Hurricane Sandy - What Prep and Advice for Next Time?

[westsail374]

How are folks preparing for Hurricane Sandy and the associated Nor'easter?
Probably way too busy doing so now to respond.

Actually wondering how well the preparations work out and what advice you might have those who will be doing it nest time?

Bill

[Blue Crab]

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[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by westsail374

How are folks preparing for Hurricane Sandy and the associated Nor'easter?
Probably way too busy doing so now to respond.

Actually wondering how well the preparations work out and what advice you might have those who will be doing it nest time?

Bill

I think the most important thing might be non-waterproof chafing gear. Let the water GET to those lines, because the rain keeps them cool as they stretch and relax over and over. In Katrina, most lines failed because they melted from the inside out BECAUSE they had waterproof chafing.

It's a big storm and the boats are going to be bounced around. The freshest line you have, with good chafing protection where needed, extra lines, extra batteries if you need it for the bilge pumps. I would use waterproof tape and seal all the hatches, windows and companionway so the boat cannot fill up with rain water.

[westsail374]

Originally Posted by Rakuflames

I think the most important thing might be non-waterproof chafing gear. Let the water GET to those lines, because the rain keeps them cool as they stretch and relax over and over. In Katrina, most lines failed because they melted from the inside out BECAUSE they had waterproof chafing.

It's a big storm and the boats are going to be bounced around. The freshest line you have, with good chafing protection where needed, extra lines, extra batteries if you need it for the bilge pumps. I would use waterproof tape and seal all the hatches, windows and companionway so the boat cannot fill up with rain water.

I agree that the fact that boats can sink from water coming from overhead is under appreciated.

[Astrid]

Make sure the cockpit and chain locker scuppers (if you have self bailing types)are free and clear of debris, and if you are staying on board, make sure they stay clear of leaves and whatever else the wind might blow in.

[sailorchic34]

Having gone through two hurricanes in SW florida, here's sailorchic's list of pre-hurricane prep.

Double up ALL dock lines and add chaff gear to each. Leave enough slack in the dock lines to allow for storm surge. Use springs to center boat in slip Remember winds will clock 180 once the storm passes.

Fender boards if on piles and lots of fenders too.

Remove head sails and sheets. Secure halyards where they will not bang or chaff.

Remove mainsail if over cat 2. For cat 1 & 2 wrap mainsail cover with rope to keep the sail secured.

Remove Bimini and Dodger cloth. Secure all loose items on deck.

If inflatable dinghy, but it in the water and pull plug and let it fill with water.. May need to let some air out of the tubes too. Secure dinghy to boat.

[dianaofburlingt]

It might be enlightening for some of us with boats in the water along the US East Coast to report what they have done or will be doing to ride out the storm this weekend and week. Do you shore up in the marina? --set anchors? --raft up? --drive way up a river away from the coast? --do a fast haul-out?

People have separate ideas. Those of us intending to live aboard can learn much from those who have seen this stuff before.

Looking forward to hearing from you all!

[cheoah]

Still on my storm mooring, canceled sailing plans this week. Canvas all stripped, anchors stowed, fresh lines w/ chafe protection added back in July. This is my preferred method, but in the past I've set anchors. Living 400 miles from the boat, I set it up for storm season early in July and recommission in late Oct/early Nov.

Winds are 25-30 kts out of the NNE here in Ocean Isle, NC - just south of Wilmington; rain is light. The surf is up, but nothing significant. We'll see what tomorrow's flood tide brings. The storm is pretty far out there, and still gusting well into the 30's here, and seems to go on and on. Best of luck to those in the Delaware Bay/Cape May general area.

Chance favors the prepared. This storm is nothing to be cavalier about.

[rolandcavanagh]

Started our annual Fall migration from RI South and began watching Sandy. Started running

[rolandcavanagh]

Originally Posted by rolandcavanagh

Started our annual Fall migration from RI South and began watching Sandy. Started running

Stoopid controls on iPhone...

Meant to say left RI on Wednesday and instead of a leisurely meander thru NYC and down the NJ waterway we ran long hours and landed in Chesapeake City at 7pm tonight (Sat). Expecting to weather it much better here than home or in Cape May. A side benefit is that the tiki bar was open and Haloween in full swing!

They're planning to empty the ground floor buildings at the Chesapeake Inn tonight as the water is almost over the docks right now due to the moon tide.

Hoping that 50 miles inland plus the sheltered basin will do the trick.

Good luck to all

[FSMike]

Originally Posted by Rakuflames

--- In Katrina, most lines failed because they melted from the inside out BECAUSE they had waterproof chafing. ---

Hi Raku -
Can I ask where you got that information? I've heard that said before but I've never seen a first hand example.

[Don1500]

I doubled all lines, brought down the Bimini, brought in everything that could be blown away, tied down everything that wouldn't fit inside. Tied a rope around my main sail and secured my jib. Rewired my bilge pump so the auto feature worked, a job I had put off for too long (a week).

Since I am in Savannah this was over kill. We didn't get any rain and the wind was <25 knts. Today is bright and sunny, no clouds and 77-80°. But it is better to have done it and not needed to than needed to and not done it. (The no-see-um's are still eating me alive!)

Hope y'all up north get through it OK, too.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by Don1500

............Since I am in Savannah this was over kill. We didn't get any rain and the wind was <25 knts. Today is bright and sunny, no clouds and 77-80°. But it is better to have done it and not needed to than needed to and not done it..............

'best to over-prep than to take too much risk. I didn't prepare for much here in the St. Johns River, but when I feel like we might be a target for something big I look for a good location. Location is an extremely inportant factor during a big tropical storm or hurricane. Since I'm easily underway, I look for a location with the following:
1- Inland,- up a river far from the shore
2- Little fetch- 'best with less than a quarter mile for all directions
3- Holding- A bottom of sand, clay or firm mud
4- Shallow- I'd rather put out 200' of chain in a six foot depth
5- Forgiving shore- A soft landing if things go wrong,- not rock or cement
6- No Debris- no loose logs or tin roof boathouses
7- High Surroundings- Hills, Forests, Buildings, etc. as a block
8- Few Neighbors- Not crowded with other boats

I like to have all eight, but I require the first four. As others have said, I strip windage & secure things. I set up a series of three chafe protected snubbers in line to take over if the proceding one fails. I like to choose one heavy anchor with all chain so I will remain pointed into the wind. I've done well with a couple of hurricanes and a few tropical storms with this plan. I've also done well when I've been in a secure marina with the first two requirements,- Inland & Little Fetch. More often than not I have "over-prepared" as Don said, but I never let that prevent me from preparing the next time! My total storm damage over more than forty years of living aboard has been the loss of about 18 inches of rub rail during a quick afternoon squall while I was on an exposed dock with too much fetch.

[chuckr]

1st - we have been thru 7 hurricanes when we lived in miami from little ones to biggens - and there is no such thing as a little one - you did not say so i will assume you are at a dock -
2nd - Sandy is going to be a 30-40 hour event so much longer than normal so the boat will take a longer beating and more chance of things going wrong
3rd - our advise and what we did for each and every blow and we never had a problem - was
take down all and i mean all sails - don't just wrap them up and hope - take them down and store them
then all canvas off and stored - make the deck as clean as possible
we went from normal 1/2" or 5/8" dock lines to 3/4" - we had a 5/8 break during wilma -
we doubled or tripled all dock lines from bow to springs going both ways to stern and crossed the stern as well as stright back
got the boat as far away from the dock as possible so we could leave lines loose enough for tidal surge and from what we hear it will be a big one
fenders everywhere
make sure your insurance is up to date
then go hide and pray everyone else did the same thing

the only damage we ever got was from a boat next to us that did not prepare and a 5/8" line broke on his stern and he hit us during katrina - damaged our rub rail

then light a candle, say a pray and go home

just our thoughts and opinions
chuck patty and svsoulmates
in trinidad for hurricane season

[DeepFrz]

FSMike, I have a hurricane prep. brochure from Charleston County. What they suggest is eye splicing a nylon line and a polyester line together. The polyester line should be long enough to go from the cleat on deck to past any chafe point on the boat. Polyester has no stretch and is very chafe resistant, however they recommend using hose or some other method of chafe protection. Because polyester doesn't stretch there is not much internal heat build up. The nylon section of the line of course provides shock protection because of its stretch.