Storing a boat on the hard for hurricane season

[callistov42]

Lloyds, in it’s infinite wisdom has declined to provide insurance on our boat in St Martin this summer unless it is hauled on the hard, tied down, with the sticks out of the boat. We have never done this before but have seen lots of other boats stored this way and I decided to try it this year. (Boats on the hard did a LOT better than boats that were in the water last season). What do I need to do to get the boat ready for four months on the hard? What do I expect when I return? Do we need to pack all the bedding into plastic bags? Should I remove the dorade vents and insert the plugs or do I want some ventilation? I was planning on flushing both the engines (main and gen set) with fresh water. Any other suggestions from someone who has done this before?

[hpeer]

We pull the boat for hurricane season. Last year our insurance company gave us a check list that was pretty helpful.

In BVI we saw a LOT of boats hauled with snapped masts. I think many newer boats with minimal rigging are vulnerable to that. We don’t do that, but our mast has 14 shrouds counting runners. It is usual to have the boat strapped down.

Remove ALL canvas and sails. NO CLOTH ALOFT!

We leave our batches cracked but locked, they allow that. We have not had a mold problem yet.

Not much else really. I’m sure others will think of stuff I forgot.

[JPA Cate]

Remove all food stores that are not in cans. Put out coackroach baits, and rat entry preventers.

If you have access to the packing bags that you pump out the air from, those would do well for bedding and clothing.

As long as she's well tied down, your ketch should do well, less likely to take flight than some of the catamarans whose pictures we've seen.

As the poster above wrote, remove sails and sail covers, weather cloths. In other words, clear the decks. Jugs, etc. below.

Tie the dinghy down on the earth, upside down.

Some people pull their halyards to the masthead, leaving a light feeder line for a downhaul. This avoids chafe at the sheaves.

Make sure the cockpit drains are clear.

I would leave the hatches dogged. It is that a lot of rainwater can get below if they are cracked. I would have the foremost dorade facing forward, and the others aft, for air circulation.

If your anchor locker has a drain, that is good. Otherwise, block off the hawse hole as if you were going to sea in a storm, sealed, taped.

If your masts are deck stepped, make sure rain can't get in from any adjacent deck penetrations. If there is any way water can get inside, leave the boat set up so she can pump it out. I know this means you're relying on a float switch, but a boat full of stale water is unpleasant to return to. (Need for the batteries to be able to be kept topped up.)

Good luck with it.

Ann

[Reefmagnet]

Make sure the bilges will drain if water enters the boat. Sinking on the hard can be a real issue! Any props used should be tied so that they cannot rattle free and drop away during a storm. It's surprising how much a boat can vibrate and shake during strong gusts.



Also, read the fine print on the insurance contract. I discovered our cradle was non compliant after actually reading our fine print AFTER the last cyclone went through (fortunately our boat survived unscathed, but lesson learnt!).

[hpeer]

Ann,
I’m interested in your comments about cracked hatches and bilge pumps. Our boat was on the hard in Jacksonville last year for Irma. Hatches cracked, that is dogged so as to allow slight air movement. We had no water. Maybe just lucky.

As we are leaving the boat for the season these issues are on my mind. We have 2 bilges and 2 pumps, both of which have failed to shut off at some time. The big bilge even has an expensive industrial quality float switch which has not shut off on one occasion.

We have two 300 watt solar panels, each on its own controller. Redundancy.

I honestly don’t know what to do, which way is best. But I’m inclined to turn the pumps off.

As to light lines, we keep our small boat in Newfoundland and the wind can play havock with the halyards. There I’ve been using vinyl covered wire cloths line. Here in Grenada I had some plastic fishing string, big roll of it, I ran two leaders to each halyard, in case one breaks, and a BIG knot to keep the halyard from running through the block. I’ve got steps so retrieval if the line breaks is relatively easy, so long as I don’t loose the end.

[Reefmagnet]

Originally Posted by hpeer

Ann,
I’m interested in your comments about cracked hatches and bilge pumps. Our boat was on the hard in Jacksonville last year for Irma. Hatches cracked, that is dogged so as to allow slight air movement. We had no water. Maybe just lucky.

As we are leaving the boat for the season these issues are on my mind. We have 2 bilges and 2 pumps, both of which have failed to shut off at some time. The big bilge even has an expensive industrial quality float switch which has not shut off on one occasion.

We have two 300 watt solar panels, each on its own controller. Redundancy.

I honestly don’t know what to do, which way is best. But I’m inclined to turn the pumps off.

As to light lines, we keep our small boat in Newfoundland and the wind can play havock with the halyards. There I’ve been using vinyl covered wire cloths line. Here in Grenada I had some plastic fishing string, big roll of it, I ran two leaders to each halyard, in case one breaks, and a BIG knot to keep the halyard from running through the block. I’ve got steps so retrieval if the line breaks is relatively easy, so long as I don’t loose the end.

On the subject of not filling the boat with water...



I pull the hose of the engine water intake through hull as insurance. No need to rely entirely upon bilge pumps. If layed up regularly enough, installation of a garboard plug might be a good idea.

[hpeer]

Understood and appreciated. Would not do much good in our situation. In fact insurance requires through holes to be closed off.

[BillsWife1]

Ann's comments, as usual, are awesome. We stored our boat on the hard for almost a year due to personal circumstances. In addition to stripping all canvas, enclosures, and everything off the deck we do some other things inside.

-Close and lock all hatches. Draw all shades.

-Remove all food.

-Turn all powdered spices upside down to prevent clumping.

-Store pillows and other linens in the giant ziploc bags with a dryer sheet (roll the air out).

-Stand all cushions on end so air can circulate around them.

-Open every cupboard for air circulation.

-We were also fortunate enough to have a 110 hookup. In the salon we placed a dehumidifier and ran a hose out of the thru hull where our speed log sensor goes. The extension cord was run into the boat through this thru hull as well.

-Lastly we left canisters of Tea Tree oil (Kanberra Gel) in a few places. Our boat had no mold, mildew, and smelled as fresh as if I had just spent a week of spring cleaning upon our return.

-As for the bilge pump, we left ours off since our speed log was in the bilge and thus drained out as needed on the starboard side. On the port side "we went with God" and left the bilge off.

[Reefmagnet]

Originally Posted by hpeer

Understood and appreciated. Would not do much good in our situation. In fact insurance requires through holes to be closed off.

Well that sounds stupid. If flooding and storm surge are the concern then having the boat tied down securely to ground anchors or concrete blocks is really going to impinge on the ability of the boat to float.


If you are going to rely on electric bilge pumps, I've found the Johnson "Ultima" load sensing type to be reliable and you don't need a very high capacity pump for this application.

[Sdwcheney]

can you take the boat down to Trinidad? what does your insurance company say if it below 10 north?

[Sdwcheney]

i could have it there in a week if it is seaworthy

[hpeer]

Reefmagnate,

A LOT of what insurance companies say is stupid. They piss me off. But they write the checks. Damn it!

Last year they wanted an “under water survey” a week after I launched.

Well what is an underwater survey? No one seems to know. There is no criteria. The answer I got was “Ask the underwater surveyor.” Reall? Yes, really.

“What qualifications does he need?” “He needs to say he is an under water surveyor.”

I got an invoice from a guy who said he was an under water surveyor. He just wrote “Performed under water survey” or something like that. I sent that in. They were satisfied.

WTH? Really? Yes, really!

[hpeer]

Here in Grenada I see a lot of boaters drop their anchor and all chain. This is while on stands. They pile it up on he ground at the bow.

What’s up with that?

[MV Wanderlust]

Originally Posted by hpeer

Reefmagnate,

A LOT of what insurance companies say is stupid. They piss me off. But they write the checks. Damn it!

Last year they wanted an “under water survey” a week after I launched.

Well what is an underwater survey? No one seems to know. There is no criteria. The answer I got was “Ask the underwater surveyor.” Reall? Yes, really.

“What qualifications does he need?” “He needs to say he is an under water surveyor.”

I got an invoice from a guy who said he was an under water surveyor. He just wrote “Performed under water survey” or something like that. I sent that in. They were satisfied.

WTH? Really? Yes, really!

LOL

[inchcailloch]

Trinidad is certainly the best and most popular place for the hurricane season though not cheap by European prices. Most will insure for the South of Grenada though security may not be quite so good and a a slightly higher chance of a hurricane hitting. St David's in Granada had issues with thefts apparently from their own guards. And few yards will take responsibility so insurance is necessary for peace of mind.

But fair play to any insurance company for not covering St Martin's etc, they have had very bad hurricane hits recently. Everyone's insurance would rise if they covered such areas and those who insured in particular would find their premium virtually unaffordable. The ABCs would be an alternative but again costs are quite high along with the airfares depending where you were flying back home to and legit of stay might be a problem depending on nationality. In reality there is little alternative to Trinidad where at least you can buy most things or easily get them shipped in tax free if marked "Yacht In Transit".