Preparing Your Boat For A Hurricane

							Title:
Preparing Your Boat For A Hurricane

Word Count:
434

Summary:
Every marina has different rules fo
r what must be done by boat owners
in the face of an approaching hurri
cane. In the wake of Katrina and Wi
lma, states are beginning to pass l
aws requiring boat owners to prepar
e their boats in certain ways. In l
ight of all this information, some
of it conflicting, what are the mos
t important things a boat owner mus
t know to protect themselves and th
eir boat during a hurricane?

There are two basic rules that most
 experts agree offer the mos...


Keywords:
Boat, boating, hurricane, minimize d
amage


Article Body:
Every marina has different rules fo
r what must be done by boat owners
in the face of an approaching hurri
cane. In the wake of Katrina and Wi
lma, states are beginning to pass l
aws requiring boat owners to prepar
e their boats in certain ways. In l
ight of all this information, some
of it conflicting, what are the mos
t important things a boat owner mus
t know to protect themselves and th
eir boat during a hurricane?

There are two basic rules that most
 experts agree offer the most impor
tant advice. First, plan ahead for
what you will do when a hurricane a
pproaches. That means checking your
 contract with your marina to see w
hat they require and checking with
your state for any additional regul
ations. You should also check with
your boat insurance company to see
if they have regulations that may a
ffect your coverage. Conduct a dry
run during the off-season to be sur
e you fully understand how much tim
e is necessary to move or prepare y
our boat.

Second, under no circumstances is i
t safe to attempt to ride out a hur
ricane in your boat. There is a per
sistent myth that being on a boat i
n open water is safer than being on
 land during a hurricane, but the f
acts do not bear it out. Hurricane
winds and tides can carry boats far
 inland or even sink them. Your boa
t is not worth risking your life.

Moving your boat is always the best
 way to prevent damage if at all po
ssible. However, this requires arra
nging for inland storage space well
 ahead of time. Also, many boat own
ers are not aware that drawbridges
are often locked down before a hurr
icane to facilitate the evacuation
of people from low-lying areas. Thi
s increases the importance of movin
g your boat as soon as a hurricane
watch is issued for your area.

Some areas have flotilla plans in p
lace in order to move the maximum n
umber of boats in the shortest time
. Your local emergency management o
ffice will issue flotilla informati
on in advance of a hurricane. If yo
u are planning on joining a flotill
a, be sure that your boat is proper
ly maintained and fueled.
If moving your boat is not a possib
ility there are some simple things
you can do to minimize damage. Remo
ve all portable items from your boa
t such as electronics, antennas, di
nghies, sun shades, oars or any oth
er item that may blow around and ca
use damage. Be sure that any remain
ing items are securely lashed down.
 Obtain rope and other supplies to
secure your boat well in advance as
 these items may be in short supply
 before a storm.