Like the topic states what do most of you do with your boat during a hurricane? These boats are so light that it would be nothing for the wind to pick it up and throw it 100 yards away. I am just trying to get prepared in case we get a storm this year. Thanks

Jeremy:

Is your boat on a trailer? If so you can poor concrete anchors and tether the trailer down, then strap the boat down to the trailer. I would recommend doing this even if you are not planning to experience a hurricane.

Evacuate and take the boat with you.

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Kenny Boudreaux
2010 C2 F18 USA 323
Goodall Design "Southern Area Rep"
Owner of Sailboxes.com
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A lot will depend on the boat, where the storage area is located and room in garage. A small cat can be partly dimanteled and stored in garage. For larger cats I reccommend removing the mast and tie it to the ground. I use trailer anchors because they are inexpensive, easy to relocate and simpler to install. I use the 3' for the boat and trailer, smaller for the mast. The length also depends on the soil. Longer for sand shorter for rock and clay. If you have a location that is protected(two or three sides of buildings) you can tie the trailer down the strap the boat to the trailer. If you don't have a protected area I reccommend removing the tramp, and tieing the hulls to the ground. A central tiedown on the trailer as well. The idea is to reduce the windage as much as possible. Tie to the cross bars if you are using rope.

take you, the wife, the kids, the dogs, and the boat and leave town. the boats not safe in your yard(limbs and trees and flying debris) and neither are you. i rode out katrina at my home in hattiesburg, ms(70 miles from coast) and winds were steady at 115mph...the entire path of the storm left trees everywhere! biggest mess you have ever seen. definitely get the boat off of the beach or you will never see it again. find a nice place to watch it all happen on tv in the air conditioning. unless you are a contractor, get on out and watch those poor people suffer on tv.

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bill harris
hattiesburg, mississippi
prindle 16- "BLUE RIBBON"
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For Katrina, Rita, Ike, Gustav, et al I bought some 24" stakes at Home Depot and pounded them in around the boat and tied it (on the trailer) down. After a couple of bad ones, the stakes were pulled out a good eight inches.

Get insurance if you can (and your cat is worth more than 1k)

your catamaran is not that important that you should evacuate with it during a real evacuation (IMHO). this ads to traffic issues, reduces your ability to see around you and god forbid you get caught in a real storm (think twister) with a boat attached to your car...


for the best protection either bury concrete anchors or railroad ties underground. have eye straps or similar to tie the boat down with.

next best is to use tree augers or similar that screw in, stakes can get pulled out of wet ground.

It really depends on what type of cat you have and where you live. I have a H16 and live near the Gulf. So, When it looks like something is going to come my way. Like IVAN did!!!!! I separate the hulls from the tramp frame. This makes three nice big pieces to move around. I place the frame with tramp intact along with the hulls in my garage. The mast is stored directly up against the north or west side of the house along the ground and wall edge. I stake the trailer down on the same side of the house.

Basically take the small items and bring them in. My cars are stuck outside close to the house. They are insured so I can take the risk. I did get some nice shingle scratches on the hood and windshield of my truck once.

If you can't store it indoors. Take it as far from trees as you can. Put it near the leeward side of your home. Let the house be the wind break.

Just a thought....perhaps you can make a deal with a local trucking or warehouse company to store your boat in their facility for a short time. This way you have the thing inside out of harms way.

We have some warehouse space here in NJ and I have been thinking about offering inside storage for cats during the winter months. I know a few people that are interested already.

I am about 15 miles north ofthe Mouth of Mobile Bay. We have ridden out every storm that has ever came ashore in my 28 years alive. They are not fun but I dont plan on starting to leave now. I have a safe room built in my house that was engineered to withstand tornado force winds. We will get in it if it gets too bad. Thanks for all of the good ideas, I think I will get some trailer stakes to keep on hand in case a storm heads our way. The Getaway has two trampolines to catch wind is the only bad thing, I have insurance on it just incase.

the main criteria is: are you in the tidal surge are? if yes, then leave...my old house in pascagoula (2 blocks off of beach) got 5' of water through it during katrina...the gulf of mexico was as far north of jackson avenue(2 miles north of beach), biloxi had a 20' surge, gulfport was at 30'. the people who rode it out rode it out on there roofs. if you out of the tidal surge zone, then the 100+mph winds is the enemy. every single square inch of you town and country will be cover in limbs, trees, and debris. put the cat inside if you don't want if messed up, you are only lucky if it isn't destroyed outside. naturally i'm talking about getting HIT by a HURRICANE, not grazed by a tropical storm/depression. i am a veteran of many hurricanes(direct hits with frederick, elena, camile, katrina)

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bill harris
hattiesburg, mississippi
prindle 16- "BLUE RIBBON"
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Having rode out every hurricane on the coast since 1961, (we did go to a downtown motel for Camille) I think I can say that tidal surges and tornadoes are the problem. If tidal surge is a problem then get out like Coastrat said. If you don't worry about tidal surge then worry about the tornadoes. If a tornado hits your boat in the backyard it will be the least of your problems. So tie down away from large trees (small ones will stay up) with screw in stakes.

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Nacra 5.2
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I ordered some screw in stakes from harbor frieght yesterday so I will be ready. I hope no one on the coast gets hit hard but you never know. Better to be safe than sorry.

ok...here is the deal, when a real hurricane hits your town, you will crap your pants, it ain't no joke, your precious classic car you left outside is f@#ked. your boat has become a kite. screw the idea of being carefull about your boat on the highway...save yourself and your boat...go and save you family in the hills...sincerely, hurricane survivor, bill....really, leave town, unless you are a tree removal business or a home repair specialist, or a power line worker, or a beer salesman, a city without power is a drag...please believe me.

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bill harris
hattiesburg, mississippi
prindle 16- "BLUE RIBBON"
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quick story, when hurricane frederick hit the ms gulf coast in 1979, my family took refuge in a bank in downtown pascagoula, ms.. i watched a 21' san juan sailboat fly in the wind while being tied down to the cast iron columns of the banks drive through windows. the wind blew so hard that the boat flew off of the ground like a kite...me and my brothers watched it in amazement...the trailor was attached to the boat...flying 2' off of the ground like a ribbon in the wind...then a huge cast iron light fixture broke loose on the front poarch...wow..kids love this stuff...stereo tornados...a river on the front poarch...sounded like a movie turned up too loud...hurricanes are intense!!! the real damage happens after the eye passes over, the trees have been pumped in one direction so long that when the wind shifts, the trees snap and fall soooo much!!! most of my damage happened n the first 10 minutes after the eye passed...trees were falling like bowling pins. the coolest thing was a river of water and shredded leaves that snaked its way across my poarch window, like a huge python...i fear and respect hurricanes...signed, a witness to the real deal...

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bill harris
hattiesburg, mississippi
prindle 16- "BLUE RIBBON"
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After "riding out" three hurricanes in a row in 2004 I could not agree more. Just leave, its so much nicer. No power at all for 8 days, limited food supplies (and no way to cook), limited stores/restaurants open, hot/humid as hell, standing water everywhere, mosquitos, etc. It royally sucked. Ended up checking into an Orlando hotel for a few nights just to get some A/C and a shower. Learn from others' mistakes, there is no reward for "riding it out". Just button everything up and take a vacation if a hurricane heads your way. Take the sailboat with you or move it inland and store it. Trust me, steady 80 mph plus winds will overcome any kind of tie down system (just ask your local roofer).