NOAA Photo

1. This information was compiled and is being provided by the DIYC Dock, Harbor and Launch committee, along with many volunteer members. NOAA Photo

2. 6/13/07 - Workshop Agenda • 2007 Hurricane Season • Clubhouse Preparation • Reducing Tophamper • Tying the Boat • Preparation Checklist Purpose: The purpose of this workshop was for DIYC members and guests to collaborate and share experiences on hurricane preparation. The contents of this packet were updated to include recommendations, ideas and information that were shared during the workshop. The DIYC Dock, Harbor, and Launch committee encourages all boat owners to review this material and prepare for hurricanes that will be coming our way this year. Please let us know if you have any suggestions for improvement with this packet or the hurricane preparation activities at DIYC.

3. 2007 Hurricane Season

4. NOAA Prediction In the Atlantic Basin, they are called Hurricanes; a name derived from the Caribbean God of Evil... Hurican NOAA’s 2007 Atlantic hurricane season outlook indicates a 75% chance of an above-normal hurricane season, a 20% chance of a near-normal season, and only a 5% chance of a below-normal season. This outlook is produced by scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center (CPC), National Hurricane Center (NHC), and Hurricane Research Division (HRD). The outlook calls for a very active 2007 season, with… 13-17 named storms 7-10 hurricanes 3-5 major hurricanes

5. Warm Water & Wind Shear Warmer ocean water combined with lower wind shear, weaker easterly trade winds, and a more favorable wind pattern in the mid-levels of the atmosphere are the factors that collectively will favor the development of storms in greater numbers and to greater intensity. Warm water is the energy source for storms while favorable wind patterns limit the wind shear that can tear apart a storm's building cloud structure.

6. Warm Water & Wind Shear

7. Hurricane Facts • Hurricanes are enormous cyclonic storm systems covering thousands of square miles which usually develop in the tropical or subtropical latitudes during the summer and fall. • To be a hurricane, the system must be producing winds of 64 knots or more. • Each hurricane is, essentially, an organized system made up of hundreds of individual thunderstorms. All of the severe weather conditions produced by individual thunderstorms (heavy rain, hail, lightning, tornadoes, downbursts, etc.) are produced and magnified within the hurricane.

8. Watch or Warning A hurricane watch is issued by the National Weather Service when a hurricane may threaten a specified portion of the coast. It is issued 36 hours before landfall may occur. A hurricane warning is issued when hurricane conditions are expected for a specified portion of the coast within 24 hours of landfall. There are five categories of hurricanes Category (1): winds 74 to 95 MPH - 4 to 5 foot storm surge Category (2): winds 96 to 110 MPH - 6 to 8 foot storm surge Category (3): winds 111 to 130 MPH - 9 to 12 foot storm surge Category (4): winds 131 to 155 MPH - 13 to 18 foot storm surge Category (5): winds 156 MPH and above - 18 foot and above storm surge

9. Wind Directions This illustration shows the hurricane direction wind zones relative to the eye. By understanding wind directions relative to storm direction, knowing where your boat will be relative to the storm helps determine the direction of hurricane force winds that it will be subject to, as well as how much storm surge to expect.

10. Mariners’ 1-2-3 Rule • The Mariners' 1-2-3 Rule, or "Danger area", is indicated by shading. The 1-2-3 Rule, commonly taught to mariners, refers to the rounded long-term NHC/TPC forecast errors of 100-200-300 nautical miles at 24-48-72 hours, respectively. • The contour defining the shaded area is constructed by accounting for those errors and then broadened further to reflect the maximum 34-kt wind radii forecast at each of those times by the NHC/TPC. • The NHC/TPC does not warrant that avoiding these danger areas will eliminate the risk of harm from tropical cyclones. • If operating in the vicinity of these systems, continually monitor the latest Forecast/Advisories from the TPC/NHC.

11. Diagram: 1-2-3 Rule

12. Sample: 2006 Alberto

13. Relocate Early If traveling, it would be wise to have your boat properly secured long before any public evacuation notices are issued. Waiting too long to make preparations may trap your boat at an undesirable location, or worse, result in you being in a dangerous location during the storm. Consider the idea of having a “boat buddy” who knows where you are, how to get in touch with you, and can tend to your vessel, if necessary. Draw bridges are authorized to remain closed upon the approach of gale force winds of 34 knots or greater. Make preparations early and then evacuate to safe location.

14. Reducing Tophamper

15. Tophamper • Anything that increases the windage above the superstructure is called tophamper. Virtually all canvas, tops and sails and enclosures should be removed from the vessel. • If you can get these off the boat completely, so much the better. Cabins stuffed full of sails and canvass have hampered many a salvage operation.

16. Reducing Windage Photo from August 2005 issue of Southwinds magazine

17. Roller Furling Photo from August 2005 issue of Southwinds magazine

18. Roller Furling Photo from August 2005 issue of Southwinds magazine

19. Tying The Boat

20. Bow & Stern Lines Photo from August 2005 issue of Southwinds magazine

21. Spring Lines Photo from August 2005 issue of Southwinds magazine

22. Line Forces The force on a docked vessel will nearly double for every 15 knots of wind from tropical storm force (34 KT) to hurricane force (64 KT). Therefore, a vessel tied to the pier under normal situations can quickly break from the pier in periods of higher winds causing substantial damage to itself or other vessels. Key Point – Double up dock lines

23. Double Up Lines • When doubling up lines, try to reduce dependency on a particular tie up point. • Any time you can double a line to a different point, do it. Two lines tied to one piling or cleat are of no help if the piling or cleat fails. Spread lines to as many different tie points as possible. • Consider that under high water conditions, your lines will be angling downward as the water level rises.

24. Proper Lines • Making the proper attachment to a cleat or a piling is far more important than one might imagine. What's okay for normal use often fails during the violence of a hurricane. • You should have an extra set of new, and slightly oversized storm lines. However, don’t use lines that are too big for your cleats. • Do not use old halyards because they have no “give.” The constant pounding of a halyard dock line will likely damage the boat or dock. • Do not depend on aged cordage. Remember that, although an older line may look okay, it may be seriously weakened by ultraviolet or fungicidal degradation that may not be visible. • Use new lines for primaries and the normal dock lines as backups or doubles.

25. Chafe Protection • For chafe protection, use old garden plastic hose slid over the end of the line. Plastic hose is slippery and resists abrasion better. • If possible, slide the hose over the line rather than cutting down the side to reduce the chances of it coming off. • Drill a hole in each end of the hose and tie it to the lines with nylon string, running the string through the laid line to prevent movement. • Don't use rags for chafe protection, they won't do the job. • Mooring chocks tend to be particularly troublesome because they're usually poorly designed, tending more to damage the line than protect it. • There are several types of mooring chocks that are extremely bad this way, having sharp corners. If your chocks are like this, get them replaced and make sure that they have good back up plates below. Many are just screwed on and won't hold.

26. Using Pilings • Never tie to cleats on pilings. Lines tied to pilings should have a fair lead off the curve of the piling (tangential) and should not be cinched by the knot so that the line is pinched or pulled by the knot. • Take only two wraps around the piling, making sure that they do not overlap. • Cinch knots or hitches around the piling should not be used as this pinches the rope. • Remember that it is the friction of the line around the piling that provides 98% of the holding power. There will be very little pressure on the knot which merely keeps the line from slipping. • Do not use bowlines; instead, three simple half-hitches around the standing end are more than adequate and will minimize chafing. Then wrap the free end back around the piling with hitches to keep it in place.

27. Lines & Tidal Surge Table shows amount of dock line slack needed to accommodate tidal surge based on how long your dock line is. The key point… Longer dock lines are better and can allow the boat to rise with the surge. For more information, see “Spring Line Math” in the August 2005 Southwinds issue by Capt. Bill Cullen

28. Dock Line Tips • Make dock lines as long as possible and provide slack to rise with higher tide • Use long spring lines both fore and aft • Double up dock lines and tie to different points • Use new, oversized dock lines • Cover lines with chafe protectors (garden hose) • Use large fenders and put out extras

29. Dry-Slip Considerations • Consider towing the boat to a safe location outside of the path of the storm. • Another option is to move your boat to your backyard. • With manufacturer's approval, fill the hull with water. • Whenever possible, take down the mast. • Lash the boat securely to the trailer. • Use tie-downs to anchor trailer to ground. • Ensure that bow and stern are securely tied down. • Let air out of trailer tires.

30. Preparation Checklist

31. Pre-Season Prep • Check your marine insurance carefully to see if you are required to take some action in order to make the claim valid. • If you are going to move your boat, determine where ahead of time. • Learn safe routes inland and make plans of where you will evacuate to. • Inventory the property on your boat...with video equipment if possible. Plan what will be removed from the boat and what must stay. • Keep all legal documents such as registration, insurance policy, marina rental agreement, radio license etc. in one easily moved, secure container. Make an inventory of documents, photos, and other irreplaceable articles that need to be taken in case of an evacuation.

32. Prep Checklist • Secure all hatches and portals and cover windscreens. • Remove all loose items from decks and superstructure and from area around mooring. Leave nothing unsecured. • Boat documents, radios and other valuables should be removed from the vessel prior to the storm, since you never know how long it will take for you to get back to your boat once the storm passes. • Your boat should be stripped of anything that can become loose during the storm. This would include unstepping the mast in sailboats. • Remove the anchor from the bow of the boat • Test the bilge pump • Remove canvas hatch covers • Remove bimini top – frame and all • Select a boat buddy • Close sea cocks - Except for engine (for emergency purposes) • Disconnect shore power cords and water hoses • Remove all hoses, poles, and cords from the dock • Never forget that storms move quickly and they are unpredictable. You can always replace a boat; you can not replace a life.

33. Remember what’s important… Life always comes before property

34. Resources

35. Resources • Hurricane Predictions http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ • Realtime Satellite Images http://www.orbit.nesdis.noaa.gov/smcd/opdb/aviation/imgs.html • NOAA Charts Online http://mfengine.nos.noaa.gov/scripts/esrimap.dll?Name=Mapserver&cmd=Start • Florida Division of Emergency Management http://www.floridadisaster.org/ • Southwinds hurricane prep page http://www.southwindsmagazine.com/resources/hurricane.htm • National Data Buoy Center http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/ • Tides http://isurus.mote.org:8080/zones/:America/New_York • Miscellaneous Pages http://www.boatus.com/hurricanes/brochure.asp http://www.marinesurvey.com/yacht/huricane.htm http://www.boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/61798tip3.htm http://www.hurricane.com/hurricane-preparation.php