Hurricane season to start- How to keep your boat in place

by BoatUS on 28 May 2014 In the weeks after Superstorm Sandy struck Staten Island’s Great Kills Harbor, orphaned boats littering city streets blocked traffic and interfered with access by emergency vehicles, and sailboat masts snagged in overhead wires delayed the return of much-needed electrical power. Keeping boats contained while Sandy lasted would have facilitated recovery efforts on every front.

'The more boats you have in the way of recovery or needing salvage after a hurricane, the longer the delay in returning to normal,' said BoatUS Vice President Public Affairs Scott Croft.

With the Atlantic Hurricane season starting Sunday, June 1, BoatUS offers boat owners, public and private marina operators, boat club and community resiliency managers free information on preparing boats, marinas and boat clubs at the online BoatUS Hurricane Tracking and Resource Center (BoatUS.com/hurricanes). Included are:

1. The easy-to-download, print, post and share BoatUS Tips for Protecting Boats in Hurricanes click here) is a basic two-page primer on hurricane prep for all boaters in a hurricane state.

2. Boater’s Guide to Preparing Boats and Marinas for Hurricanes click here) is the boaters guide on Hurricane prep 101, and has more details on protecting your boat and a marina.

3. What Works: A Guide to Preparing Marinas, Yacht Clubs and Boats for Hurricanes click here) is a helpful resource for community resiliency managers, local government, marina and boat club staff that focuses on facilities.

Local emergency managers, marina or club fleet operators can also download a sampling of marina hurricane preparation plans to see how their local marinas compare, learn about the value of strapping down boats stored ashore, and view features on why some marinas fare better than others.

When a storm approaches, www.BoatUS.com/hurricanes also has up-to-the-minute storm tracking tools with live satellite images, as well as checklists for what to do before and after a hurricane strikes.

Much of the information provided comes from BoatUS and its Marine Insurance Catastrophe (CAT) Team, a national leader in hurricane preparedness that has over 30 years of storm salvage experience. Go to www.BoatUS.com/hurricanes for more.