Hurricane on a mooring

[captaincurt]

Greetings all. I introduced myself about two weeks ago, and thanks to those that have responded. My wife and I just purchased a 30' sailboat and she is on a mooring near Charleston Harbor in SC. Seems that Hanna is now building up, and is projected to be an influence here later this week. Any suggestions on prepping the boat for the blow? Beyond moving her inland a ways, I'm curious of what your expertise may tell me. Thanks!

[imagine2frolic]

HURRICANE ON A MOORING....That almost sounds like a drink, or something to eat.....lololololol

Strip the boat of everything, so there is the least amount of windage. Get some chafing gear on the boat, and take a good look at anything attatched to the mooring itself. BEST WISHES in getting through with no harm done.....i2f

[Latitude9.5]

Also I would run 6 lines from the bridle, 2 too the bow cleats, 2 to the midship cleats and two to the aft cleats. Honestly I've been in some good storms on a mooring ball and I'd rather be on a ball then on a dock, i'd rather not be in the boat on either however

[captaincurt]

Roger that, six lines, will do. I appreciate it! Curt

[Pblais]

Windage at hurricane force levels as noted above is exceptionally dangerous. At sub hurricane levels your boat could be knocked down just left as it might be now. Reduction of windage is the only thing you have some control over. Remove all sails and canvas completely. Remove anything on deck not permanantly installed.

Perhaps the one element of risk that you have no control over at all is the force of objects that might strike the boat. Debris of all kinds could be expected as well as lessor secured boats, logs, chunks of wooden docks and flying or floating objects moving at great speeds. Debris would be plenitiful in a storm surge a strong mooring assures you will be stationary target when the debris comes by.

All moorings are only just anchors placed in the bottom. They are stronger than an ordinary anchor but are not attached to bedrock and may be in various stages of disrepair.

Being hauled out even in Charleston would be safer. At least on land it could be better secured and protected from debris. It's also something you would need to act on right now since the long line of folks wanting boats hauled may already have formed.

Double check the insurance policy!

[Soft Air]

2frolic I like your sense of humor, my boat is on the hard on the BVI whilst I cross my fingers hoping that no hurricane strike those islands in the mean time I will drink a few HURRICANE ON A MOORING cocktails to make the waiting feasible

[imagine2frolic]

Soft Air,

Your welcome, so far it has gotten me through some pretty ugly times in life!

I guess this HURRICANE ON A MOORING should include RUM!!!!!!!! What else can we add? I like Ron Facapa 23 Anos just straight not even ice, but it's too expensive for an everyday drink

[Soft Air]

2frolic rum should be BARCELO one, best one in the Dominican Republic, why don't you start a thread so we can finally get the definite recipe for this hurricane season cocktail?

You need to remove a picture from your gallery where you are almost naked lol

[Vasco]

If a boat is on a mooring and chafes through the lines, it'll be aground or out at sea in two minutes. Lots of lines is good but the line you have to worry the most about is the one connecting the ball to the mooring. In the past, when leaving a boat unattended, I have taken one of my anchor chains and shackled that directly to the mooring block, in this case a large engine block, as an "insurance" line. When all the other lines have chafed through there's still the anchor chain.

[Hud3]

Here's a good article on mooring lines for storm conditions. BoatUS.com: Hurricane Resource Center - Hurricane Preparation

The bottom line (so to speak ) is to use polyester rope for the portion of the mooring line subject to the most chafe, and nylon for the part attached to the mooring ball itself.

"A Simple, Inexpensive Method for Strengthening Mooring Pennants
A simple way of providing durability is to make up a piece of polyester line the same diameter as your existing nylon line. According to Norm Doelling (Seaworthy, April 1995), it should be at least six feet long and can usually be ten to 20 feet long. Make an eye splice, leaving a large eye about a foot long, be sure to have at least five, and preferably six tucks in the splice. The polyester line can be passed through the existing nylon line in an eye-to-eye fashion... This gives a dock or mooring line the best features of both types of ropes—nylon’s stretch and polyester’s abrasion resistance."

[camaraderie]

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.

[captaincurt]

Thanks to all who have responded. Good stuff. Kind of ironic isn't it, buy a boat and two weeks later have a hurricane pass through? I wanted to catch "some" wind", not a Cat 2 or 3! So it goes, and as a Hugo survivor, I'm at least mentally prepared (for now). Thanks, Curt

[Soft Air]

captaincurt I am on the same bandwagon, I bought her in the BVI, haven't sail her and she is now on the hard wishing for the hurricane season to be over, I hope both boats survive.

[imagine2frolic]

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

[CarlF]

If you do get her hauled, stay away from a boatyard where the hurricane surge or wind might lift boats off their stands. They topple over like a line of dominoes often doing so much damage to the topsides that the boat is a total loss. Tie you stands together. Drive stakes into the ground beside the boat and rig tight non-stretch lines (sheets and halyards) to hold your boat firmly down on the stands. Use your winches to tighten the lines. If you've got time, tie your neighbors boat down too so it won't topple into you.

If you stay on the mooring, chafe is the biggest enemy. Since you've got a few days, go ask your local fire station if they have a piece of old hose you could cut up for chafe gear. Remember the line will stretch so wrap the chafe gear several feet up from the chock. Also wrap the line where it rubs on the cleat. I don't see the advantage of running lines aft but do consider running a line to the base of the mast (assuming your mast is stepped to the keel). Use a loop of line to the bow cleat or forestay to make sure the boat won't turn sideways.

On the mooring you can still put out your anchor(s). Leave them slack so that they only come into play if the mooring drags. Also, just before the storm you may find there are empty moorings near you for boats that were hauled. Run a big line to it. If there's an empty really big mooring that normally holds a large boat, I'd consider switching to it.

And the best advice (other than being hauled at a high, protected boatyard) is to go upriver as far as you can into the narrowest piece of water you can find. Find a mooring, tie to some trees or anchor - or all three. Look for a place that doesn't have rocks on the shore in case you do drag to the beach.

Many of these things (other than hauling) you can do at the "last minute" (8-12 hours) if the storm seems to be pointed right at you. In the meantime, get your stuff together and scout upriver for a good place. But never, never think of staying on the boat through the storm.

Carl