Sailboat Storage During Hurricane Season in Florida?

[Roniszoro]

Thoughts and/or experiences please: Storage on the hard with jack-stands chained together and some tie-down straps vs. in the water in a canal and secured to a bulkhead wall of the canal with lots of fenders and lines.

Thanks for your input.

[Hobiehobie]

If I had the choice I’d go way up a river. And when a storm is coming string lines/chains across the canal pulling the boat off the dock towards the middle of the canal. .Get a couple of large super yacht inflatable fenders from Sailorman, outsized line, chafe guard, Strip the boat bare. If on the hard best would be to use a hurricane rated cradle with as many pads as possible, not stands, mast down and not next to other boats with masts up. Concrete base with anchor eyes.

We were caught in a massive cat 5 in BVI. All boats on the hard were knocked over, even those in hurricane cradles. Or the stand pads just pushed through the hulls destroying the boats. The only boats that were ok were in the water in the part of the marina that did not get swept away. We did ok because of Kevlar layer in hull but still had 200k worth of damage mainly caused by other boats falling onto ours destroying our rig and post storm water entry. But lucky to still have a boat.

Best solution is not to be near where hurricanes go!

[Chotu]

Leaving the boat behind?

Go as far inland as possible.

Forget stands. Get it low. Use 4 small cradles. Keel (the part of the boat) should be on the ground or keels (of you have mini keels) should be on the ground.

Better for resisting winds, better for working on the boat to recommission.

Use stout helical ground anchors to tie the boat into the ground.

Protect against vermin, insects, mold, etc.

Mine made it through 120mph sustained winds with unknown gusts for Ian. But it was at a marina inland a bit in the water because it was attended. If Unattended, do as above.

Miami+Canal+hurricane = -boat

[chrisr]

not a great idea to go up a river unless you can get into a spot that will be out of the current. cyclones = lots of rain = flood, so heaps of current in the rivers plus heaps of junk to build up on your anchor chain and drag the bow under water

mangroves are ideal

cheers,

[Chotu]

Aren’t they talking about leaving it behind and going somewhere else during hurricane season? Storage? That is what the title says. Plus they are discussing various marina set ups

[huramentzefix]

I know it says "in Florida" but Luperon in the Dominican Republic is called "hurricane hole". Sometimes "outside of the box" can save you a lot. It's 25$ a month probably on a mooring, I haven't checked exact prices. Or 150$ onwards on a dock.
Flights from Fort Lauderdale to santiago are sometimes as low as 150$.


I offer full yacht services including engine repair, maintenance, storage wet and dry, painting, and everything needs.
At the moment I am just completely overhauling an John Deere 6076.
I had to take the crankshaft out and regring the bearing journals in a machine shop.




Probably the best cruising grounds in the caribbean here with 100's (slightly exaggerated) marinas, and free anchorages
there is more than just Punta Cana and Cap Cana here!

my whatsapp is, if anybody needs it: +18293199388 matias

[Greatest Lakes]

Could always take the opportunity to cruise to Maine.

[David Soule]

We has good luck for years at Port LaBelle Marina. It's on the Okeechobee Waterway east and south of the big lake. The marina is surrounded by a berm made when it was dug out. This protects the marina from winds. Best rates in Florida. Just off the Waterway. While we had our 52' Carib II there a hurricane came through that tore a DC-3 at the airport off it's tiedowns and launched it aloft to have it crash back down. LaBelle got 100 mph winds. The docks were 3' underwater. The boat was unhurt, just above the docks. The only possible negative is the pools are listed at 5' depth. We drew 4' and had no issues. Nice laid back old time feeling there. We left a car there too since we live in Az. I recommend it!
https://portlabellemarina.com/

[Secondshift]

Florida has many dry storage yards.
Most of which have storm mitigation methods.
Ask up front. A small local yard made everyone remove their masts. Not sure who paid.

If it’s reasonable I’d pick Indiantown Marina.
They’re in land and have pretty reasonable rates.
You would have to be able to “navigate “ the Okeechobee Waterway and they have size limitations.

Another yard has recently been completed nearby that handles very large vessels. Indiantown Marine Center lists “Hurricane storage” on their website.

Certainly there are other storage yards that are inland but these are the ones I know of.

…. Or you could just ride the storms out on the hook like I’ve been doing. 🥹🙃😄

Best Regards,

[skipperpete]

My boat’s in a marina in the south of France and unlike the US, Australia and Asia, we don’t get hurricanes, typhoons or cyclones BUT I just got a wind warning and advice from the capitainerie about a Mistral that’s on the way. This is a real swine of a wind, cold and relentless, it’s been known to blow 40knots for 2 weeks and is why all those beautiful rural cottages have heavy dirt wooden doors on all the windows. The current Mistral is predicted to reach 50 kts and is very hard on the boats in the port á flot, they all lie beam on to a northerly and heel over to the point where they lift the docks out of the water.

[EmeraldCoastSailor]

I am in the FL panhandle and I haven't been able to find reasonable $ dry storage for my 35' sailboat for even a month or so. When I travel, I leave my boat in the slip with a extra lines rigged. My thinking is that if a storm was aiming at my boat, I could fly back and either beef up in-slip readiness or anchor boat in a cove or bayou with 2 - 3 anchors.

[Chotu]

I tried the fly back thing on my first hurricane hit. The one that damaged my boat.

It didn’t work so well because the airports were closed pretty quickly after it became apparent storm was going to potentially hit

[David Soule]

Port LaBelle is in fresh water and between 2 locks. No barnacles to deal with!

[MicHughV]

Ah, one of my favorite topics.

In describing potential hurricane harbors of refuge or any other place of refuge, the hurricane strength should be classified as there is world of difference between a category 1 hurricane and a category 5 hurricane.

Managing the wind speed is one thing, but one must also reckon with the tidal surge. Again, depending on the strength of the hurricane, this can differ from a few feet to 20 feet. It is not uncommon to find large boats a half mile inland after major storm.

Then one must remember that the strongest winds of a hurricane are centered around the eye of a hurricane, which can have a diameter of 20-30 miles and depending which side of the eye one is on can also make a big difference.

One must remember that the force of a hurricane goes up as the square of wind speed, so a difference of just 10 mph can make a substantial difference.

Preparing one's boat, ie, stripping everything, and I mean everything is vital.

Off course, everything around you will also be affected, which means any number of items can come hurtling your way where you will be a sitting duck, regardless of any preparation you might make.

Having said all the above, there is stuff one can do and hope for the best and stuff one can do that will make little difference.

A direct hit from a Cat 5 'cane will pretty much obliterate everything in it's path no matter what care is taken.

The west coast of Florida is equally susceptible to storm damage as is the east coast, so no safety there.

Finally, the NHC center does an admirable job in predicting storm paths and strengths, so being flexible, and having the opportunity to move the boat, 100 miles one way or another is an advantage. This does mean one needs to be on or near the boat.

At the end of the day, no-one can predict when or where the next 'cane will hit, but from a purely statistically point of view, NE Florida/South Georgia, are, in my humble opinion, probably the safest bet, given consideration to all of the above, and this is where I'd look first.

[26N80W]

I have lived up the New River in Fort Lauderdale for 25 years and ridden out two Cat 3 hurricanes with boats at my dock. As long you you prepare well and run anchors across the river, the boats are safe. A lot depends on if the highest winds are blowing the boat off the dock or onto the dock. If a hurricane goes north of Cat 3 then all bets are off and anything can happen.