Tom.
Having been a resident in the area since 1964 and a boat owner since about 1976, you would think my experience with hurricane preparedness has been extensive but it has not really been that often that it becomes a factor. With the exception of the 2005 season, this area is relatively safe in terms of storm tracks which is one reason why the government located the space program at Cape Canaveral in the 1950's. If you look at the historical data on hurricane tracks you will see that there is solid evidence to support this. I did suffer damage on my 30' Helms which is the boat I owned before Rhapsody when a dock line parted and she rubbed against a concrete piling. This was around 1998 and the storm was not too severe. We had to evacuate and unfortunately the bridges were closed for two days and I was unable to check on the boat although conditions would have allowed me to do so. Even a haulout does not guarantee safety. During the 2005 hurricanes, a tornado associated with the storm knocked a sailboat over which due to its close proximity to the boats next to it took down several others in a falling domino effect. Port Canaveral requires mandatory haulout/evacuation of all boats during a hurricane warning. I was once fined $ 25,000.00 for non-compliance but that is a story for when you get here.
Having said all that, it is somewhat a game of chance. Personally, my strategy is to remain at the slip and perform the following:
Remove all canvas, including sails, dodger and weather cloths.
Double tie all lines to pilings high to keep them off the edges of the dock..
Make sure all lines are protected from chafe using fire hose. (I do this anyway at the hawse.)
Center the boat in the slip.
Check the boats next to me to make sure they have done the same. You are probably in more danger from an improperly tied and prepared boat or one tied with lines in poor condition than the hurricane itself.
The key is to prepare early as once the wind comes up, removal of sails becomes very difficult and at 20 knots or so, a Westsail is hard to position.
That's the short version. We'll have some discussion when you are here and hurricane season being in full swing during your arrival, who knows?, you may get some "on the job" training. I hope not because the sails have been off once already for Irene.
Werner
Just as a side note before I forget. I was responsible for my son's Columbia 50 during Irene in an unprotected slip. The boat could not be moved due to engine problems. I used his stern anchor rode cut into 30' lenghts for additional dock line and was very impressed with how the lines had just enough stretch to ease the strain, yet keep the boat positioned in the slip. She weighs in at about 37,000 lbs. I will probably use anchor rode in the future for my "hurricane lines."
