Hurricane concerns

[Hippocampus]

Every insurance policy I’ve had uses jun1 -Nov1. Recent years there’s been a fair number either early or late but that still holds.
Every insurance policy has also had a deductible for named storms.
Every one has required a hurricane plan when you are in the zone. (Usually north of 10 and south of 40 or there abouts depending on the carrier)
This year paid a huge additional rider as the boat was put on the hard when we took the second to last flight out of St.Lucia. Boats now on a seven seas ship following TS/hurricane I.
I’ve taken a seasonal slip on occasion even when not using it much just to have the certainty the boat will be hauled for named storms. I have had the same weather router for the last 7 years. Short money and very helpful. Use Chris Parker. Have been on boats using CommandersWeather. Ford v Chevy.
All policies will pay for haul for named storms. Typically they don’t pay to splash the boat. Insurance to a major degree runs your life. I left Pantaenius as they wouldn’t let me single and wanted to vet anyone I took on as crew. Flipped to Concepts special risk at a better price with less restrictions.

 

[rgano]

Thanks again for all the insights everyone. It really is very helpful.

I was just listening to the 3rd Passagemaker podcast about the weather. They make it sound like avoiding hurricane's is as easy as hiring a weather coach and listening to what they say. Any truth to that? It seems a little too easy.

That's the silliest thing I ever heard regarding hurricane avoidance. First you gear up with the necessary anchors, chafing gear, and rode and stow it in the boat; do not leave it ashore at any time. Then get hurricanes/storms and their avoidance/survival into your brain as a way of life on the water. Talk about it everywhere you go up and down the east coast and learn where the locals go, and always evaluate the charts in front of you for potential hurricane holes. Pretty soon you will become comfortable with the thought that if something looms on the horizon, you will be prepared. I remember passing along some areas in the AICW (all of it from Norfolk to the Keys) this last spring where I looked at the chart and thought that there were no decent storm holes within a full day's travel, and that quite frankly made me feel a little uncomfortable, even though hurricane season was a couple of months away. I rode out my first hurricane on a troop ship at age 6 and didn't much like it. Numerous typhoons followed in the western Pacific - one time I took my ship clear down to the Equator to get clear, and another time we were dodging four at one time. One time in 1973 in the Tonkin Gulf, I just happened to run the radar range on our air search radar out to max and spotted a classic pinwheel typhoon bearing down on our battle group trapping us in the Gulf. What followed as we dashed out of there following closely behind the carrier using it as a wave break was one of the roughest nights I can remember. All this to say that you can never let your guard down, and weather prediction today is SOOOO far and away better than way back in the "good old days" that your guard zone is out to the thousands of miles. Use what NOAA gives you to the max and enjoy the security it gives you while sleeping with one eye open.

 

[Caphenning]

How much of a concern are hurricanes to east coast boaters? We live in the mountains of NH so they aren't currently on our radar.

As we think about our plans though we will likely be cruising from New England to the Bahamas from late sept to November. Should a hurricane hit, we won't have a home marina to run for to secure our boat.

My attitude is "that's why we have insurance." We will do what we can while prioritizing life safety. Possessions can be replaced. It seems like one always has a least a few days notice of hurricanes so its easy to get the people (but maybe not the boat) out of harms way.

My wife doesn't so much agree with that sentiment. This is something that is very concerning to her.

Mind you she prefers the idea of not taking a boat north each year. She'd rather see it left somewhere in Georgia or Florida. This also works into her "6 months a year in a house - 6 months a year on a boat" strategy. Personally I'd rather be permanently on a boat but I've already agree to keep a dirt house.

Thoughts?

Have you investigated getting insurance for keeping the boat south of Cape Hatteras during hurricane season yet? Because there is a significant extra premium, and you need to file a hurricane plan they’ll accept. This often has costs attached to it reserving a spot hauled out, or in an accepted hurricane harbor, or some other approved plan of action.

 

[BandB]

People are telling you about their insurance policies and then making declarations that insurance companies require you to be here or there in this time frame or do this or that or won't insure this or that.

Insurance companies will insure anything for a price.

All this talk about being above Florida, but, yet, year round and throughout hurricane season there are more boats, more insured boats, in Florida than any other state. Here on TF it's sometimes made to sound like come April every boat in FL heads somewhere else. Doesn't happen. In fact, a very small percentage do. Our boats remain in Fort Lauderdale, in their slips, fully insured year round. Is there a premium to that? Probably, but we never had a policy quoted any other way and we're paying lower rates than some with all the rules for named storms and time of year are paying. We live here, so keep our boats here. Fort Lauderdale is not actually a high risk area.

Just don't listen to the "you must be here" or "they won't insure" or the other. Understand it may cost more. It may not. Understand you're expected to take reasonable steps but for many in our area that's just a good marina and tying well and removing canvas and extra fenders and a few other precautions.

I'd suggest deciding first what your ideal scenario is. Then see about insuring that and check other things to see if it's feasible. Just don't buy the "insurance companies won't allow" or "you can't." Hundreds of thousands can and do.

 

[kokopelliTim]

Having just ridden through Isaias this week:

-Even as of monday morning (and he hit monday night) all the forecasts seemed to indicate it was just going to be a bad summer thunder storm and nothing really to worry too much about.

-I kept debating how to prep my boat.....just a couple of extra lines or the shabang of bimini off and canvas off, lines, the works.

-finally I decided to go with my expeience (about 6 hurricanes now) and my motto of "better safe than sorry" (I would rather prepare than wake up at 2am wishing I had).

-I removed all as if I were prepping for a big hurricane. Tied extra lines, windows covers off, took 3 hours.

-By 2am I was so very glad I had listened to my gut. She was blowing (in my opinion) harder than Florence for several minutes. I was more worried about my house and trees and knew my boat was safe.

So. watch the forecast, plan. But do the prep and you will still have a solid, dry vessel (hopefully) after the storm.
Dont listen to the hype of the media (it is always the end of the world).

Good luck. You and your wife will do well and perhaps make some mistakes, but there will be many more good days than bad days.

Tim

 

[Hippocampus]

NHC and Chris Parker is what I follow. Also look at Girps from several different models and 500mb. Think everyone should take a weather course and read Lee Chesneau. Your boat is a major asset and you only have one life.
Please be aware girbs are a computer generated abstraction and speak to a field not a locale. They’ve been way off multiple times through the years. Been in a serious squall with girbs predicting 10 kts. Been in 10’ swell with 3’ windwaves on top with field prediction of one meter. So carry a metereoman recording barometer. I believe that. Learn your clouds. Believe your senses.

 

[BandB]

Having just ridden through Isaias this week:

-Even as of monday morning (and he hit monday night) all the forecasts seemed to indicate it was just going to be a bad summer thunder storm and nothing really to worry too much about.

-I kept debating how to prep my boat.....just a couple of extra lines or the shabang of bimini off and canvas off, lines, the works.

-finally I decided to go with my expeience (about 6 hurricanes now) and my motto of "better safe than sorry" (I would rather prepare than wake up at 2am wishing I had).

-I removed all as if I were prepping for a big hurricane. Tied extra lines, windows covers off, took 3 hours.

-By 2am I was so very glad I had listened to my gut. She was blowing (in my opinion) harder than Florence for several minutes. I was more worried about my house and trees and knew my boat was safe.

So. watch the forecast, plan. But do the prep and you will still have a solid, dry vessel (hopefully) after the storm.
Dont listen to the hype of the media (it is always the end of the world).

Good luck. You and your wife will do well and perhaps make some mistakes, but there will be many more good days than bad days.

Tim

Your point is well made. We always fully prepare boats and home. We've never really been hit hard with Irma being our closest and one that caused loss of power. However, you don't assume. Similarly you don't assume the forecasts will be accurate in strength or in where the storm will hit.

Similarly, don't assume an area is or isn't safe from hurricanes. Research specific history but then recognize things can change. If it's on the East Coast or Gulf Coast, it can get hit by a hurricane. NYC and NJ by Sandy. NC and SC by Matthew and Florence. And by Coast, I mean the entire coastal area. New Bern isn't on the coast but they've had a bad last couple of years. Southport received almost freakish destruction this time.

You do your best but then it is mother nature and you can never be sure.

You prepare and hope you were wasting the time and effort. Far better than assuming and not preparing and getting damage from a change in course.