Before the start of hurricane season on June 1, have a hurricane preparation plan in place for your boat so you know in advance what you will do if a hurricane is imminent. An adequate plan will include purchasing items for a hurricane preparation kit and having a checklist to follow to make preparing your boat as efficient and quick as possible.
If a hurricane watch has been issued, follow these steps to prepare your moored boat to weather the storm:
If possible, remove your boat from the water.
If your boat is trailerable, remove it from the water and follow my instructions for preparing trailered boats to weather a hurricane. If your boat is not trailerable, the best scenario for your boat to survive a storm is to have it hauled out and secured on shore. If this is not feasible, and you decided to prepare your boat for a storm while it is moored, follow the rest of these instructions to give your boat the best chance of weathering the storm.Charge batteries and disconnect the electric.
Make sure to charge your batteries so bilge pumps will work. Disconnect the electric, water and other dock connections, and shut off fuel lines and close through hull fittings.Protect your engines.
Water will find a way into every opening, so protect your engine by covering engine room vents and plugging the exhaust pipes at the stern. If the vents are small, you can use duct tape. Otherwise, screw a piece of plywood over the vent and tape over the edges.Remove loose deck items.
Remove deck items, bimini tops, plastic, canvas, and plexiglass from the boat entirely. Take down antennas and remove outriggers. Remove as many items as you can from the boat, and lash down any remaining loose items.Prepare the interior of your boat.
If your boat has a cabin, take precautions there as well by removing all loose items. Clean out the refrigerator, cabinets, and drawers because they will open with the violent motion of the boat. If possible, remove drapes, cushions, mattresses and other cloth items that will become soaked from leaks.Remove electronics and cover instrument gauges.
Remove electronics from the boat and cover both the holes and instrument gauges with plastic and duct tape.Seal windows, hatches and doorways.
Because wind-driven rain will enter the boat through any crack or crevice, Use duct tape to make all openings and seams as watertight as possible.Secure the boat in its moorings.
A boat will best weather the storm if it is facing into the wind, so if you can, turn the boat with its bow to the wind within the mooring.
Follow these steps to secure the boat in the mooring:
