Did anyone here Ride Out and/or Evade Ian

[Iron E]

Interested to know if anyone here on CF was in the direct path of Ian and had success keeping their boat intact.

What were waves like in the bays, gulf, and Atlantic?
What were the techniques used?

[Rumrace]

I know two boats headed north well ahead. All the destruction I’ve seen on TV is masses of large power boats. I recall reading up on hurricanes in the past and several captains. One powerboat under power fought the hurricane in a river. Lost a rear window and got a couch wet. It does say on insurance policies to mitigate damage. Not too many marinas were built to take a hit from Ian. Turning a huge concrete break-wall to shrapnel is quite the trick.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Iron E

Interested to know if anyone here on CF was in the direct path of Ian and had success keeping their boat intact.

What were waves like in the bays, gulf, and Atlantic?
What were the techniques used?

Techniques that would have been used would be what we all know.

If the boat was in the direct path though of a Cat 4 Hurricane blowing at 155 knots with 8' - 12' surge luck would have played a huge part.

One guy mentioned being properly prepared at his floating dock and the boat survived but if the pilings had been a tad shorter or the surge a foot higher boat and dock would have been destroyed along with most all the other boats at that dock

Or if the storm had moved just a couple miles North or South in this case of where it made contact with land would have made a huge difference ........

[Iron E]

Originally Posted by Rumrace

I know two boats headed north well ahead.

If I was still living in St. Pete, I would have attempted evading Ian as well.

[Rumrace]

Honestly, I’ve loved my boats enough to set sail. Experience tells me bring my daughter leave wife and son on shore. Now it’s bring her oldest son also but she’s still the family Spitfire.
The boat which a minimal experience captain survived a famous US hurricane was a Bluewater 51-55 not sure. But it has huge windows a cross from a fly bridge and a house boat. Shallow V no step. They don’t look like they could take a Lake Ontario storm let alone a hurricane.
Was my experience going north up the eastern seaboard is much harder than heading south. With a supposed 600n rage at 7-8n I gather with 4 days notice my two pals got clear of the landfall but we’re heading for the Carolina’s. They likely figured that out and headed out in the Atlantic.
a bunch of us hid out a storm in Georgian bay in a tiny spot called frying pan bay. Was no room to anchor but three rows of boats to raft off all with waiting arms. I hope many boats found shelter north

[Sailor Sailor]

Lots of sailboats were destroyed by Hurricane Ian. They faired no differently than the powerboats. This was one of the strongest hurricanes to hit the U.S. The signs were all there several days in advance and many of us tried to warn folks to evacuate, although some here minimized or denied the danger. Here is just one video from Sailing Doodles:

https://youtube.com/shorts/b6KzfGRuCbc?feature=share

It was not exactly localized, although Ft. Myer Beach was hit hard. Look on YouTube - there were 100 knot winds and 10 foot storm surge. After seeing the wind and waves in the streets of Ft. Myer Beach, it caused me to question the wisdom of the advice to run downwind in a survival storm; with sufficient sea room, bow to wind on a sea anchor would seem the wisest approach in a storm this strong.

[Sailor Sailor]

Here is a view of a large ketch in the road in Ft. Myer Beach from CBS Miami:

https://youtu.be/tVORyNcmaU8

[Rumrace]

So I guess the destruction of boats represents the percentage. I read 95% power in FLA.
Unbelievable storm. I have a photo of 2 tornados behind us bigger than life seems pretty lame now.
My only advise fighting a storm is take your cockpit canvas down and lock it away. Take everything off you rails and lines. Put every sheet tail locked in bag, locker , or whatever. Put your portables in the oven and don’t turn on the oven. Get the life raft out lashed ready to go. Life lines I’ve always run scuba buddy rules. Hurricanes my only guess is leave the area with or without the boat.

[Sailor Sailor]

I just posted a video in the Distress forum about 4 sailors rescued off a catamaran in North Carolina by the USCG, after Ian diminished to a category 1 hurricane, with 12 - 14 foot waves reported. Apparently, they tried to anchor.

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by Sailor Sailor

I just posted a video in the Distress forum about 4 sailors rescued off a catamaran in North Carolina by the USCG, after Ian diminished to a category 1 hurricane, with 12 - 14 foot waves reported. Apparently, they tried to anchor.

I can't imagine anchoring in that being viable for the majority of boats. I'd think at that point you have to keep moving in whatever direction proves most controllable or safest for the boat and has enough sea room.

[Chotu]

Check.

The core of the hurricane, Third direct hit for my boat, went right over it.

yes, someone rode out the storm on my boat, but it wasn’t me. Because it was still in the middle of epoxy work. The composite chainplates were finished 2 days prior to the hurricane hitting it. So my helper was on the boat for the storm. Way over 100 mph winds. water came right up over the fixed dock. I think a 5-8ft rise in water level.

I seriously doubt anyone will be able to tell you what the waves were like out in the gulf. They will have been destroyed. The key to your boat not being destroyed by a hurricane is to get it out of open water. And away from marinas if possible.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by Sailor Sailor

Lots of sailboats were destroyed by Hurricane Ian. They faired no differently than the powerboats. This was one of the strongest hurricanes to hit the U.S. The signs were all there several days in advance and many of us tried to warn folks to evacuate, although some here minimized or denied the danger. Here is just one video from Sailing Doodles:

https://youtube.com/shorts/b6KzfGRuCbc?feature=share

It was not exactly localized, although Ft. Myer Beach was hit hard. Look on YouTube - there were 100 knot winds and 10 foot storm surge. After seeing the wind and waves in the streets of Ft. Myer Beach, it caused me to question the wisdom of the advice to run downwind in a survival storm; with sufficient sea room, bow to wind on a sea anchor would seem the wisest approach in a storm this strong.

What do you mean? There’s plenty of sea room. Just head right down the street in Fort Myers Beach. You can get ice cream on your way through. A nice run. Ha ha

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

I can't imagine anchoring in that being viable for the majority of boats. I'd think at that point you have to keep moving in whatever direction proves most controllable or safest for the boat and has enough sea room.

Actually, I anchored through a category three storm without any damage or movement of the boat.

The eye of the storm went right over my boat.

The only time that I sustained damage from a hurricane was when I left the boat in a marina and the marina equipment failed, crushing all the boats together. They all smashed against a seawall for the entire time and into each other. Many of them sunk. Mine sustained only cosmetic damage because it’s so light. It didn’t have a lot of momentum so each hit was delicate as compared to the strength of the structure of the boat. It basically got a lot of scratches that ruined the paint. Scratches from peoples davits, bows, etc.

as a comparison, think about throwing a model airplane into a wall, and then think about a paper airplane hitting a wall. That’s the difference.

but when I put my boat out to anchor in a small creek for the other category 3 or 4 storm that went right over it, no problems at all. OK. Maybe I’m lying. I did have a couple problems. But they were not the fault of the boat. One of my hatches blew away. I had not put hinges on it yet. Also one of my windows popped off. Because I hadn’t properly secured them yet. I was still figuring out how to do the glazing.

But the boat didn’t move an inch. And it sat with a bridal on an 80lbs Manson supreme anchor. That’s it. Free to swing. No tie offs to anything else.

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by Chotu

Actually, I anchored through a category three storm without any damage or movement of the boat.

The eye of the storm went right over my boat.

The only time that I sustained damage from a hurricane was when I left the boat in a marina and the marina equipment failed, crushing all the boats together. They all smashed against a seawall for the entire time and into each other. Many of them sunk. Mine sustained only cosmetic damage because it’s so light. It didn’t have a lot of momentum so each hit was delicate as compared to the strength of the structure of the boat. It basically got a lot of scratches that ruined the paint. Scratches from peoples davits, bows, etc.

as a comparison, think about throwing a model airplane into a wall, and then think about a paper airplane hitting a wall. That’s the difference.

but when I put my boat out to anchor in a small creek for the other category 3 or 4 storm that went right over it, no problems at all. OK. Maybe I’m lying. I did have a couple problems. But they were not the fault of the boat. One of my hatches blew away. I had not put hinges on it yet. Also one of my windows popped off. Because I hadn’t properly secured them yet. I was still figuring out how to do the glazing.

But the boat didn’t move an inch. And it sat with a bridal on an 80lbs Manson supreme anchor. That’s it. Free to swing. No tie offs to anything else.

I was thinking of the wave action being an issue more than the wind. I assume you weren't in unprotected open water for the hurricane you anchored through.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

I was thinking of the wave action being an issue more than the wind. I assume you weren't in unprotected open water for the hurricane you anchored through.

definitely not in open water. I brought it to where monohulls can’t even go.

I found the smallest creek that went off of a navigable river and had enough swing room for the boat to do a full circle.

zero wave action. All wind. falling trees and branches were a bigger danger. That’s the whole key to keeping the boat intact during a hurricane. (For the op, not you). The more inland you can get your boat the better.