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Old 02-09-2008, 08:22   #16
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I'd call Charleston Boat Works or some other yard now and get out of the water. I have hauled CBW when I had a problem while in transient they have lots of room.
Why take a chance on leaving it in the water if you don't have to.
Beyond that I would take everything off the boat you don't want to loose.
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Old 02-09-2008, 09:04   #17
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All good advice but you are in Charleston facing a Cat2 or possibly Cat3 situation in 4 days. There IS no protection and survival on the mooring will largely be a matter of luck assuming good preparation...plus you have other boats to worry about hitting yours.
Get the boat out of the water or get it far upstream.
I'm 60 miles off the latest track and am doing preparations as well. Cam's right. The number one prevention is hauling out and tying down on land.

If not feasible, new 5/8" or even 3/4" lines if your cleats can handle them. DO NOT FORGET chafing gear. Sawn old fire hose is best. Next is an old pair of jeans cut up and wrapped where needed. Whatever is used needs to protect the lines and allow water and air into it to cool the stress points or the polyester lines can weaken or even melt due to the friction heat.

How's the fetch from the east and NE?

You're placing the fate of your boat on the strength of that mooring. Is it a Helix? Have you dove on it?
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Old 02-09-2008, 09:06   #18
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http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...tml#post200834

We all know hurricanes are serious stuff, but with a suggestion from Soft Air I started a fun thread about this same subject......sorry for the drift
Hey.. this is serious as cancer. Humor has it's place, but not here and not now.
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Old 02-09-2008, 09:07   #19
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I'd call Charleston Boat Works or some other yard now and get out of the water. I have hauled CBW when I had a problem while in transient they have lots of room.
Why take a chance on leaving it in the water if you don't have to
Funny how people always think boats are so safe on land. Having seen a boatyard where a cat. 3 storm went over, and 90% of the boats fell over and were severely damaged, I no longer automaticly think it's safer. Only on concrete. Dirt floored boatyards have a tendancy to wash the ground right out from under the stands in severe storms.

As for the mooring, I would never ride out a hurricane on one without diving it first to check the condition, and what is actually down there. There could be a shackle underneath that is almost worn through, or a pin about to fall out, or perhaps Bubba who installed that mooring for his dinghy 10 years ago never intended for it carry a lot of weight. You just don't know what you're hanging on until you go dive it. Putting a new line on the mooring at the surface may make you feel better, but it's just one link in the chain.
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Old 02-09-2008, 10:18   #20
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I recognize those pictures. I was at True Blue Bay shortly after they re-opened. There were quite a few "bargain" boats after that storm.
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Old 02-09-2008, 11:10   #21
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Lots of chafing gear on the mooring lines. An unprotected line can wear through in a matter of minutes under high stress. You'll be amazed how much nylon line will stretch under load so have chafing gear at least 18" up the line from any chafe point. Also, lots and lots of backup lines. All you need is one to hold to save your boat. Also, what's your mooring made of. It it's just an engine block on a hard bottom, watch out.

Another consideration is the longest fetch of waves into the mooring area. If there is a straight shot from any direction, watch out. The stress on the mooring system by waves of even a few feet is tremendous. Short period waves of 5' or more may be untenable and largish breaking waves are a death warrant.

I once made the mistake of trying to ride out the tail end of a hurricane on a mooring. Don't try it. You'll be virtually helpless against the force of wind and water. It's doubtful you'll be able to do much to save your boat once things get interesting. You'll just be a passenger waiting to be a statistic.

Aloha
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Aloha
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Old 02-09-2008, 11:21   #22
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hurricane on a mooring

Thanks to ALL who have offered great advice. No, I'm not going to try and ride this one out, but I am looking for ideas on what best to do to help my boat do it! I'll be on James Island with a tank of gas and my Zodiac waiting on the clear and then go and see how we did! Appreciate it. Curt
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Old 02-09-2008, 11:47   #23
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rick,

I don't think 2 sentences hurt the thread, and it was a continuation from the beginning. I am in Florida too. You think I don't understand the sincerity?
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Old 02-09-2008, 11:58   #24
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I'd second the line ot the base of the mast, since cleats are often not reinforced well enough to hold against hours of pounding in chop. AFAIK the best anti-chafe is still either good leather (sold at craft stores or from shoemakers, if you can still find one of them, or from cutting up a thrift-shop cowboy boot) or Kevlar/Aramid cloth. That's a bit hard to find but kevlar gloves (they look like yellow knit gloves) are sold for materiel handling and they can also be repurposed for chafe.

This is also a good time to have it inspected, in case something has worn over the season and isn't up to the task of holding against a storm. Again, if you can get someone out fast enough. If not--at least inspect the fittings at the surface and if you can't trust them, tie into the chain directly.
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Old 02-09-2008, 12:10   #25
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I recognize those pictures. I was at True Blue Bay shortly after they re-opened. There were quite a few "bargain" boats after that storm.
Those pictures are from Ivan's arrival in Grenada, but the boatyard I was referring to was in Humacao, Puerto Rico after Georges. It was the same sort of dominos layed down on their sides in the boatyard. Storm threats provide a great source of revenue for the haulout facilities, and it's certainly open to debate as to whether water or dry land are safer, I just want to point out that hauling your boat is not some great panacea.
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Old 02-09-2008, 14:58   #26
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We lived on a mooring ball for close to two year, had a boat on the ball during Wilma (not the boat we have now). I've also seen what happened to boats on the ball during Jean and Frances, honestly I think you are better off to be on your anchor then on a mooring ball unless you absolutely know the condition of the ball and geat and feel it's as strong as your anchor. During Frances, they used nylon line, like 2 inch nylon or something to that effect from the concrete block to the ball, these snapped in several cases. In one case a friend of ours boat broke free his anchor came loose, put out all of his rode and rode the storm out perfectly about 600 yards from the ball, ball and bridle were still connected to his boat (actually the ball beat the crap out of his boat) After that they replaced the section of line with chain, this worked quite well, although the only major storm to hit us since then was Wilma. Beyond that section of the mooring breaking the rest were people who lines that were too small and snapped or chafed and in a couple cases the cleats pulled right off the boat, this is why I say use 6 lines, try to balance it out on all of the cleats, less stress on each one and hopefully enough you don't use them all.

We are now at a marina and made the decision to haul out this year, we did a pre-pay plan where we paid $500 for a reserved spot for the whole season, we can haul out whenever we want for about another $350, haul launch and store. Our theory here is that even though we may get some damage, the boat won't sink.
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Old 03-09-2008, 05:23   #27
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THANKS FOR YOUR SUGGESTIONS

Thank you to ALL that have responded. Your thoughts, ideas, and suggestions have been much appreciated by my wife and I. We were on the boat yesterday, and I'll be back tonight incorporating much of what you have recommended. Looks like Hanna is going to be visiting Charleston, to what degree I guess we'll just wait and see! Thank You, Capt'nCurt
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Old 03-09-2008, 06:39   #28
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Looks like Hannah is planning to do a drive by of the entire East Coast
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Old 03-09-2008, 07:27   #29
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A drive by? With some heavy artillery too. Maybe she will just get a flat, and veer off to the east some more? This mornings NOAA looks better for N.E Florida.......BEST WISHES to all getting through yet another active year.
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Old 03-09-2008, 16:27   #30
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Thick walled vinyl tubing makes excellent chafe gear. 2 hurricanes and many storms prooved it to me.
I would want to inspect the entire mooring rig. I saw the week link in a mooring that gave way in Block Island, Hurricane Bob. It was rusted pencil lead thin, where it broke. Another boat that was distroyed, had just got a mooring, however the person who serviced it, had removed the lower chain, with a piece of 3/8" line, to hole it together, while he went to get a new chain. I guess he forgot to come back.

A good idea, as some mooring fields require, is a piece of chain, from the upper mooring chain, to the boat. Leave it slack. If the lines fail, the chain should hold it.

Good luck.
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