Hurricane Prep, Florida Members

[glennd3]

Do we have any members in the projected path? What are you doing to prepare and let us know how it works out.

[britinusa]

We plan several stages:
Stage 1: 4 days till expected storm arrival.
Strip the boat but leave the sails on.

• Remove Dink
• Remove Outboard
• Remove Honda 2000
• Remove Lifesling II
• Double up lines & Apply Chafe covers at cleats
• Remove any gear on deck (canvas covers, deck brush, Boat Hook, Spare lines
• Make sure jib is very tightly wound and wrap against the grain with the spin halyard.
• Remove & Stow Shore Power Cable
• Chekc the bilge (We do that every time we go down to the boat even though we have a Dry Bilge System
• Make sure all sea cocks are closed (we do that every time that we come back to the dock) OCD
• Make sure batteries are topped up & fully charged they always are but still check.

We did that yesterday - brought the dink and outboard home (time for a service)

Step 2: Two or Three days before storm (gut feeling based on predictions)
Full prep:

• Remove Jib & Stow in bag
• Remove Main & Stow in bag
• Remove Sail Cradle & Lazy Jack lines
• Remove Dodger & Secure Dodger Frame
• All lines doubled with Chafe guards
• Lines from Bow and Stern Port Side Cleats to reach across the canal
• (Take line from neighbor across canal to astern dock cleat
• Lash boom to winches each side
• Make sure all sea cocks are closed (we do that every time that we come back to the dock) OCD
• Make sure batteries are topped up & fully charged

The canal runs West - East and has houses on both sides, winds typically come from the East but all around during storms (the last one was an example where it came from the SE - a piece of wood garbage blew over the top of the next door house and hit our mast head wireless wind transponder)

We do not put out any fenders, the chance is slim to none that a breakaway boat would hit us where ever we place a fender, and our dock dolphin pilings have fixed fender front protection.

The canal where we keep Eximius, is about 50' wide, so I just toss the lines to the neighbor on his dock and he tosses his our way.

By the time our tie up is complete, we have 2 lines aft stbd, 2 lines fwd stbd, 1 line aft port to the dock wall cleat, 1 line fwd port to dock wall cleat, 1 line from aft port cleat to far side canal cleat and 1 line from fwd port to far side canal cleat. Fore & Aft spring lines on Stbd side and Whips on bow and stern.

Our 'Dock Lord' and across the canal neighbor keep an eye on the boat for us, they even take videos.

Our biggest concern is that the boat astern (West) of us breaks free with the wind coming from the West, so the line across the canal astern of us is nothing more than a prayer, it's a big boat and not in great condition - owner is out of town, he's selling the boat - any takers?

Paul