Proper Hurricane Prep

[lifeofreilly57]

Today I am totally gob smacked.
Our friends 60 foot steel expediton boat, which is also their only home survived the direct hit of hurricane Ian and survived.
He did all those things that one should do in preparation for a storm.
Find a hole, get near the mangroves, multiple anchors and lines to the mangroves, and removal of all windage. They did lose the solar panels, and the life raft deployed, but the boat is upright, with its rig intact and seems to be in good shape.
It was right in the hurricane impact zone, saw the 150mph winds and surge, but is still upright and intact.
I just cant believe it, its only been seen by a helicopter but appears fairly unscathed.
If I were him I'd be buying lottery tickets, the odds are about the same.

[HopCar]

Nice to hear something good.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by lifeofreilly57

Today I am totally gob smacked.
Our friends 60 foot steel expediton boat, which is also their only home survived the direct hit of hurricane Ian and survived.
He did all those things that one should do in preparation for a storm.
Find a hole, get near the mangroves, multiple anchors and lines to the mangroves, and removal of all windage. They did lose the solar panels, and the life raft deployed, but the boat is upright, with its rig intact and seems to be in good shape.
It was right in the hurricane impact zone, saw the 150mph winds and surge, but is still upright and intact.
I just cant believe it, its only been seen by a helicopter but appears fairly unscathed.
If I were him I'd be buying lottery tickets, the odds are about the same.

A Catalina 25 survived Cat 3/4 Hurricane Ivan in 2004 anchored in Bayou Grande when 30-75 other boats went by it and ended up on land or slamming into the bridge

There is usually no good prep for 155 knot winds and a 10' - 18' surge but there are usually a few boats that get through it basically unscathed.

Just don't expect it just because you do "proper" hurricane prep for a Cat 4 or 5 hurricane

It's mostly luck.....

[AuChante]

I've curious about this even before getting into boating. Everything I've read says get into a protected marina and know how to tie up there. The main issue I have with that is you'd be surprised how cheap most owners build their marinas... Pile driven only 10' in the ground and such. On top of that, you're relying on everyone upwind of you to not break lose too.


It seems that an anchoring system, alone, out in the bay would be best. I have zero close-to-shore options- depth of 2' for 200'-500' in pretty much the entire bay perimeter. I think I've seen this in a video before: Set 4/5/6 anchors in a circle so you're always using a good anchor, run the lines (4:1 or better anchor lines) to the middle to make a mooring buoy, then tie to that. Maybe put a sea chute out the back to keep the boat pointing up-current. This isn't a cheap proposition with big anchors and good line, but seems better than tying to a pile that I can wiggle just by leaning on it.

[lifeofreilly57]

Originally Posted by thomm225

A Catalina 25 survived Cat 3/4 Hurricane Ivan in 2004 anchored in Bayou Grande when 30-75 other boats went by it and ended up on land or slamming into the bridge

There is usually no good prep for 155 knot winds and a 10' - 18' surge but there are usually a few boats that get through it basically unscathed.

Just don't expect it just because you do "proper" hurricane prep for a Cat 4 or 5 hurricane

It's mostly luck.....

no one expects to survive a category 4 hurricane, but you can do everything possible to tilt the odds in your favor.
Having been through multiple tropical storms in the Caribbean what we found is that much of the problem is poorly anchored boats dragging, it happens every time.
In this case, that family also picked a place where there were no other boats to worry about.
As for going to a marina? You might a well sink it yourself. I've seen marina docks fail in noreasters, nevermind a hurricane.
In one instance in the northeast US a late season noreaster camr though in May, we were packing a boat for an early season race then. a number of boats broke loose from their moorings, docks in that bay were also breaking up, we watched as several boats drifted by still tied to their docks, others received major damage as the docks broke up and boats crashed together.
no one expects to weather a category 4, but when it's your home and there's no alternative you can do everything within your power to better the odds.
I used to buy and sell auction boats to support my own boating habit, most of those broke down into two categories, those that broke from poorly maintained moorings and those damaged in marinas being bashed into pilings or bashed by other boats who's docks had broken free.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by lifeofreilly57

no one expects to survive a category 4 hurricane, but you can do everything possible to tilt the odds in your favor.
Having been through multiple tropical storms in the Caribbean what we found is that much of the problem is poorly anchored boats dragging, it happens every time.
In this case, that family also picked a place where there were no other boats to worry about.
As for going to a marina? You might a well sink it yourself. I've seen marina docks fail in noreasters, nevermind a hurricane.
In one instance in the northeast US a late season noreaster camr though in May, we were packing a boat for an early season race then. a number of boats broke loose from their moorings, docks in that bay were also breaking up, we watched as several boats drifted by still tied to their docks, others received major damage as the docks broke up and boats crashed together.
no one expects to weather a category 4, but when it's your home and there's no alternative you can do everything within your power to better the odds.
I used to buy and sell auction boats to support my own boating habit, most of those broke down into two categories, those that broke from poorly maintained moorings and those damaged in marinas being bashed into pilings or bashed by other boats who's docks had broken free.

Yep do everything you possibly can but the Catalina 25 was the only one that survived at anchor when the Navy Marina Floating Docks were lifted above their pilings by the surge of Ivan which then took out all the properly anchored and improperly boats in the hurricane hole of Bayou Grande.

Most all the boats at the Navy Marina whether properly tied or not were destroyed or heavily damaged as well.

Hurricane hole in Bayou Grande in photo from the Landing Apartments and Marina after rebuild of that apartment complex and docks plus boats that were pushed ashore or separated from the floating marina. Link is from Bayou Grande Bridge

https://www.alamy.com/stan-majewski-...1&searchtype=0