SURVIVING THE STORM
A Hurricane Guide for Boaters

IF YOU HAVE A TRAILERABLE BOAT

All trailerable boats should be removed from the water and taken to a safe location on dry land.
Boats on trailers should be partially filled with water to provide additional weight and stabilization.
The boat and trailer should be stored in a secure, covered building. If left outside, the boat and trailer unit should be secured to the ground using ground hooks and straps.

IF YOU HAVE A BOAT MOORED AT DOCK

• Secure all hatches and doors, and tape all windows from the inside.
• Double up on mooring lines, as well as spring lines, to secure the boat in its mooring. Use several cleats to distribute the load on the boat. Allow as much line as possible for tide and storm surge. Attach chafing gear, such as reinforced radiator hose, where lines will rub. Provide several feet of chafing hose on each side of rub locations.
• Remove all loose articles on deck including bimini tops, plastic side enclosures, sails and dinghies. Store these items on land. Store small loose items below deck, including antennas. Unstep sailboat masts and store them on land.
• Shut off fuel lines at the tank and close thru hull fittings. Disconnect electric, water and other connections from dock.
• Remove all electronics and valuables to prevent destruction or theft.

YOU WILL BE ANCHORING OUT

It may be a better option to anchor a boat on the lee side of protective land rather than mooring to a dock. Use two anchors and no stern anchor. The anchors should be either Danforth or Yachtman plow types. Anchor line length should be a minimum of 6-9 times the depth of the water to compensate for storm surge and swing. Use chafing gear. Please remember that the position of the boat may change drastically as the storm passes and winds shift.

• Up river as far as possible
• The lee side of spoils islands in Tampa Bay
• Riviera Bay, if water depth is sufficient
• Old Tampa Bay north of the Howard Frankland Bridge, (north of the Courtney Campbell Causeway is preferred) near the Pinellas coastline
• A sheltered bay, if water depth is sufficient

It is not recommended that you stay with your boat during a hurricane emergency. "Live-aboards" who elect to remain with their vessel should notify someone on shore of their intent. Dress in safety gear (wet suits and flotation devices) and have a battery powered radio and distress equipment available to monitor the storm’s progress and signal for assistance if necessary.

Unless your vessel can run fast, and you have a good head start, do not try to outrun an approaching storm. Twelve foot seas can exist up to 150 miles from the center of the storm system.

The FDOT Pinellas County Bascule Bridge Hurricane Plan, your guide to moving your boat to safe port when tropical storm winds threaten, is also available from the Pinellas County Department of Emergency Management.

• Even the most stringent protective measures will not guarantee the survivability of your boat during a hurricanes onslaught. But the following suggestions, coupled with common sense, will lessen damages to your vessel.
• Always keep your watercraft in good condition. Be certain that all systems are functioning. Keep batteries fully charged and make certain bilge pumps are fully operational.
• Early preparation and planning are the keys to storm survivability. All boaters should have a hurricane plan prepared for their vessel. Be sure to file a copy of the plan with your marina operator. Prepare a checklist of actions to be completed in anticipation of a hurricane or tropical storm.
• Begin implementing your hurricane checklist at the issuance of a Hurricane Watch by the National Hurricane Center. Dont wait for a Hurricane Warning or Evacuation Order to act.
• Purchase and stow mooring line specifically for use in the event of a hurricane. As a general rule, line should be twice the diameter of your normal line.

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