Marina evacuation - Forced anchor for hurricane

[jmschmidt]

As we learned with Irma, the windage of the many boats tied to the docks tears the docks away from their anchors and pilings. The whole mess surges around in the marina until the boats are ripped from the floating docks and everything is deposited where the storm chooses. A new marina close to mine in the BVI had several docks installed but with only about six boats attached. Both docks and boats fared reasonably. The original old marine was a disaster.

[RSB333]

Read your insurance policy. Some cover part of the cost of haulout in anticipation of a "Named Storm". My Boat US policy increases the deductible for damage caused by a named storm in North Carolina and South. (I'm in Massachusetts and just hauled out for the winter and believe I would have full coverage if storm damage should occur from a hurricane.

While I was cruising I located "hurricane holes" that I considered safe should a storm come ashore. You have enough time to "run for it" or haul out and strip the boat. Don't wait, and ask the Marina operators and fellow cruisers nearby. Good luck!

RSB333

[billknny]

One of the reason some marinas need boats to leave is that they are going to be pulling all their floating docks out of the water. A smart move. I have no idea what Florida law says, but I know marinas in Port Canaveral insist that boats leave or haul if the weather is bad enough.

Don't listen too closely to the sea lawyers here claiming that the best thing to do is to leave your boat even if told to leave because if the marina does anything to it it is now their liability. If your signed contract says that you DO agree to remove it in case of a hurricane, and you do not, the liability issues are not nearly so clear cut. If the marina claims your boat damaged their docks, now who has the liability????

What would your insurance company think about you leaving the boat in an abandoned marina? Every marina contract I have had allows the marina to move my boat if they need to, without liability.

Finally, talk to your insurance company. Our company does not pay for a storm haulouts, because they, rightly, say that hauling is not always the best thing to do.

[rmlarson1098]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

So what??? You said in post 1 you were in lower Chesapeake.

I know that at the Massachusetts marina I was at during Sandy all boats got removed from the docks and were either hauled out or out onto a mooring.

Sheez, lighten up. It was just a point made earlier in the discussion. Has just as much relevance as your comment about Massachusetts.

[Tingum]

The next to last place I would want to be during a hurricane would be in a marina. The last would be on a wall.

[B Tegge]

Used to live in Virginia Yorktown area . Sevrin River is a good place to hide.

[mvmojo]

Originally Posted by billknny

One of the reason some marinas need boats to leave is that they are going to be pulling all their floating docks out of the water. A smart move. I have no idea what Florida law says, but I know marinas in Port Canaveral insist that boats leave or haul if the weather is bad enough.
It's easy to learn what Florida law says, just look up the Florida Statute 327.59(1). It's very clear, "After June 1, 1994, marinas may not adopt, maintain, or enforce policies pertaining to evacuation of vessels which require vessels to be removed from marinas following the issuance of a hurricane watch or warning, in order to ensure that protecting the lives and safety of vessel owners is placed before interests of protecting property." If marinas in Port Canaveral insist that boats leave, they are in violation of the statute.

Don't listen too closely to the sea lawyers here claiming that the best thing to do is to leave your boat even if told to leave because if the marina does anything to it it is now their liability. If your signed contract says that you DO agree to remove it in case of a hurricane, and you do not, the liability issues are not nearly so clear cut. If the marina claims your boat damaged their docks, now who has the liability????

It's rare that liability issues are clear cut. It is often impossible for a boat owner to get to their boat on relatively short notice to move it in the event of a storm. Example: If you travel extensively in your work, you may be thousands of miles away and unable to take any action.
Most every one who has commented on this has advised reading your contract and talking to your marina.

What would your insurance company think about you leaving the boat in an abandoned marina? Every marina contract I have had allows the marina to move my boat if they need to, without liability.

As previously stated, read your liability policy! You'll almost assuredly find wording to the effect that they will pay claims for which you are legally liable. That means if there's any doubt, the court gets to determine who was liable. They will also invoke the Act of God clause if they feel like you've taken reasonable precautions to secure your boat. I'm personally familiar with a case where a boat on jack stands fell over during a high wind event and damaged another boat. It was determined that the boat yard took all the proper steps to block and secure the boat and as a result, they were not liable for the boat falling over - Act of God. In my case, 4 1" lines broke in a freak wind storm and my boat damaged the bow pulpit of a neighboring boat. My insurance refused to pay saying their surveyor determined that I had taken all reasonable precautions to secure my boat, that I had used adequate sized lines in good condition and that the fact that they broke was an Act of God. I ended up paying for my neighbor's damage out of my own pocket because it was the right thing to do. If you're not sure as to what your policy says, write to your carrier and ask for an explanation (get it in writing).

Finally, talk to your insurance company. Good advice!Our company does not pay for a storm haulouts, because they, rightly, say that hauling is not always the best thing to do.

Not written by a "sea" lawyer!

[JeanneP]

Lots of experience with hurricanes, etc.

Okay, the smart thing to do is have the boat hauled (done in Massachusetts, Florida, sometimes in the Caribbean, Australia). A good haulout place will have bolts in the concrete pad where the boats are placed, to strap down the boat so it doesn't topple over.

In the Chesapeake there is at least one place that will do it, but it's been so long I don't know anymore where. Also a marina in Virginia - fairly close.

We rode out a Cat 1 or 2 hurricane in N. Carolina at the dock, I would never do that again. 'way too scary re damage to the boat - bigger wind and we would probably have been toast. Couldn't leave to go inland - bad information meant by the time it would have been prudent to leave, all the bridges had been closed to boat traffic (in the past, winds had broken the motors that raised a bridge stranding cars on the bridge as the hurricane hit. - so no more raising bridges as a hurricane approached.

Most boats tied to the docks - FL, GA, SC, Australia - were seriously damaged in Cat 3 and up hurricanes unless the owners stayed on the boats to adjust the lines frequently. In Queensland, OZ the sea surge was so high that the docks broke loose or came loose as the hardware rose above the top of the pilings.

We rode out Hurricane HUGO (1989) in the Caribbean, anchored in Simpson Bay Lagoon. Scary, dangerous, but survived - many boats did not. Best place to be was tied up in the mangroves. Our friend did that, with half a dozen lines or more tying up the boat to mangroves that almost completely surrounded his boat - dampened the wind-blown waves, multiple points of "anchoring" to the bottom. Here's one boat, sails shredded: http://www.fototime.com/8EE8AE68BD9ACCB/standard.jpg

Strip all sails off boat, ESPECIALLY roller-furling sails, or your boat might look like the one above.

https://www.thestate.com/news/state/...218118395.html

Marina havoc from Hurricane Andrew: http://www.abc.net.au/news/image/192...x2-940x627.jpg

[SURV69]

I like what Tingum said ....

Like being between a rock and a hard place...

[Tornadosailing]

Originally Posted by mvmojo

Not written by a "sea" lawyer!

My boat is at a city owned marina in Riviera beach florida, and the contract clearly says that all boats must be removed in case of a named tropical storm or stronger.

I looked up the law you referenced, and sub paragraph 3 says:

(3) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, in order to minimize damage to a vessel and to protect marina property, private property, and the environment, a marina owner may provide by contract that in the event a vessel owner fails to promptly remove a vessel from a marina after a tropical storm or hurricane watch has been issued, the marina owner, operator, employee, or agent may remove the vessel, if reasonable, from its slip or take whatever reasonable actions are deemed necessary to properly secure a vessel to minimize damage to a vessel and to protect marina property, private property, and the environment and may charge the vessel owner a reasonable fee for any such services rendered. In order to add such a provision to a contract, the marina owner must provide notice to the vessel owner in any such contract in a font size of at least 10 points and in substantially the following form:

NOTICE TO VESSEL OWNER

The undersigned hereby informs you that in the event you fail to remove your vessel from the marina promptly (timeframe to be determined between the marina owner or operator and the vessel owner) after the issuance of a tropical storm or hurricane watch for (insert geographic area), Florida, under Florida law, the undersigned or his or her employees or agents are authorized to remove your vessel, if reasonable, from its slip or take any and all other reasonable actions deemed appropriate by the undersigned or his or her employees or agents in order to better secure your vessel and to protect marina property, private property, and the environment. You are further notified that you may be charged a reasonable fee for any such action.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by JeanneP

Lots of experience with hurricanes, etc.

Okay, the smart thing to do is have the boat hauled (done in Massachusetts, Florida, sometimes in the Caribbean, Australia). A good haulout place will have bolts in the concrete pad where the boats are placed, to strap down the boat so it doesn't topple over.

In the Chesapeake there is at least one place that will do it, but it's been so long I don't know anymore where. Also a marina in Virginia - fairly close.

We rode out a Cat 1 or 2 hurricane in N. Carolina at the dock, I would never do that again. 'way too scary re damage to the boat - bigger wind and we would probably have been toast. Couldn't leave to go inland - bad information meant by the time it would have been prudent to leave, all the bridges had been closed to boat traffic (in the past, winds had broken the motors that raised a bridge stranding cars on the bridge as the hurricane hit. - so no more raising bridges as a hurricane approached.

Most boats tied to the docks - FL, GA, SC, Australia - were seriously damaged in Cat 3 and up hurricanes unless the owners stayed on the boats to adjust the lines frequently. In Queensland, OZ the sea surge was so high that the docks broke loose or came loose as the hardware rose above the top of the pilings.

We rode out Hurricane HUGO (1989) in the Caribbean, anchored in Simpson Bay Lagoon. Scary, dangerous, but survived - many boats did not. Best place to be was tied up in the mangroves. Our friend did that, with half a dozen lines or more tying up the boat to mangroves that almost completely surrounded his boat - dampened the wind-blown waves, multiple points of "anchoring" to the bottom. Here's one boat, sails shredded: http://www.fototime.com/8EE8AE68BD9ACCB/standard.jpg

Strip all sails off boat, ESPECIALLY roller-furling sails, or your boat might look like the one above.

https://www.thestate.com/news/state/...218118395.html

Marina havoc from Hurricane Andrew: http://www.abc.net.au/news/image/192...x2-940x627.jpg

You're lucky you didn't ride out Hugo in SC.

[Delfin]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Yes it's evidently true. I saw video of the news yesterday of boats being evacuated from a marina. Never could figure that out. I say don't answer the phone. If they move it, it will be their responsibility! ?

That's actually a brilliant suggestion.

[S/V Illusion]

Why would anyone want to stay in the water at a marina?

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Tornadosailing

My boat is at a city owned marina in Riviera beach florida, and the contract clearly says that all boats must be removed in case of a named tropical storm or stronger.

I looked up the law you referenced, and sub paragraph 3 says:

(3) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, in order to minimize damage to a vessel and to protect marina property, private property, and the environment, a marina owner may provide by contract that in the event a vessel owner fails to promptly remove a vessel from a marina after a tropical storm or hurricane watch has been issued, the marina owner, operator, employee, or agent may remove the vessel, if reasonable, from its slip or take whatever reasonable actions are deemed necessary to properly secure a vessel to minimize damage to a vessel and to protect marina property, private property, and the environment and may charge the vessel owner a reasonable fee for any such services rendered. In order to add such a provision to a contract, the marina owner must provide notice to the vessel owner in any such contract in a font size of at least 10 points and in substantially the following form:

Guess that's why there are signs all over St Augustine about this.

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by S/V Illusion

Attachment 177169

Why would anyone want to stay in the water at a marina?

In our area quite a few of the marinas are better suited to hurricane survival than the very few hurricane holes. Getting out of the water is also just not an option.