Anyone prepping along the Florida and Gulf coast??

[ragin cajun]

Seems weather channel has started their drum beat for a strengthening storm headed to South Florida then into the Gulf. Being in Gulfport marina right on the Miss. Sound I'm getting ready for that phone call to abandon marina!
Plan is to move up in the Biloxi bay system to a haul-out marina at the end of the industrial canal. Thinking on moving Ms Puddy Friday giving 5 days before weather system pulls into our area. While on the hard will have bottom painted, re-pack stuffing glands along with some maintenance on board......

 

[menzies]

Here in Florida it is illegal to force boaters to leave a marina. Reason behind the law is that people will be putting their lives at risk to save property.

 

[Deano]

I'm going to give it a couple more days to develope before I make travel plans.

 

[Deano]

I just talked to one of my neighbors in Florida and decided to get a flex fare ticket to St. Pete for Friday. I can always save the ticket for another time if not needed.

 

[BandB]

Is this for Invest 99L to become Hermine? No, we're not making any extra preparations for it. Just doing our normal checks that everything is properly secured. Only thing additional would be to move all portable outdoor furniture inside. As to boats, all secured adequately. Now, personally, we're in Wisconsin at the moment.

 

[Panhandler]

We're in Pensacola and will be watching Invest 99L closely. May hunker down or run the boat north, east, or west just depending.

 

[Lobstah]

I think the bigger concern for Hermine will be if it follows the European model, and crosses Florida to restrengthen in the Gulf, then head for Louisiana. They just don't need something like this on top of what they're already dealing with.

 

[jleonard]

In reading the report it's too early to worry

 

[BandB]

I think the bigger concern for Hermine will be if it follows the European model, and crosses Florida to restrengthen in the Gulf, then head for Louisiana. They just don't need something like this on top of what they're already dealing with.

I think you're right that it could cause damage inland even if it was only a 35 mph storm by the time it reached Louisiana. The various models will probably start to converge more over the next 24 hours.

 

[Lobstah]

2pm model runs look to have shifted potential tracks slightly eastward now, moving more along the east coast of Fl.
I think part of that change is because the models all seem to have a bit more trouble with slow moving storms...which this one is. And until it picks up some energy in the Bahamas, the projections could shift several times.
I'm not a weatherman, don't even play one on TV (or the internet ) BUT, I still think it crosses us and heads into the Gulf.
Accu (not imune to hyping) feels the key is in how it interacts with Hispaniola...if it gets pushed south of there, it significantly weakens. If it comes north of there due to a weakness between two highs further north, then it strengthens and comes bar hopping.

 

[Rogerh]

Our hurricane Haul out marina in Fort Walton Beach priced us out this year. 4K per year for a spot and another 2K or more for each haul out. Does anyone know of any marinas from Pensacola to Panama City that would take a new storm haul out if I need to do that. We have a 52 foot Jefferson. My plan is try and move as far away from storm as I can but I prefer and my insurance prefers that I haul out. Thanks

 

[kartracer]

I have an extra 100 foot of dock space in Houma on a private canal if anyone needs docking.

 

[Deckape]

Getting things in order ,and heading to ft Lauderdale tomorrow to close up condo and secure dock boxes and then back to marathon to see what's going to happen. Will secure the boat on a inside slip as I'm on the outside dock. Hope it passes and everyone will be out of harm's way. Looks as it will pass across Florida and then head into the gulf coast of Florida.

 

[kelbylinn]

Dauphin island here (mouth of Mobile Bay). Have set up plans to go on the hard at Saunders Yacht Works in gulf shores early next week if necessary. Was already scheduled in after Labor Day for teak deck replacement -going to an alwgrip non-skid surface. Normally we head up the river system about 20 miles above the port of mobile and tie off and hang on. We've seen too many of these to not have a plan in place.

 

[BandB]

I'm surprised reading some of this. Seems like most of you take hurricane steps like hauling your boat or heading up river for even possible tropical storms. Is it because you don't feel it's safe in your regular slip or your insurance requires it or the marina requires it?

 

[psneeld]

I'm surprised reading some of this. Seems like most of you take hurricane steps like hauling your boat or heading up river for even possible tropical storms. Is it because you don't feel it's safe in your regular slip or your insurance requires it or the marina requires it?

You regularly state that where you are is not in a flood zone....that is great.

Many protected marinas or dock areas become "unprotected" when storm surge adds even 3 to 4 feet to a normal high tide.

I relocated for Superstore Sandy and it was a nothing burger except 200 year flood waters that almost floated me into a county park...another 4 inches may have.

I wouldn't stay in my marina if more than a Cat I hurricane less than 50 miles off the coast went by, and I wouldn't pull either. Not enough protection.

And I am all the way up in NJ where hurricanes are few and far between, but winter noreasters are common and do a lot of damage from high water.

 

[kelbylinn]

In our case, we are not safe at the marina here on the island. We have seen a normal tide surge of over eight feet above normal high tide and no floating docks. DAUPHIN island is a barrier island about 7 miles out from the Mobile county mainland. We're usually first hit and hardest hit for this area of mobile bay. During Ivan and then Katrina, boats left here ended up well away from the water they were docked in. BoatUS insurance also kicks in if you haul the boat helping with the costs. We can move the boat into safer locations but our home and business locations here will be secured and on there own - we will evacuate. As I indeed shared before we have seen too many of these in our area to remain complacent. Plans are in place for sure.

 

[BandB]

You regularly state that where you are is not in a flood zone....that is great.

Many protected marinas or dock areas become "unprotected" when storm surge adds even 3 to 4 feet to a normal high tide.

I relocated for Superstore Sandy and it was a nothing burger except 200 year flood waters that almost floated me into a county park...another 4 inches may have.

I wouldn't stay in my marina if more than a Cat I hurricane less than 50 miles off the coast went by, and I wouldn't pull either. Not enough protection.

And I am all the way up in NJ where hurricanes are few and far between, but winter noreasters are common and do a lot of damage from high water.

That's why I'm asking is to learn the perspectives of others. You'd move at a CAT 2. We'd leave when told to and we're in a zone to evacuate for the CAT 3 or higher, not for CAT 1 or 2. Those between the ICW and the ocean are evacuated for CAT 1 and 2. As to boats, they're pretty much set where they are.

Certainly better to be prepared as many are doing, based on their areas.

As to hauling, I guess it depends on the area and the storm. I'd haul at a place like Jarrett Bay with their set up, but some marinas here I wouldn't feel comfortable on land in a strong hurricane.

I'm not being critical of what anyone is doing, just surprised a bit and listening so I understand.

 

[jwnall]

A little bit early yet, but definitely something to keep an eye on. The European Model seems to be out there pretty much by itself so far, sending the storm over into the Gulf, but that model has a really good track record. If it does get into the Gulf, then probably it is going to be Katie bar the door, since the Gulf waters are so warm right now. These things feed off of heat, as everyone knows. It is the fuel which powers the engine.

 

[psneeld]

That's why I'm asking is to learn the perspectives of others. You'd move at a CAT 2. We'd leave when told to and we're in a zone to evacuate for the CAT 3 or higher, not for CAT 1 or 2. Those between the ICW and the ocean are evacuated for CAT 1 and 2. As to boats, they're pretty much set where they are.

Certainly better to be prepared as many are doing, based on their areas.

As to hauling, I guess it depends on the area and the storm. I'd haul at a place like Jarrett Bay with their set up, but some marinas here I wouldn't feel comfortable on land in a strong hurricane.

I'm not being critical of what anyone is doing, just surprised a bit and listening so I understand.

Not critical back at cha....just saying that areas not flood prone are great...as long as it holds true for the storm.

Where I was for Sandy, no one expected quite the wall of water that came with it.

But as you have articulated before, it helps to have dang near no continental shelf.

 

[BandB]

A little bit early yet, but definitely something to keep an eye on. The European Model seems to be out there pretty much by itself so far, sending the storm over into the Gulf, but that model has a really good track record. If it does get into the Gulf, then probably it is going to be Katie bar the door, since the Gulf waters are so warm right now. These things feed off of heat, as everyone knows. It is the fuel which powers the engine.

The European model has definitely had the better record on large hurricanes. Certainly on Sandy and even on Andrew. However, it's been on it's on for more recent smaller storms and missed the target. I look at the charts with all the models so I can get completely advised and confused. The ensemble of models for 99 are still quite diverse.

 

[jwnall]

The European model has definitely had the better record on large hurricanes. Certainly on Sandy and even on Andrew. However, it's been on it's on for more recent smaller storms and missed the target. I look at the charts with all the models so I can get completely advised and confused. The ensemble of models for 99 are still quite diverse.

Well, they are doing low-data Monte Carlo modeling right now, because the real data is still kind of sparse. The data inflow will begin to increase now, though, and I suspect that it will begin to favor the European model more. But hey, what do I know? Going to run down to the marina tomorrow, though, and make sure that all of the i's are dotted and that all of the t's are crossed.

 

[Moonstruck]

Yep, definitely keeping an eye on it. I've been waiting for this to get a haul out , bottom job, and hull polish. I will call my haul out yard tomorrow. That's why I have a captain and a maintenance guy on standby.

 

[healhustler]

We're on a Gulf side Florida barrier island home and have our boat behind our residence. The post height here will permit maybe a 5 ft. surge. I'm at the very end of a canal with a large group of mangroves. If it gets bad and we have to evacuate, I might throw my storm anchor in there and tie to some trees.

 

[Capt. Jon]

I'm surprised reading some of this. Seems like most of you take hurricane steps like hauling your boat or heading up river for even possible tropical storms. Is it because you don't feel it's safe in your regular slip or your insurance requires it or the marina requires it?

Many insurance companies require a hurricane plan. Along the northern gulf coast at least, I know of no marina that will allow boats to stay tied up in a named storm. Some people will haul as they pay for a hurricane privilege. This means the boat yard shuts down to any normal business and only allow boats lifted into the yard on the plan. This takes place 48 to 72 hours before landfall.

The gulf is shaped like a lipped soup bowl. Hell of a place to push a lot of water inland during a storm due to the shallow lip close to shore.

 

[BandB]

Many insurance companies require a hurricane plan. Along the northern gulf coast at least, I know of no marina that will allow boats to stay tied up in a named storm. Some people will haul as they pay for a hurricane privilege. This means the boat yard shuts down to any normal business and only allow boats lifted into the yard on the plan. This takes place 48 to 72 hours before landfall.

The gulf is shaped like a lipped soup bowl. Hell of a place to push a lot of water inland during a storm due to the shallow lip close to shore.

They require a hurricane plan, but they don't require a specific plan nor that you commit to carrying it all out. We make it clear that our most likely action is to leave the right where they are, tied well and protected the best we can. We do list other things we might do but also with a disclaimer that we will never put anyone in jeopardy and that other things are likely to be higher priorities. They trust based on deductible than we're incentivized to do what we can. Where we are, there really isn't a practical plan you can commit too other than having the boat in one of the safer areas and marinas. Here, a marina can't force you to move. Most of the marinas are now built to take a tremendous amount of surge. There was one marina to make it through Katrina with minimal damage, but I forget which one and there was one in the Houston area to make it through storms about that time with little problem. Both were floating. I'll have to find them again on the dock builders' sites.

Do the marinas that haul in the gulf area have good anchoring systems for the boats? I've seen many that haul but are either too low themselves or have no good anchoring to protect from wind.

 

[BandB]

We're on a Gulf side Florida barrier island home and have our boat behind our residence. The post height here will permit maybe a 5 ft. surge. I'm at the very end of a canal with a large group of mangroves. If it gets bad and we have to evacuate, I might throw my storm anchor in there and tie to some trees.

Do you know the surge history for your canal? There is some data on the government's flood insurance and classification site and there may be other sites with some. To me, that is valuable information. Lake Pontchartrain vs. the ICW in Fort Lauderdale have very different patterns and it's amazing how many dock builders and marinas don't take their local area into consideration. Look at all the homes on the North side of Lake Pontchartrain that were built at a legal height but one that was a few feet less than it should have been, the land just not built up enough. 3 more feet would have been easy and eliminated a lot of damage.

 

[Capt. Jon]

The named storm force out of the marina is always in the lease contract. As for most marinas very few tie down. Some that have concert paved yards have pad eyes that allow some ability to tie the boat while on shore.

Since Katrina the amount of marinas is much less so there can be some competition for space. That's why many owners opt for going fairly far inland and tieing out.

 

[BandB]

Might mention that this evening the consensus has changed. NGFDL has routed more across the state of FL to the gulf. BAMM goes west of Key West and directly to the Gulf. Meanwhile NAM has it remaining east of the Bahamas.

So, that brings this question. Where do you go for your hurricane information?

 

[FF]

"That's why many owners opt for going fairly far inland and tieing out."

The boaters at our hurricane Hole usually get all set up when they arrive (May) , then depart for 5 or 6 months.

Other folks try to transit Before the bridges stop opening and simply stay aboard for a couple of days of heavy rain.

When almost 100 miles inland (atlantic) lots of the snot is out of even a rare F-5.