Do you think she stands a chance?

[DenisHeinrichs]

Make sure you have a way for water to get out of the boat!

A friends boat in Mexico just went through a hurricane and got flooded on the hard because the water got trapped inside the boat.

They had about 3 feet of water in the whole boat!

Make sure you have bilge pumps on, or pull the hose off of a thru hull to allow any rain water to escape.

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by paulajayne

Remove all canvas to reduce windage as much as possible.
I would also think about removing furling jib and the booms.

Deflate dingy and store inside.
Strap down as best you can.

Good luck.

Nice looking boat. BTW

^^^ This: Boom down or off and lashed. Canvas frames down or off and lashed. Decks cleared. Cradle chained and staked with sand screws. Also consider whether inrushing water could reach where you are and float the boat free. Having seen roof tiles and coconuts airborne in the puny Gonzalo of '14, I would consider storm shutters and I would leave the bilge pump on auto, too.

[estarzinger]

Are you on the island?

I just want to be sure you are getting a real honest clear picture of what might be about to happen.

We were in St Martin for luis, when it was a cat 4. Of the like 500 boats anchored and on the hard on the island, like only a handful survived (only 3 of us in the lagoon). And the buildings and infrastructure was also mostly destroyed. There was a ton of flying debris in the air.

If this hits the island as a cat 5 it could be truly devastating. I hope everything is stronger and better since Luis, but a cat 5 will still probably make mincemeat of pretty much everything.

If you are on the island, do everything possible you can for the boat - take everything possible off it, and lash it down to the ground . . . but realize it may be taken from you . . . and leave enough time to make sure you are somewhere safe and have a good supply of safe drinking water. The difference between a cat 1 and a cat 5 is the difference between a walk in the park on a hot day, and a forced run thru hell.

If you are on the island and have any possibility to get off/away - take it.

[Cheechako]

She sits low and a long keel. Sure she has a chance. But removing the masts would be nice. It all depends on how hard ST M gets hit I guess. Will the other boats remove their sticks?

[neilpride]

I read somewhere planes and jets leave the airport in route to Curacao,, no way to get out right now.

[robbievardon]

I was in G Cayman 2003?/2004? 38ft ketch on the hard Cat 5 hurricane eye a few miles offshore for 36 hours. If you can step the mast,do so. Your "cradle" needs to be as strong as you can make it. If their is a chance of any size waves lifting the boat allow for it falling over so keep any solid objects away from where it will land.Got any palm trees nearby,tie onto them. If you know your neighbours think joint strategy. Best of luck.

[robbievardon]

Blue boat next door,if it is just props and wedges it is going to fall over in my opinion. Insures might not be too kind over payouts.

[jmschmidt]

Sorry Callisto. Good luck and be safe to all in peril, including me in the BVI. Lets hope Irma heads north just a little bit. That's all I'm asking.

[neilpride]

The isue there more than wind damage is the tidal impact, most SXM boatyards are at sea level, stormsurge is expected between 2 to 3 meters, just figurate ....

[InTheDish]

Prayers to all.

[Colin A]

Strip the boat down tie it down. Not much else you can do.

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by callistov42

Callisto, my beloved baby for 23 years is on the hard in St Martin. This was not planned for the storm, she just needed a bottom job so we hauled her two weeks ago.

She is really well blocked, all the canvass is stripped. Do you think she has any chance with 150 mph winds... sniff, sniff.

Callisto,

Well, it really will depend on how much flying junk there is, and if she is anchored to the ground (straps over, and anchors screwed into the ground). If you are on the island do whatever else you can.

Afterwards, you'll see what you have left. That's just a lot of wind, and flying debris does a very great deal of damage.

Good luck, man. Focus on humanitarian efforts after the storm passes. There will be people who will be grateful for any help. Let the boat come second to that, hard as it may be.

Ann

[captlloyd]

Originally Posted by DenisHeinrichs

Make sure you have a way for water to get out of the boat!

A friends boat in Mexico just went through a hurricane and got flooded on the hard because the water got trapped inside the boat.

They had about 3 feet of water in the whole boat!

Make sure you have bilge pumps on, or pull the hose off of a thru hull to allow any rain water to escape.

In this case, water in the boat may not be a bad thing.

[snokid]

I guess I'm going to ask a dumb question....
this like most storms are forecasted 10-14 days in advance I know I have been watching it come for about 10 days the same time as texas was getting hit. I know that far out it's path is very hard to predict.

So knowing a storm is heading in your general direction why didn't you move the boat south?

Not trying to bash anyone or stir the pot I just don't get why people don't leave while they have a chance.

Bob

[Mariano]

It´s blowing at 185 mph and guts over 220 mph now (160 and 190 knots) so it will be nasty.Good luck

Mariano