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Old 24-05-2016, 13:32   #1
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Haul Out for Hurricane or Leave in Slip?

Here is the scenario. We are in Puerto Rico. New boat is coming in August/September. Boat is a new Leopard 44. We have narrowed our choice down to two marinas on the East coast of PR. Both marinas offer a hurricane haul out protection plan. You prepay approximately $3000 for this plan for the year and Basically it states that if there is a named storm we will get preferential treatment and get hauled out and tied down on a concrete foundation. If there's no named storm then we get a free haul out for maintenance at the end of the hurricane season. That is a lot of money and I don't want to be penny wise and pound foolish so it may be worth it since statistics show that boats tend to survive hurricanes better out of the water.
Having said that both of these marinas have concrete docks and pilings and basically concrete reinforced everything. The slip I have been assigned at both of these marinas are proximally 30 feet wide. My beam is only 24 feet. I'm thinking if I stay in the slip I'll have plenty of room to center the boat in the slip with nothing much else around me except for the concrete pilings and docks.
So the question is would you pay for the haul out program or just ride a potential hurricane out in the slip with adequate precautions taken with extra lines ,chafing gear etc. etc.?
Assume for the purposes of this discussion that I cannot take the boat somewhere else or to a hurricane hole etc. because schedules and time constraints would not allow me to have this as a reliable and consistent option. I can however reliably count on having an authorized representative from the marina secure the boat in the slip or have it hauled out , blocked and tied down if I'm not available.


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Old 24-05-2016, 13:45   #2
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Re: Haul Out for Hurricane or Leave in Slip?

I worry about the same thing. I'm not sure there is a right answer, but I did not hear in you pro/con a consideration of storm surge or damage from other boats. Think about that slip with the water level about eight feet higher, and think about loose boats or debris coming at you. I won't be able to leave my own boat in my own slip (in front of my house) in a Category III because the surge will be higher than my dock pilings. My dock is on a river where other boats could be driven into it, as well.
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Old 24-05-2016, 14:12   #3
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Re: Haul Out for Hurricane or Leave in Slip?

Any insurance consideration here? How much is the named storm deductible? Does your ins pay for some of a named storm haul? It's a brand new boat so I'd be tempted to go with the haul, especially if I wasn't"t planning to be there to ensure the prep was done properly.
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Old 24-05-2016, 14:17   #4
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Re: Haul Out for Hurricane or Leave in Slip?

Call your insurance company and talk to them. Ours is so serious about pulling out that they will pay for the haul out for a named storm, and reduce our named storm deductable by about 90% if we are hauled out.

In this case they may offer to chip in for the prepay option.
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Old 24-05-2016, 14:18   #5
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Re: Haul Out for Hurricane or Leave in Slip?

Panteneus. 1.5% deductible for hurricane
No reimbursement for haul out from ins company


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Old 24-05-2016, 14:19   #6
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Re: Haul Out for Hurricane or Leave in Slip?

No discount from Panteneus either for participating in haul out program


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Old 24-05-2016, 14:31   #7
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Re: Haul Out for Hurricane or Leave in Slip?

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Originally Posted by Stumble View Post
Call your insurance company and talk to them. Ours is so serious about pulling out that they will pay for the haul out for a named storm, and reduce our named storm deductable by about 90% if we are hauled out.

In this case they may offer to chip in for the prepay option.

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Old 24-05-2016, 18:37   #8
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Re: Haul Out for Hurricane or Leave in Slip?

I am with Gowrie but have a somewhat unique situation. We have eight boats insured on a single group plan so my direct knowledge of individual boat polices is a little sparse.
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Old 24-05-2016, 19:40   #9
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Re: Haul Out for Hurricane or Leave in Slip?

I keep my boat in the US and slip holders are first haul. In fact the Dock master said it was his decision I had no choice. If he felt the storm would be a problem, he would haul it. I was a little concerned at first but in 5 years he hauled twice. Both times I was unable to be there as I like to check thigs out if I can. But it was cheap insurance. He doesn't want anything left at the dock that could damage it.
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Old 24-05-2016, 21:27   #10
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Re: Haul Out for Hurricane or Leave in Slip?

I have never hauled out for hurricane season because I was never in the hemisphere affected by hurricanes/cyclones during hurricanes season.

That being said, I prepared by boat for emergency haul outs by crane for hurricanes/cyclones as we sailed around the world.

I had the factory install four chainplates and Wichard lifting D-rings that could be used to lift the boat out of the water anywhere in the world. I did not need a sling and a travel lift to get the boat out of the water. Simply hook the crane to the four lifting chainplates, and lift the boat out of the water.

I had the boat lifted three times in New Zealand using the chainplates without a problem. It is not necessary to remove any of the rigging or use spreader bars with my chainplates/D-ring system.

Any place in the world that has a crane capable of doing a ten ton lift can set my boat on dry land or a pier without breaking a sweat. A few minutes work, and you are out of the water.
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Old 25-05-2016, 07:52   #11
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Re: Haul Out for Hurricane or Leave in Slip?

Why not just drop down to the ABCs?
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Old 25-05-2016, 08:10   #12
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Re: Haul Out for Hurricane or Leave in Slip?

We, too, are in eastern Puerto Rico for the hurricane season. We looked at the program you described, but opted to haul out-on--our time and our schedule, and with enough time to prep the boat for the worst. And we can make sure she is hauled, set, and strapped down properly. One concern we had was timing....if there is not very much warning, and/or the yard has lots of boats in the "program", what are the chances you will be not hauled, or hauled in a very rush-rush environment? They screwed up our haul-out last year and put some deep scratches in the hull during the haul out....and that was with lots of time and no time crunch. Besides, I sleep better knowing I put the boat up on the hard, she's there and properly strapped down to solid hard points, and as prepared as she can get. Yards are good at promising alot, but...? And then there's the insurance considerations already mentioned, too. We're out for about 6 months, and the cost is about the same as staying the water....and I think a whole lot safer. Plus, the hull gets a chance to really dry out and any issues show themselves. Just my opinion, but we're hauled and will continue to do it!
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Old 25-05-2016, 08:27   #13
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Re: Haul Out for Hurricane or Leave in Slip?

Up here in Maine, our marina requires hauling out. Saves the slips from being beat up, boats can be lashed down on land, and moorings will not drag nor snap. Otoh, have ridden out hurricanes at a dock, at a mooring, and on dry land. In all three cases had about the same damages: dings, rips, and abrasions. However, in the case of the dock option, you will snap a lot of lines as they chafe. On mooring, we used a lot of stretchy rubbers to relieve strain on anchor lines(all chain). On land, well that was just luck that no boats blew over to start a domino effect.
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Old 25-05-2016, 08:43   #14
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Re: Haul Out for Hurricane or Leave in Slip?

I experienced three hurricanes while in Mexico for three years. I was at anchor in all three cases. I was friends with many other cruisers there who kept their boats in slips or in dry storage during those and other hurricanes. What to do was a subject of constant discussion. Here are a few thoughts based on those discussions.

Friends ran a dive business off their CSY 44 out of St Thomas, USVI for years. Their very nice boat survived two hurricanes while in a slip in St. Thomas. I've watched video of their post-hurricane return to their boat and it is scary!

In one event a 30' powerboat ended up in their cockpit. It was lifted there by storm surge and winds.

The other time their boat ended up on top of another biggish sailboat and both of them were 20' inland from their slip.

On the Other Hand!

I've had dozens of friends in Mexico whose boats were severely damaged by hurricanes while hauled out and in dry storage. The quality of the dry storage and boat stands is critical. There must be concrete pads under the jack stands. The yard staff must do a proper job of placing the jack stands and the intertie of those jack stands.

Many boats were badly damaged when the torrential rains and runoff washed the ground out from under the jackstands and the boats fell over. In some cases the jack stands were on concrete or asphalt pads but those pads were undermined by the running water and eventually the pads collapsed.

Another problem that friends in dry storage suffered was blowing crap coming off other boats in the yard. The yard management must enforce the rules about all sails and canvas must be removed from the boats in the yard. Several friend's boats in dry storage suffered a lot of damage when sails on adjacent boats unfurled and then that boat blew over and started a domino effect, toppling many adjacent boats.

I would be inclined to use the haul out facility IF I could verify the quality of the yard and the experience of the yard staff.

$3K is small change when considering the value and other operating costs of your boat.
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Old 25-05-2016, 09:06   #15
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Re: Haul Out for Hurricane or Leave in Slip?

Tacoma, you raise good observations. One issue in particular: jack stands. They need to be chained rather tightly together, both across and along the boat so they move in synch. Most folks may lash they across but not along the hull. Hurricanes or heavy winds in general will place strains on the stands. Keeping them tight to the hull is a real challenge. Some places will allow screw bolts to be placed into the paved area to further anchor the stands. Of course this is assuming the keel rests on a block and not just hanging in the air.
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