"hurricane hole"

[Michael Shaner]

So, for the past several years I've pondered what would I do if the "BIG ONE" came up the maw of Chesapeake. Cat 4 Hurricane Earl is knocking...and with any degree of luck, will turn to stbd soon. As I type, I'm waiting for the 2300 update from NOAA...

Storm surge is always the variable to contend with. Stingray Point is so close to sea level it is ridiculous. Most docks are not floating. I can envision me finding the boat with doubled dock lines firmly attached to each cleat...and four dock pilings dangling from a clove hitch on the other end of each line in the hardware store parking lot a mile west in town. The overblown trees (lots of 'em every storm) will knock over those who decided to be hauled to the hard like dominoes... 

The Bay is littered with what I would consider suitable "hurricane holes". Two big hooks and 20/1 scope...lots of room to swing...a safe dink escape route pre-storm...is this crazy?? I think she may be better off fending for herself...

[Stephen Butler]

Understand your concerns, having been through a half dozen hurricanes in Florida, including Wilma, which toppled our boat over, while on the hard.  Can only say the following based on talks with insurance agents and yard staff: 1) statistically, boats on the hard do much better than those at a dock 2) boats on the hard do better with hold-down straps attached to "earth-anchors" than those without.  Also, boats with any type of breakwater (fence, building, trees, etc. between the vessel and the expected direction of the surge, do better.  A chain link fence saved our boat from being swept out to sea during Wilma. 3) boats at a dock (assuming a strong dock) do better than those anchored out.  Bottom line, if a hurricane does comes directly over you, it is almost a matter of chance if you will escape unharmed. A final word of advice...get off the boat.  The statistics for owners surviving riding out a hurricane while on board are terrible.  Hope this is of help, but again, know your concern.

[Terry Forshier]

I agree. Think it through, all the things you need to do to get the boat secured then find a good spot, secure everything and LEAVE the boat. If you have ever been in or seen a real hurricane you wouold know that on the boat is not the place to be.
Terry in Naples Fl

[pablosgirl]

Hi Michael,

My two cents worth on hurricane preparedness after our boat survived Ike in Seabrook in 2008.  Stephen has given you very sound advise and is write on about everything he mentioned.  I would just like to add If you can't put the boat on the hard, move your boat to a marina with floating docks.  It can be expensive, but ultimately could be cheaper than having to deal with a boat total out.  If you do move to a floating dock, make sure that the pilings that secure the dock are tall and strong enough for the expected storm surge.  The pilings need to be deep in the seabed otherwise they will just be pushed over by the force of the tide and wind on the dock and attached boats.  Also, don't tie any lines to the pilings, just the floating dock structure. 

During Ike, the marinas here that had floating docks had boats with minor damage but for one that sank when the power went out.  It seems the boat had a leak prior to the storm and the bilge pump was keeping the boat afloat. After the batteries were drained to the point where the bilge pump would no longer run, the boat sank.

Our boat fared really well on fixed pilings, with doubled up dock lines and hurricane risers on the pilings in a well protected marina.  The boats on the edge of the marina that were adjacent to the open water received the most damage when the 12 foot storm surge exceeded the 5 foot high breakwater exposing the boats to the full force of wind and wave action from the storm.  I tied the first set of dock lines to the hurricane risers and the second was tied to the top of the pilings.  Leave enough slack in the lines to let the boat rise with the surge, but not enough to let it make contact with the adjacent boats.  Put out extra fenders and make sure the batteries are fully charged.  The power here was out for 7 days and we could not get into the marina for 4 days after the storm.  Remove all sails and canvas (bimini, dodger, etc. ) to reduce windage.  I even removed the boom to further reduce wind force on the boat.  There were a lot of roller furling jibs damaged or lost to the storm because the owners failed to remove them.  I had a friend whose boat was damaged by the boat that was in the slip next to his because the other boat's roller furling jib came open in the storm and drove that boat into my friends.  After the storm, my friend asked the boat owner why he did not remove the jib.  He replied that the sail was old and he wanted a new on and said the insurance would cover it.  My friend told his insurance company this and my friends insurance company went after the other boat owner to recover most of the repair cost to my friends boat.  Something to think about.  A lot of boats were damaged or lost due to failed dock lines.  Some owners did not come down and even adjust/replace/add dock lines.  Just left the boat to the storm.  I feel your apprehension, we have sat up many nights watching the weather wondering if the BIG one was going to make land fall near us (Katrina, Rita, Ike.....)  you just don't know until the last minuet.  All you can do is prepare the boat and house the best you can and move to higher ground.  I hope this helps.  Paul in Seabrook, Texas

[Stephen Butler]

Should have added to our earlier posting that we remove everything possible from the deck, including all sails, canvas, dodger, etc.  Calculated the force from rain moving at 100 + mph on one square foot of surfaced and the number was BIG.   However, we have not removed the boom, at least as yet.

[Stu Jackson]

BoatUS is an invaluable resource.


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