Storm alert

The weather system which is off the east coast of Florida is expected to turn up and travel up the east coast of the U.S. within the next several days. It should be a tropical storm at a minimum, and possibly turn into a hurricane. Those of you in that stretch from Florida up to the North Carolina outer banks are probably going to be affected, so may want to keep an eye on it. I use the National Hurricane Center website, but of course there are also other good sources.

Tropical Depression ONE Public Advisory

Tropical Depression ONE

I can finally turn off my sprinklers.

It now has a name. Arthur. My sister and her husband have a trawler at Wilmingon, N.C., so they are getting ready for a blow.

NHC-TPC showing Cat 1 over Outer Banks in 48 hours or less. Things are going to get crazy quickly.

The waters fairly warm this could grow fast. Hopefully it will head East looking at a front that is coming through the Atlantic City area this Thursday. Then again if the front moves off shore quickly the storm could stay close to the coast.
Bill

NHC-TPC showing Cat 1 over Outer Banks in 48 hours or less. Things are going to get crazy quickly.

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Yup. Almost certainly going to affect that whole ICW from Florida up to N.C. If there are some newbies lollygagging along there who have never rode out a storm, then they are going to live in interesting times, more than likely.

jwnall said:

The weather system which is off the east coast of Florida is expected to turn up and travel up the east coast of the U.S. within the next several days. It should be a tropical storm at a minimum, and possibly turn into a hurricane. Those of you in that stretch from Florida up to the North Carolina outer banks are probably going to be affected, so may want to keep an eye on it. I use the National Hurricane Center website, but of course there are also other good sources.

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If anybody needs a good anchorage or hurricane hole in SC, just let me know.

jwnall said:

Yup. Almost certainly going to affect that whole ICW from Florida up to N.C. If there are some newbies lollygagging along there who have never rode out a storm, then they are going to live in interesting times, more than likely.

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That would be us (at least in trawler circles). We got as far as Thunderbolt, GA on our way up from Palm Coast and stopped at Hinkley's to have some unusual vibration checked out. The boat was on the hard . . . it needs a bottom job anyway . . . a tropical storm is forecast to run up the coast. It was kind of a no-brainer to leave her safe and sound on the hard. We're driving through Macon on our way home as I write. Hope everyone else fairs well over the next few days.

angus99 said:

That would be us (at least in trawler circles). The boat was on the hard . . . it needs a bottom job anyway . . . a tropical storm is forecast to run up the coast. It was kind of a no-brainer to leave her safe and sound on the hard.

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On the hard is good. Should not be any problem for you.

OK. For newbies who have not rode out a storm on the ICW before. The locals are your best bet for advice. They know the best creeks to hide in. Take down all canvas from your boat. Keep up with weather minute by minute -- things change awfully fast. Should you hunker down in a marina? Hard to say -- sometimes more damage is done by boats that break loose than by the storm itself. Personally, I get out of marinas in a storm. But that is just me. If you do get out, then find a hole and throw out every anchor that you have -- even the little bitty ones. The wind will always come from a direction which you did not expect. And last -- but not least -- do not panic. Panic is what kills people. Most boats can take a storm.

On the hard is only good if the marina is set up for it with concrete and tiedown anchor points.

The damaged boats at my marina were 3 on land where the receding water undermined the hull supports and they toppled over....50 feet away...boats road it out on pilings forward and sterns to a floater with no damage.

Often it's better to be out of the path than on the hard near the coastal landfall.

For a Cat 1 and most Cat II's, usually 15-20 miles inland, up some river is pretty good. As long as there is enough terrain and trees around to minimize wind and any waves and if you can find a place to tie up or anchor that still allows for ten feet of surge or so.

Classic pre-storm pucker factor coming on here in Cape Fear region. Dang I've got a lot of work to do. These things always stress me out.

psneeld said:

On the hard is only good if the marina is set up for it with concrete and tiedown anchor points.

The damaged boats at my marina were 3 on land where the receding water undermined the hull supports and they toppled over....50 feet away...boats road it out on pilings forward and sterns to a floater with no damage.

Often it's better to be out of the path than on the hard near the coastal landfall.

For a Cat 1 and most Cat II's, usually 15-20 miles inland, up some river is pretty good. As long as there is enough terrain and trees around to minimize wind and any waves and if you can find a place to tie up or anchor that still allows for ten feet of surge or so.

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Very true - many people think because they are on the hard that all is good

gwkiwi said:

Very true - many people think because they are on the hard that all is good

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Yep... unless nobody's on board when it floats... we came close in Sandy.

Dave

Ski in NC said:

Classic pre-storm pucker factor coming on here in Cape Fear region. Dang I've got a lot of work to do. These things always stress me out.

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Are you staying put, moving or hauling?

angus99 said:

That would be us (at least in trawler circles). We got as far as Thunderbolt, GA on our way up from Palm Coast and stopped at Hinkley's to have some unusual vibration checked out. The boat was on the hard . . . it needs a bottom job anyway . . . a tropical storm is forecast to run up the coast. It was kind of a no-brainer to leave her safe and sound on the hard. We're driving through Macon on our way home as I write. Hope everyone else fairs well over the next few days.

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My boat, Osprey just had her bottom done at Hinkley's in Thunderbolt good job fair price. My only complaint was the boot stripe needed paint, from age or the power washing prep, not sure it was dirty when I left... When I got back 7 days later she was floating, and the was told I didn't ask to have the boot stripe painted so why should Hinkley care, I was offered to pay full price to have her re hauled and to the boot stripe (looks like Sh!t) painted?

I would of happily paid if I was called asked when she was hauled. Amy was nice the boss was a used car sales person..

Good luck with the storm be safe!

Larry M said:

Are you staying put, moving or hauling?

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Staying put. I'm in a narrow creek off the ICW, fairly sheltered. Tie off between the banks. Probably ok to cat3.

Ski in NC said:

Staying put. I'm in a narrow creek off the ICW, fairly sheltered. Tie off between the banks. Probably ok to cat3.

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Nice set up. Good luck.

Arthur is a strong name... May be a strong storm; be careful and good luck ~ Art!

Here in Stuart, FL, we've got a pretty high tide up the river here but outside of a few minor showers is apparently too far off the coast. They were calling for 35 MPH winds this afternoon, but.... Happy to see it going by, but feel for youz up there in the Carolinas.

The majority of the damage from Sandy to my old Mainship was not from floating off the stands it was from the crane used to remove the majority of boats that were piled on and around my boat. My marina was one of the many locations Sandy deposited 2 huge surges. Not a drop of damage from water inside the vessel it was all cosmetic and minor.
My Gulfstar is currently on the hard in a fairly protected marina off the Middle River in Maryland. It's looking like the marina won't be done with it's work orders until next week so re-launch won't be until after whatever comes up the coast. Or in this case the Upper Chesapeake.
Bill

Ski in NC said:

Staying put. I'm in a narrow creek off the ICW, fairly sheltered. Tie off between the banks. Probably ok to cat3.

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I'm down at Inlet Watch (Carolina Beach Inlet). Deep in the marina, well-sheltered. Bimini coming down today. need to set my 3x100 foot hurricane lines on top of regular lines. Probably disconnect electric. Boats around me could be an issue, but basin surrounded by condos. Flying debris a concern.

High tide predicted. Ugh. May stay aboard to guard from debris and other boats. Dang. Last hurricane experienced was Irene, deep up the Neuse River past New Bern. A boat in Oriental was holed as surge receded and dropped her on a piling.

Good luck.

angus99 said:

That would be us (at least in trawler circles). We got as far as Thunderbolt, GA on our way up from Palm Coast and stopped at Hinkley's to have some unusual vibration checked out. The boat was on the hard . . . it needs a bottom job anyway . . . a tropical storm is forecast to run up the coast. It was kind of a no-brainer to leave her safe and sound on the hard. We're driving through Macon on our way home as I write. Hope everyone else fairs well over the next few days.

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Ian, that area is pretty sheltered from a direct hit with a hurricane. That part of the Georgia coast is so recessed from the normal storm tracks that it would take a fluke for a direct hit. At Hilton Head, I would always have my boat hauled to high ground upon a storm warning. It, thankfully, always brushed by offshore.

Capecodder said:

My boat, Osprey just had her bottom done at Hinkley's in Thunderbolt good job fair price. My only complaint was the boot stripe needed paint, from age or the power washing prep, not sure it was dirty when I left... When I got back 7 days later she was floating, and the was told I didn't ask to have the boot stripe painted so why should Hinkley care, I was offered to pay full price to have her re hauled and to the boot stripe (looks like Sh!t) painted?

I would of happily paid if I was called asked when she was hauled. Amy was nice the boss was a used car sales person..

Good luck with the storm be safe!

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Really appreciate the info. I'll talk to them about the boot stripes. Amy and the work crew are great. I looked closely at the boot stripes they did on other boats and they looked perfect. Sorry to hear they skipped over yours.

Moonstruck said:

Ian, that area is pretty sheltered from a direct hit with a hurricane. That part of the Georgia coast is so recessed from the normal storm tracks that it would take a fluke for a direct hit. At Hilton Head, I would always have my boat hauled to high ground upon a storm warning. It, thankfully, always brushed by offshore.

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Thanks, Don. That's exactly what the predictions are showing. Right now, they're looking for no more than 25 mph gusts in the Thunderbolt area. I'm watching for the NE turn. If it doesn't happen as predicted, I'll be on the phone asking them to get the canvas off and tie her down.

All the best to everyone on the east coast.

Moving from the beach to the Cape Fear River. Safe beats Sorry.

Ben said:

Moving from the beach to the Cape Fear River. Safe beats Sorry.

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Good. What you had posted before kind of indicated that you were going to stay at Carolina Beach. I would think up the river would be safer. My sister and her husband are apparently going to let their trawler stay in the marina at Carolina Beach. Not what I would do, but they are grownups.

Ben, you probably made a wise decision. Inlet watch is directly across ICW from CB inlet. Not much to break the wind nor surge. Further down the canal at CB, better protection there. River can get sketchy, esp if we get a strong southerly, but if it follow forcast track, we won't.

All - two things convinced me to move
1. Upgrade to cat 1
2. I signed a hurricane reservation in May with Bennett Brothers - convenient.
3. My marina is directly across from CB Inlet
4. High tide when storm passes at 2am
5. Not sure of other boats conditions around me - only in marina 2 weeks
6. Condos around marina might have loose items
7. Boat stacks adjacent to slip. Loose items risk. Also hate to have a Carolina Skiff blown off a rack into my boat.

There. I think that was just two things...