cruisingworld.com66
may 2018
may 2018cruisingworld.com66
SEAMANSHIPW
hat do you do if there’s
a major hurricane,
Category 3 or above, bearing
down on your boat? Surviving
the storm involves a certain
amount of luck, but you can
substantially up your odds with
good preparation. We’ve taken
two major hits, from Hurri-
cane Irma this past year in the
Florida Keys and Marty in 2003
in the Sea of Cortez, and have
been within 50 miles of the eye
of four other storms. Those
experiences taught us many
things, with these 10 being the
most important.CHECK YOUR
INSURANCE01
Double-check your in-
surance policy for re-quired preparation for a major
hurricane. Also, reread the hur-
ricane plan you fi led, stating
how you would prepare. Should
a claim be necessary, you’ll have
to prove you fulfi lled your ob-
ligations. Be sure to take your
policy with you if you evacuate.REMOVE SAILS02
Sails must come down
for any hurricane,
doubly so for a major one. Ty-
ing off a roller-furled sail (ge-
noa or main) is simply not suf-
fi cient against hurricane-force
winds, which will tug at the
exposed edges of the sail and
pull out a little pocket — fi rst 6
inches, then 12. It doesn’t seem
like much, but when winds
are 70, 100 or 130 knots, that’s
enough sail area to put substan-
tial pressure on your lines andground tackle.
Your sail will shred, but
that’s not the worst part.
During Hurricane Marty, which
my husband, Dave, and I rode
out in La Paz, Mexico, with our
Tayana 37, marina docks were
pulled apart by “sailing” boats,
which then crashed into other
boats and docks, pulling them
free as well. In other storms,
we’ve seen cleats ripped out of
docks and from boat decks due
to the force of the wind on just
a scrap of unwound sail. Boats
on the hard have been toppled
or fl ipped, creating a chain
reaction.
Additionally, most insurance
policies will not pay out if sails
are left on. Getting sails off is
arguably the most important
thing you can do to help your
boat survive the storm.STRIP THE DECKS03
Reducing windage is
key to reducing the
stresses on your lines, moor-
ing, anchors or, if on the hard,
jack stands. Removing sails is
the fi rst and biggest part of
this, but it’s also important
to get everything else inside
the saloon or off the boat that
you can. Bimini, dodger, fl ags,
grill, decorative lights, MOB
devices, port covers, cock-
pit cushions — it all adds up
to increased windage, not
to mention that these items
would likely be lost during a
storm, or possibly become a
damaging fl ying projectile.
Find a secure place inside
the boat or ashore for the din-
ghy; davits are about the worst
possible place because the ten-
der will catch wind, act as a
good-size sail and possibly rip
the davits off.RUN THE LINES04
Having new lines of
the right size and
type is critical. Whether it’s
dock lines, mooring lines or an-
chor snubbers, if your boat is in
the water, the lines are the only
thing keeping it in place.4 IN THE CROSSHAIRS
If you need to leave your boat in the path of a hurricane, here are 10
tips to help keep it secure. BY CAROLYN SHEARLOCKCAROLYN SHEARLOCKWrecked boats lined the shore of Boot Key
Harbor, in the Florida Keys, in the wake of
2017’s Hurricane Irma.