Hurricane Season

In case you hadn't noticed this is Hurricane season. You'd have to be a troll living under a bridge not to have noticed. Not enough has been said about boats and 'canes so here we go!

Everything associated with a hurricane is bad for boats. Extreme high and low water, 150 mile an hour wind and tornadoes are all bad for everyone but especially boats. That said; lets see what a boat owner can do to prevent the loss of his boat.

Between 1970 and 2003 our pleasant beach community experienced several 'blows' that had everyone talking about the 'No-Name Storm' or tropical storm Keith, which was really a minimal hurricane but who's to argue.

Popular precautions of that era for hurricanes consisted of pulling your boat out of the water on a trailer or forklift or travel lift and getting her out of harms way. Or running the larger vessels up the river to a sheltered oxbow preferably east of Franklin Lock.

The canal system was also a popular hiding spot and many of us moved our boats into the middle of the canal and cross tied from shore to shore with over sized anchors bow and stern.

There weren't nearly as many boat lifts in the early part of that period so no one worried much about them. I personally think they should be outlawed but what would you expect from somebody who manufactures bottom paint. Sadly, today they seem to be in the majority and there are as many opinions as there are styles.

Since I'm no expert I refer you to the Boat U.S. Website where you can get a expert opinion, They've paid a lot of hurricane claims and they know what is right and wrong. Sadly, there isn't much you can do against a storm like Ivan except not be there when it hits.

Many members of the “Dead End Canal Yacht Club” live across from each other and are perfectly willing to allow cross tying in the canal just before the storm hits. Once all the free floating vessels are secured in that way no one is leaving or should I say, should leave the canal. Panic does strange things to people!

Securing your vessel in it's own slip might be the best thing available because there aren't any hurricane holes up the river anymore. Glades boat storage is full of boats hiding from 'canes already.

Cross tie your boat in the slip and then use spring lines to prevent it from going to far forward or aft. Have your doubled lines as loose as possible because 'canes bring high water as well as low water. Remove all canvas and sails, cover all ports and windows, tape over areas where potential blow-by water can enter and last but not least, leave the area with your insurance papers in hand.

For boats on lifts they should follow all the above but I would raise the lift up as high as possible, tie the boat to the lift and tie the lift the dock and land. If you need to be told to remove the drain plugs then you're pretty much screwed because you won't do any of the other stuff either.

Boats on trailers should be taken east of I-75 several days before the storm hits or tie it to a tree, place ground anchors around and leave. I don't think they'll let you trailer your boat out during a mandatory evacuation. The nice policeman may insist you leave it on the side of the road because it's about getting people out!

If your boat is in a marina and you live in Boise then you will receive a whopper of a bill for properly securing your vessel. Someone has to do it to protect yours and other boats and the marina.

Buy extra line and chain, line snubbers, chafe tape or better plastic line guards and check all your bilge pumps NOW! West Marine will be picked clean 12 hours before landfall. And leave as soon as you can because if a Category 3 to 5 storm hits here directly there is nothing you can do but maybe die!

The last landfalling hurricane Fort Myers Beach had was Donna but there weren't that many people here then and the damage was minimal as far as dollars went. Getting off the beach was over a inconvenient swing bridge but the locals were savvy and most left. The ones that didn't wish they had when the Gulf rose up and washed over the sand.

In the mean time, after you've prepared, you should watch the Dining Out SWFL television show on Comcast Cable channel 35 at 8 pm Tuesdays and 5:30 Thursdays and buy ½ priced dining certificates to great local waterfront restaurants. Enjoy yourselves now at Parrot Key or Matanzas Inn or the Waterfront Restaurant or The Boathouse and have no worries, mate! Boat Safe!

This blog/column is meant for educational purposes only. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. Void where prohibited. Some assembly required. Do not read while operating a vehicle or heavy machinery. Keep sending those great questions and comments or I'm going to stop doing this, I'm not kidding! (Contact) DeadEndCanalYC@aol.com