RYC Seminar on Storm Preparation

 

Hurricane Preparation while on the mooring            5-23-04

 

1.     In a heavy storm, there is no safer place to be than on the hard!  Check with your insurance carrier if your policy has a provision for emergency hauling.

 

2.     Carefully inspect pennants for wear and any sign of chafe.  Replace if any wear is noticed.  Carefully inspect your chafe gear.  Make sure that that your cleats are smooth and that there are no rough edges anywhere on your bow that can saw through your lines.  Especially check around any metal plates on your bow for raised edges. If you find any, file them down.

 

3.     Remove any bow-hung anchors.

 

4.     If your boat has a Bob-stay, insure that it is covered or that your chafe gear will survive rubbing against it (it won’t!) so make sure it has a cover.

 

5.     Add extra pennants or run chain to the boat as a back up.  Make sure that you add extra scope. Extra pennants should be of at least 1” diameter and can be either Nylon or Dacron.  If less than 1”, make sure they are Dacron.  If using non-chain safety pennants, make sure they have floatation so as to not snag on your mooring ball, if you use one.

 

6.     Consider devising a bridal that reaches back to your primary winches or mast to attach safety pennants. INSURE GOOD CHAFE PROTECTION FOR SAFETY PENNANTS!

 

7.     Strip all canvas from your boat.  Bring below anything that may add windage.  In force 8-9 storms (Gales: winds 34-47 kts.) you may leave sails on, however, make sure that you have a tie around any furling gear and tie down mainsail covers. In force 10-11 (Storms and Violent Storms: winds 48-63 kts.) It is suggested that you remove sails.  Above force 12 (Hurricane: +64 kts.) take down sails and anything on deck that is not screwed down.  Consider removing masthead instruments. Remove any instruments that are removable and that will not leave a hole (radar, radios, etc.).

 

8.     Inspect your rigging.  Insure that you have no slack halyards and that all lines are secure.

 

9.     Hire a diver to insure that you are not wrapped and that your full scope is available.

 

10. Inside your vessel, make sure that all through hulls are closed.

 

11. Make sure all hatches are closed securely and that all articles aboard are stowed and will not come free due to severe wave action.

 

12. Make sure that your battery is fully charged and that your bilge is in working order.

 

13. Make sure your boat combination is on file with the club.

 

14. Make sure that if you are away, you leave a contact number for someone who can be contacted and can be responsible for your boat and make decisions in case of emergency.