Pensacola area hurricane prep

[backinblue]

Pensacola Shipyard, Marina, and Boatyard has capability.

Just keep in mind that it's impossible to haul more than 5% or so of all boats in Florida even if the boat owners all wanted it.

I wasn't talking about hauling every boat in FL. I mean that in that particular marina or area which looks fairly confined, I wonder if having your boat hauled days in advance of a predicted storm is a possibility. It happens here where I live. Not that every single boat wants to or could be hauled in a few days, but a surprisingly number can and do.

 

[cardude01]

My preference would be to find a fairly protected marina nearby that lets you leave the boat in the slip during a storm. My thinking is when hurricane season gets closer I could move the boat to that marina.

I called the Warf Marina in Orange Beach but they are full it appears. Need to call around to some others.

 

[backinblue]

My preference would be to find a fairly protected marina nearby that lets you leave the boat in the slip during a storm. My thinking is when hurricane season gets closer I could move the boat to that marina.

I called the Warf Marina in Orange Beach but they are full it appears. Need to call around to some others.

I don't know anything about that area, but just looking at some of the huge storms that have hit in the past couple years, are there hurricane-safe marinas there? Generally you are safer on land, at least around here.

 

[Group9]

I don't know anything about that area, but just looking at some of the huge storms that have hit in the past couple years, are there hurricane-safe marinas there? Generally you are safer on land, at least around here.

I would feel pretty good at the Wharf or at Homeport Marina. I know that Sportsman Marina was almost totally destroyed by Sandy and Barbers was pretty messed up. Bear Point, would be hit or miss, depending on how a hurricane hit, but I don't think I would want to be there.

 

[rgano]

Why not to be on the hard for a major storm

There have unfortunately been cases of boats on the hard being knocked over or floated off the stands by excessive flooding as well as the more likely case of simply being blown over by the winds. The boatyard just around a corner of the bayou from me has one of those deals whereby those with the money and willingness to pay have a guaranteed spot on the hard for approaching hurricanes. They put you on a call list and you are notified of your show time at the lift. When storms approach, I can see one gold plater after another heading in there day and night until they have filled every square foot of the yard with boats such that one can hardly walk between the jackstands.

Hurricane Micahel knocked a lot of them over, sail boats first. It was like dominoes in there, and it was months before the insurance arguments and investigations were over so that even if you boat was undamaged, you lost the use of it because the yard was immobilised.

 

[IronZebra]

Aqua Harbor at Pickwick used to have a hurricane season storage special. Not sure if they still do it now that it has been bought by Safe Harbor.

If they do it is not that far to lock up and store there for hurricane season.

 

[cardude01]

There have unfortunately been cases of boats on the hard being knocked over or floated off the stands by excessive flooding as well as the more likely case of simply being blown over by the winds. The boatyard just around a corner of the bayou from me has one of those deals whereby those with the money and willingness to pay have a guaranteed spot on the hard for approaching hurricanes. They put you on a call list and you are notified of your show time at the lift. When storms approach, I can see one gold plater after another heading in there day and night until they have filled every square foot of the yard with boats such that one can hardly walk between the jackstands.



Hurricane Micahel knocked a lot of them over, sail boats first. It was like dominoes in there, and it was months before the insurance arguments and investigations were over so that even if you boat was undamaged, you lost the use of it because the yard was immobilised.

Yeah I’m trying to avoid that situation. First of all I don’t want to pay the big fee to be on the list, and secondly it will be hard for me to get there from Texas to move the boat to the storage yard right before a storm. If I can’t find a marina around Pensacola or the surrounding area that will let me keep it in the water I guess I’ll head back to the Okeechobee waterway and keep it somewhere there. Or I could head all the way back to Jacksonville and keep it on the St Johns river.

When I got caught in hurricane Dorian my boat was on the hard and strapped down. And while it didn’t fall off the stands (and it was one of the few that didn’t) the mast was still broken and I had other damage. So being on the hard is no panacea obviously.

 

[rgano]

Aqua Harbor at Pickwick used to have a hurricane season storage special. Not sure if they still do it now that it has been bought by Safe Harbor.

If they do it is not that far to lock up and store there for hurricane season.

That's about 80 miles to Mobile and another 450 miles and ten locks up the Tenn-Tom. Demopolis is only 216 miles up the TT and just two locks. Far simpler to run down to the Caloosahatchee WW.

OR

Make friends with or advertise in for somebody living on a canal lot without a boat within 20-30 miles on Pensacola and store it there.

 

[cardude01]

Make friends with or advertise in for somebody living on a canal lot without a boat within 20-30 miles on Pensacola and store it there.

I like this idea

 

[Comodave]

Glad we don’t have this problem.

 

[Group9]

You might try Turner Marine on the west shore of Mobile Bay, and Fly Creek Marina on the eastern shore. They both seem to be fairly well protected. Fly Creek especially. I had a boat at Fly Creek for a little while. We liked it.

 

[cardude01]

You might try Turner Marine on the west shore of Mobile Bay, and Fly Creek Marina on the eastern shore. They both seem to be fairly well protected. Fly Creek especially. I had a boat at Fly Creek for a little while. We liked it.

Thanks. Will check them out.

Called another marina in Pensacola and they have availability but make you get on their “hurricane club” for a haul out. The fee to get into the club is $4300! I guess I’m cheap but that sounds ridiculous [emoji848]

Don’t know if I said this, but we have a little vacation apartment in New Orleans and that’s the reason I moved the boat to Pensacola. It’s a super easy drive from Nola.

Any marina during the summertime/hurricane season between Pensacola and Nola would be fine with me, as long as they don’t make me haul the boat for every named storm.

 

[ragin cajun]

Thanks.

Don’t know if I said this, but we have a little vacation apartment in New Orleans and that’s the reason I moved the boat to Pensacola. It’s a super easy drive from Nola.

Any marina during the summertime/hurricane season between Pensacola and Nola would be fine with me, as long as they don’t make me haul the boat for every named storm.

May i recommend Beau Chenes on the northshore of lake Ponchetrain. Best hurricane protection in La.! You 're 30 minutes from New Orleans. Great day cruises east or west, top marine mechanics in area, boat Maintenace at marina.

 

[cardude01]

May i recommend Beau Chenes on the northshore of lake Ponchetrain. Best hurricane protection in La.! You 're 30 minutes from New Orleans. Great day cruises east or west, top marine mechanics in area, boat Maintenace at marina.

Hey thanks! I’ll check that out.

 

[Group9]

May i recommend Beau Chenes on the northshore of lake Ponchetrain. Best hurricane protection in La.! You 're 30 minutes from New Orleans. Great day cruises east or west, top marine mechanics in area, boat Maintenace at marina.

Excellent suggestion. A friend of mine rode Ida out there this year. They just got a super high tide and some wind. No damage.

 

[rgano]

Excellent suggestion. A friend of mine rode Ida out there this year. They just got a super high tide and some wind. No damage.

If we are talking about going as far west as Lake Ponchartrain, and for a Texas-based it makes a lot of sense to me, I would mention Liberty Bayou Marina. It is a smallish place up a two-mile twisting canal, but I once took my GB42 up there. Maybe not as remote as Beau Chene Marina, but still better than any marina on the north Gulf Coast between it and Mobile's Dog River.

 

[cardude01]

What about the municipal marina on the south shore? I called them and they should have a slip available for July-October.

I’ve eaten at some of the restaurants overlooking that marina and it seems pretty cool. Would it fare OK during a storm?

Also, since I have the attention of you knowledgeable Nola boaters, is it tricky getting into the lake from the ICW?

 

[rgano]

What about the municipal marina on the south shore? I called them and they should have a slip available for July-October.

I’ve eaten at some of the restaurants overlooking that marina and it seems pretty cool. Would it fare OK during a storm?

Also, since I have the attention of you knowledgeable Nola boaters, is it tricky getting into the lake from the ICW?

No, you do not want to be there with a hurricane bearing down because the winds could end up coming right into the place from across the lake. You want up in narrow waters.

 

[cardude01]

No, you do not want to be there with a hurricane bearing down because the winds could end up coming right into the place from across the lake. You want up in narrow waters.

I figured that was the answer. I showed some of those north shore marinas to my lovely wife and she said ewwww, they look snaky. Will go visit them next time we are in Nola. Maybe the pics were bad. Here’s a couple of them. [emoji31]

 

[rgano]

I figured that was the answer. I showed some of those north shore marinas to my lovely wife and she said ewwww, they look snaky. Will go visit them next time we are in Nola. Maybe the pics were bad. Here’s a couple of them. [emoji31]

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That's what marinas look like on the Gulf Coast unless they are the few high-dollar but often more exposed ones. There are darned few like The Wharf and Lulu's which are both suitable for high heel wear and protected. If you just want a safe place for the boat and not costing a ton of money where you can come, load up and leave to go cruising about the area, why bother with high-dollar?

 

[cardude01]

Oh I hear you and I’m all in on that. Need to convince the DW.

 

[ragin cajun]

#1 Dude! Go to Marina Beau Chenes web site. This marina is in a very high end development. You need a pass just to get into the development....very exclusive area! You park right behind your boat 10ft away. Yes there are some run down marinas along the way, but agian there are a few there that are 1st class. You don't want to be on the south shore of the lake; was there for a couple of years.

 

[cardude01]

Will check it out. Thanks.

 

[Group9]

Beau Chêne also has a very convenient layout. You can park right in front of your boat for almost all of the slips. And, as mentioned in another post, security is really good there.

They have a guard gate, but every time I go there (I have friends who live there), they just record your info and let you in

 

[cardude01]

Beau Chêne also has a very convenient layout. You can park right in front of your boat for almost all of the slips. And, as mentioned in another post, security is really good there.

They have a guard gate, but every time I go there (I have friends who live there), they just record your info and let you in

How long does it take to get out to the lake on that windy river?

 

[Group9]

How long does it take to get out to the lake on that windy river?

It can take a little while to make it to the Lake, and then it's even longer to get to the Mississippi Sound, through the Rigolets.

But, that's the tradeoff in every marina down here. The ones that are hurricane safe, are never right on the gulf or any large body of water.

You can have quick deep water access, or protection from hurricanes, but you really can't have both. At least not any marina I know of down here.

We keep our boat at Bay St. Louis City Marina. We are right on the Sound. But, I would never recommend it to anyone who is not local and/or ready to move their boat with a day's notice.

 

[cardude01]

It can take a little while to make it to the Lake, and then it's even longer to get to the Mississippi Sound, through the Rigolets.

But, that's the tradeoff in every marina down here. The ones that are hurricane safe, are never right on the gulf or any large body of water.

You can have quick deep water access, or protection from hurricanes, but you really can't have both. At least not any marina I know of down here.

We keep our boat at Bay St. Louis City Marina. We are right on the Sound. But, I would never recommend it to anyone who is not local and/or ready to move their boat with a day's notice.

But I want to have my cake and eat it too! Whaaa!

Just kidding. Thanks for the logical info. Makes complete sense.

How is it going through the Rigolets? Easy or scary? Impacted by tides?

 

[rardoin]

The Rigolets is easy; well marked, wide and deep. The tide will run hard but only slowing your progress if in opposition. Timing your transit to be in the direction of the flow will be a great advantage at displacement speed however. I have been through there in both sailboats under power and sportfishers and never worried about timing the tides since it is not critical.

 

[Group9]

The worst part for us in the Rigolets always seems to be the railroad bridge. We never seem to time it right. But, it’s a pretty run through there.

 

[cardude01]

Thanks for all the info!