Securing a boat on a trailer during a hurricane

[kahuna123]

Re: Securing a boat on a trailer during a hurricane

I was talking about an outboard. An I/O in Florida you should let fill up with water

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Securing a boat on a trailer during a hurricane

mnypuit you are right and so am I--it depends on the boat and any natural drains. (I said "But be careful not to overfill (or let the rain overfill) and flood your oil tank, battery, etc."). A boat with a self-bailing deck, or low transom and out board, or no battery, etc., is not the same as a I/O bowrider with no outlets. I have a boat that does not self-bail, and it filled with water (plug accidentally left in+storm+remote location) and it filled with water, tipped up, and the oil tank (VRO) was flooded. Good thing I checked the oil tank.

On my self bailing boat, however, I could fill the bilge and the deck will drain, no harm to anything. But instead I think I'll fill my gas tank, live well and 2 lockers (plug the drains).

Like everything about boats but one, there are no rules or advice that fits everyone.

I know it wasnt you that suggested it, but I am thinking that putting water in a boat that could potentially get filled with rain water, then disconnecting the bilge pump is a very bad idea. Last hurricane that swept up beside us dumped so much rain that leaves plugged up my drain and the water was just about over the heads on the engine. And that was without me helping it along by putting water in it myself. Yes its covered, but so was that one. The wind blew a part of the cover off and it filled right up. This was also after the battery went dead from the bilge pump running non stop. If that had not been working at least part of the time I would have had water in the carb etc. It was bad enough having a submerged starter. Luckily once dried out it worked fine.

So NO I wont be deliberately putting water in my bilge, then disconnecting my bilge pump.

 

[BTMCB]

Re: Securing a boat on a trailer during a hurricane

Don't have much to offer in the way of advice. But, wanted to wish EVERYONE that could / might be affected by the storm the very best and to let you guys know - all of west coast boaters sincerely hope NO ONE sustains any harm to their boat, home or FAMILY.

Take care guys and GOOD LUCK!

 

[mnypitboat]

Re: Securing a boat on a trailer during a hurricane

mnypuit you are right and so am I--it depends on the boat and any natural drains. (I said "But be careful not to overfill (or let the rain overfill) and flood your oil tank, battery, etc."). A boat with a self-bailing deck, or low transom and out board, or no battery, etc., is not the same as a I/O bowrider with no outlets. I have a boat that does not self-bail, and it filled with water (plug accidentally left in+storm+remote location) and it filled with water, tipped up, and the oil tank (VRO) was flooded. Good thing I checked the oil tank.

On my self bailing boat, however, I could fill the bilge and the deck will drain, no harm to anything. But instead I think I'll fill my gas tank, live well and 2 lockers (plug the drains).

Like everything about boats but one, there are no rules or advice that fits everyone.

Yeah, but I thought we were talking about my boat, since I posted the origional question.

 

[retiredfornow]

Re: Securing a boat on a trailer during a hurricane

How about leaving the boat trailer attached to the truck? I have a 17' flats with a 60hp, and I was gonna leave it hooked up to my Ford dually, maybe get some mobile home screw anchors for the trailer.
Maybe mnypitboat over in Deland can catch it when it flies past. LOL
Looks like it is going farther east today, lets hope so. Good Luck.

 

[mnypitboat]

Re: Securing a boat on a trailer during a hurricane

How about leaving the boat trailer attached to the truck? I have a 17' flats with a 60hp, and I was gonna leave it hooked up to my Ford dually, maybe get some mobile home screw anchors for the trailer.
Maybe mnypitboat over in Deland can catch it when it flies past. LOL
Looks like it is going farther east today, lets hope so. Good Luck.

Nah, gonna keep my cars and trucks in the garage. No sense putting more crap out there to get damaged. LOL. Or blow away.

 

[jayhanig]

Re: Securing a boat on a trailer during a hurricane

Thanks for that link Kev. Some good advise there. I'm a little farther up the coast, just south of Charleston, so I'm watching this one close. If it gets down to it, I'm going inland. I'll hook up the Starcraft behind my truck, put two kayaks on top, two kayaks on my wife's CRV and the trailer with two canoes. That takes care of most of the fleet. Guitars and computer in the cab, probably the electric piano in the bed, and the chainsaws in case we have to cut our way back in. Then it's 4 weenie dogs, a beagle and a one eyed cat. What a motley crew. I sure hope this on misses us.

You and me both, brother. You and me both...

I'm a little further up the coast and am definitely in the danger zone from what I've been seeing. Although my house is built on stilts, as most island houses are since Bertha, I have to worry about flooding in the garage/workshop. I just rented a 10X20 storage space on the mainland for me to move my woodworking tools to since I'm fairly sure they can't swim. Me typing this right now is avoidance behavior because the thoughts of moving all of those big tools gives me pain.

 

[retiredfornow]

Re: Securing a boat on a trailer during a hurricane

jayhanig, looks like it's headed straight for you. Been turning east, hope it goes waaaaaay east. Good luck!

 

[nikon]

Re: Securing a boat on a trailer during a hurricane

Looks like it's turning away from us.

Last hurricane though we left it hooked up to the truck and parked it as close as possible to the house (garage was already full). Put a cheap vinyl cover from costco on it and let her be. It did just fine.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Securing a boat on a trailer during a hurricane

I think it's going to be right serious here, too. Today's earthquake and the on-going forest fire are nothing.

Here's my yard, pier and boat during a northeaster tide. When the hurricane wind comes at us, it's a little dicey!

 

[roscoe]

Re: Securing a boat on a trailer during a hurricane

Get a few land anchors and screw them into the ground.
You can get them up to 4' long, and 6" in diameter, for about $12.

Strap the trailer to them.

 

[mnypitboat]

Re: Securing a boat on a trailer during a hurricane

Looks like its gonna miss us. At least the major portion anyway. We will feel some residuals, but I think we will be fine. Now its looking like you folks up in the Cape Fear, Hattaras area and northern seaboard are gonna get nailed. Lets hope it keeps going east and dies out. From what I heard today the conditions are perfect for a northeastern seaboard hit though.

 

[jimbo_jwc]

Re: Securing a boat on a trailer during a hurricane

Long anchor line tied to tree low, phone pole backed far to tight , hope trailer stay tight to boat . Full supplies in case you need boat to get out if staying tight , john boat tied to big boat .

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: Securing a boat on a trailer during a hurricane

Don't have much to offer in the way of advice. But, wanted to wish EVERYONE that could / might be affected by the storm the very best and to let you guys know - all of west coast boaters sincerely hope NO ONE sustains any harm to their boat, home or FAMILY.

Take care guys and GOOD LUCK!

As a SoCal boy transplanted to the far East Coast..Thanks man!

 

[jdlough]

Re: Securing a boat on a trailer during a hurricane

Not to hijack this thread at all, but my boats are on lifts, on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, about 1/3 up into the Chesapeake Bay. The 21' Seaswirl Striper is probably OK, but the 16' WAHOO! Boston Whaler clone is a bit light. I may strap it to the lift.

Of course I just realized I didn't get around to extending my boat insurance this year. DOH!

 

[KDAVID1]

Re: Securing a boat on a trailer during a hurricane

Thanks for that link Kev. Some good advise there. I'm a little farther up the coast, just south of Charleston, so I'm watching this one close. If it gets down to it, I'm going inland. I'll hook up the Starcraft behind my truck, put two kayaks on top, two kayaks on my wife's CRV and the trailer with two canoes. That takes care of most of the fleet. Guitars and computer in the cab, probably the electric piano in the bed, and the chainsaws in case we have to cut our way back in. Then it's 4 weenie dogs, a beagle and a one eyed cat. What a motley crew. I sure hope this on misses us.

Love those weenie dogs--we have two. They love the water. Goodluck--sounds like you have a good plan.

 

[mnypitboat]

Re: Securing a boat on a trailer during a hurricane

Not to hijack this thread at all, but my boats are on lifts, in Maryland, Nanticoke, about 1/3 up into the Chesapeake Bay. The 21' Seaswirl Striper is probably OK, but the 16' WAHOO! Boston Whaler clone is a bit light. I may strap it to the lift.

Of course I just realized I didn't get around to extending my boat insurance this year. DOH!

Everyone I talked to and all that I have read, a lift is the absolutely worst place for a boat in a hurricane. Check out the Boat US site on securing a boat for a hurricane. http://www.boatus.com/hurricanes/HurricaneWarning.pdf

 

[seaboo]

Re: Securing a boat on a trailer during a hurricane

My friends (on the Outer Banks), secure their boat with mobile home anchors, straps run over the boat, and park tight with their storage building. So far they haven't had a problem (but if a BIG hurricane is predicted they do relocate it to the mainland.

 

[sublauxation]

Re: Securing a boat on a trailer during a hurricane

A couple people have mentioned leaving the trailer hooked to the truck. My uncle had his trailer/boat blown off the truck in a set of nasty straighline winds.

 

[americaneagler77]

Re: Securing a boat on a trailer during a hurricane

i just looked at the forecast and theyre showing a cat one hurricane over ny sunday night! what the! lol im inland too!!!! how should i secure my boat? are you kidding me? cat one over albany ny? whats next an earthquake? oh yeah that was yesterday....hello 2012