GUIDE FOR PREPARING MARINAS FOR HURRICANES

"One mistake that any responsible marina owner would never make twice is to wait
until a hurricane warning is posted to think about hurricane preparations. An
extraordinary amount of work has to be done in a short time, perhaps only a few
hours, and important decisions have to be made months in advance. Where will boats
be stored? If boats are going to be stored ashore, which boats will be pulled first? What arrangements have been made with the owners?" (BoatUS)

Following are suggestions to assist you in your marina preparations -

 1) Start preparations early. At the beginning of the boating season, begin formulating your plans to include marina staff and boat owners. Marina staff should be trained in specific duties at the time of the first warning to post-hurricane clean up. Boat owners should be informed of their options prior to, during and post hurricane alert. Absentee boat owners should have an alternate to handle these tasks.

2) Storing boats on land. "A study at MIT found that boats stored ashore were far less likely to have been wrecked than boats stored in the water,...". Boats should be stored gunnel-to-gunnel well above anticipated surge level, using boat stands and, when possible, strapping down to "eyes" cemented in concrete. If your marina lies at sea level or below, you should consider making arrangements with a marina nearby that is located on higher ground. In some areas prone to frequent hurricane watches, municipal property may be used for boat storage, but it is wise to clarify this early in the season.

3) Storing boats in the water. Using a snug harbor for securing a boat in the water is the first consideration. The BoatUS website ( www.boatus.com ) has helpful illustrations on properly storing a boat to a fixed or floating dock, in hurricane holes (canals, rivers or waterways), or at mooring or anchor.

4) Least approved boat storage options. Boat davits or lifts and high-stack boat storage are the least recommended methods of boat storage during a hurricane. If possible, you should consider making other arrangements. In the case of high-stack boat storage, there are some units, which have been rated to withstand hurricane-force winds.

5) Assessing damage after the storm. Marina operators and staff should be previously trained on the duties required after the storm and when the authorities allow access to the property. Boat owners should be prepared to inspect their vessel as soon as they are permitted access to the property. As a boat owner, be prepared to bring proper identification, proof of boat ownership (title, etc.), inventory list for boat, and cleaning supplies. After you have inspected boat for damage, you should contact your insurance company immediately.

This is a short list of some suggestions to help you "ride out the storm". By taking time to prepare in advance and to educate your boat owners, you may find the hurricane experience to be less stressful than it has been for marina operators in the past.

When preparing your marina, make sure you have enough boat stands available to handle all the boats stored on the hard. After you have done your inventory of stands on hand, please visit our Boat Stand page for information on ordering, sizes and prices of both powerboat stands and sailboat stands.