toneeees
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Preparing Your Boat for a Hurricane
You've heard it before; "Money doesn't grow on trees!" Neither should boats! Without a proper strategy of preparing for this season's hurricanes, your boat could quickly end up in one though. For boaters who live in the southeastern U.S., hurricane season can be unsettling and at times, downright stressful. The Insurance Information Institute reports that over 75,000 boats and yachts (roughly $2 billion) were destroyed in 2006' Hurricane Katrina and another 65,000 boats demolished by Hurricane Sandy. The numbers tell a chilling story about the power of weather. So how does one protect their investment from mother nature's often wrathful behavior? Simple. Take the time to prepare. It's crucial to identify a plan that works best for your situation. Let's take a look at several different generic situations.[/FONT]
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Is your boat on a lift?
This is an undesirable situation but your chances of success can be maximized by making sure that all tackle and gear is removed. Check that all hatches and windows are tightly sealed and leak-free. Consider enhancing this measure with duct tape or other impermeable adhesive. The boat should also be secured tightly to the lift itself or surrounding trees, dock, or other structures such that the boat is not able to swing about on the lift causing undue stress to the dock or lift. You may also want to contact them to find out the storm policy and best practice for approaching storms. Depending on the weight of the vessel you could consider leaving the drain plug in and adding water to the bilge. It is not recommended to leave a boat on davits or on a hydro-lift.[/FONT]
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Do you have a larger, non-trailerable boat?
If possible, the boat should be hauled out of the water and placed into dry storage. If this isn't possible, the boat should be situated in a leeward area (where wind and wave will be kept at a minimum). Lines should be doubled and elevated to allow for storm surge activity. The same principle for hatches and gear applies. Batteries should be topped off to ensure that power to bilge pumps is maintained throughout the duration of the storm, and however long it takes for you to gain access to your boat once it [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]passes.[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]I[/FONT]s your boat trailerable?
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Ideally, the boat should be parked in a garage or other protective structure. If this is not possible, find a reasonably protected area, ensure that the boat is firmly attached to the trailer, and anchor the trailer to the ground if possible. You may also want to let some air out of [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]the tires and block in the wheels. For larger boats, make sure [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]drains are clear and plugs are pulled to prevent the build-up of water; on smaller boats, you may want to leave the drain plug in to add additional weight to the boat.[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]In all of these situations, you'll want to contact your insurance company and verify that your policy is up-to-date and find out what you will you need to submit a claim. These are just a few basic suggestions to keep in mind when preparing for the onslaught of a dangerous weather system. Although Mother Nature is unpredictable, with just a little preparation, you, your family, and your boat can weather the storm safely![/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]As the leading provider of watercraft history reports, BoatHistoryReport.com helps boat buyers make better used watercraft purchase decisions by putting all available information at your fingertips.[/FONT]
Preparing Your Boat for a Hurricane You've heard it before; "Money doesn't grow on trees!" Neither should boats! Without a proper strategy of preparing for this season's hurricanes, your boat could quickly end up in one though. For boaters who live in the southeastern U.S., hurricane season can be unsettling and at times, downright stressful. The Insurance Information Institute reports that over 75,000 boats and yachts (roughly $2 billion) were destroyed in 2006' Hurricane Katrina and another 65,000 boats demolished by Hurricane Sandy. The numbers tell a chilling story about the power of weather. So how does one protect their investment from mother nature's often wrathful behavior? Simple. Take the time to prepare. It's crucial to identify a plan that works best for your situation. Let's take a look at several different generic situations.[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]
Is your boat on a lift? This is an undesirable situation but your chances of success can be maximized by making sure that all tackle and gear is removed. Check that all hatches and windows are tightly sealed and leak-free. Consider enhancing this measure with duct tape or other impermeable adhesive. The boat should also be secured tightly to the lift itself or surrounding trees, dock, or other structures such that the boat is not able to swing about on the lift causing undue stress to the dock or lift. You may also want to contact them to find out the storm policy and best practice for approaching storms. Depending on the weight of the vessel you could consider leaving the drain plug in and adding water to the bilge. It is not recommended to leave a boat on davits or on a hydro-lift.[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]
Do you have a larger, non-trailerable boat? If possible, the boat should be hauled out of the water and placed into dry storage. If this isn't possible, the boat should be situated in a leeward area (where wind and wave will be kept at a minimum). Lines should be doubled and elevated to allow for storm surge activity. The same principle for hatches and gear applies. Batteries should be topped off to ensure that power to bilge pumps is maintained throughout the duration of the storm, and however long it takes for you to gain access to your boat once it [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]passes.[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]I[/FONT]s your boat trailerable? [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]Ideally, the boat should be parked in a garage or other protective structure. If this is not possible, find a reasonably protected area, ensure that the boat is firmly attached to the trailer, and anchor the trailer to the ground if possible. You may also want to let some air out of [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]the tires and block in the wheels. For larger boats, make sure [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]drains are clear and plugs are pulled to prevent the build-up of water; on smaller boats, you may want to leave the drain plug in to add additional weight to the boat.[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]In all of these situations, you'll want to contact your insurance company and verify that your policy is up-to-date and find out what you will you need to submit a claim. These are just a few basic suggestions to keep in mind when preparing for the onslaught of a dangerous weather system. Although Mother Nature is unpredictable, with just a little preparation, you, your family, and your boat can weather the storm safely![/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Lucida Grande, Arial, sans-serif]As the leading provider of watercraft history reports, BoatHistoryReport.com helps boat buyers make better used watercraft purchase decisions by putting all available information at your fingertips.[/FONT]