but was able to get some friends some help after Charley.

f_inscreenname · Sep 4, 2004

Re: How do you protect your boats from storm damage?

Do not leave the drain plug in. With it in, 5 to 10 inches of rain and you will have the coolest looking (full) fiberglass bathtub on wheels in the state.

Terry H · Sep 4, 2004

Re: How do you protect your boats from storm damage?

I've seen a boatful of water flatten a trailer...good luck down there

Solittle · Sep 4, 2004

Re: How do you protect your boats from storm damage?

f_in - The reason for havin the drain plug in is to keep some water in the boat to hold it down. Hurricanes have a way of wanting to pick things up and slam them around a bit. I have my 12'er sitting on the ground alongside the house with about 5" of water in it.

GatorMike · Sep 4, 2004

Re: How do you protect your boats from storm damage?

Both of my trailers will handle an extra 1500 lbs or so. Notice I said a couple hundred galons, if we get 10 or 20 inches of rain you had better believe I will drain a little water out. We got gusts over 100mph 3 weeks ago with Charley, it isn't looking right now that wind is going to be our problem anymore but better safe than sorry. If that storm is comming this way I wish it would bring it on and get it over with.

DustyJacket · Sep 5, 2004

Re: How do you protect your boats from storm damage?

Keep the boats in some state other than Florida. That'll keep them safer.

GatorMike · Sep 6, 2004

Re: How do you protect your boats from storm damage?

Well I can't keep them in California because they aren't earthquake proof, can't keep them in the mid west because they aren't tornado proof, can't keep them in the mountain states because they aren't flash flood proof, the other gulf and atlantic states also have hurricanes. Now I've narrowed it down to states I wouldn't want to live in anyway. Seriously though we came out ok. A lot of wind and rain only a few limbs on the ground and a few shingles missing off the roof. Just 2 days without power this time. It sounds funny to say but I think Charley helped our area by thining out the weak trees and teaching the whole area how to prepair. Frances was scary but most anything that survived Charley came through Frances too. Bring on Ivan.....no please don't, we've had enough.

Stumpknocker · Sep 6, 2004

Re: How do you protect your boats from storm damage?

Well, Francis turn out to be less than expected. No boat damage at all here. Thanks for the offer GatorMike, but we are in NE Polk county here. Looking for Ivan now. Should threaten Florida by Friday if it holds true. Last report anyway. Leaving most of the boarding up til we know one way or the other. We actually did not lose power this time. Amazing!

How do you protect your boats from storm damage?

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