Tropical storm

[Donna]

Now that a topical storm has formed, seems like I can't catch a break.

Forecasting 35 mile an hour winds with gusts higher. I have some buttoning up to do.

Question? I am on a floating dock, very secured on starboard with bow in facing north. Should I cross tie down on bow? No way to cross tie stern without bringing my zodiac down. Thoughts? Remember, I am doing this alone.

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Ms. D. IMO, the more lines the better.

 

[Capecodder]

Not much wind in Fort Myers, but lots of rain! I don't know your slip and exposure to the storm so no advice, but the local weatherman was not on excitement mode. Now if Jim Cantore is at your Marina call your insurance company;-)

 

[Donna]

Jeez! Ok will put all my lines out. Have some hype here from the weather guessers.

 

[Donsan]

If it were my boat at Palm Coast, I would not be too concerned. Where did you see a forecast of 35mph gusts for Palm Coast? This should be mostly a rain event and gusts of 15mph after it crosses the state. By all means tie up the boat well but no reason to overdo it.

 

[Robin]

Now that a topical storm has formed, seems like I can't catch a break.

Forecasting 35 mile an hour winds with gusts higher. I have some buttoning up to do.

Question? I am on a floating dock, very secured on starboard with bow in facing north. Should I cross tie down on bow? No way to cross tie stern without bringing my zodiac down. Thoughts? Remember, I am doing this alone.

decent sized lines, hopefully, you might double them if you can, extra could even be slacker to only come in play if main ones fail. Plenty of strategically placed anti-chafe protection in place. Might want to check any areas for potential leaks like opening doors and duck tape to keep water out? Seems like this is a mainly rain event expected so far. secure the zodiac, protect it from chafe if in davits, maybe add fore/aft 'springs to keep it from swinging wildly. Make sure any drains are clear and dinghy balnced to lead rainwater to them. Our last dinghy needed a bit of Help from a wooden BBQ skewer to Hold it's rubber flap non-return thingy open fully for draining. Above all stay safe!

 

[Jazmin 1]

It's best to be safe than sorry. Tie her up good. Not to snug and bumpers out.

 

[Donna]

If it were my boat at Palm Coast, I would not be too concerned. Where did you see a forecast of 35mph gusts for Palm Coast? This should be mostly a rain event and gusts of 15mph after it crosses the state. By all means tie up the boat well but no reason to overdo it.

Flaglerweather.com and news channel 13

 

[Donsan]

The following link will show you wind speed probabilities and it looks like 10-20 mph for Palm Coast:

TROPICAL STORM EMILY

 

[Benthic2]

Will you be on board for the storm ? If so, you might want to hold a line or two in reserve to apply as needed.

 

[jleonard]

Here in Ct I never do anything extra for 35 knot winds other than make sure I don't have anything lying around.
My normal tie up is good for that.

 

[psneeld]

35 knots of wind and no substantial increase in current or waves is not much of a concern. We just had that for 24 hrs in Jersey in the form of a typical Noreaster.

Assuming you have a decent tie up and a clue of what you are doing.

 

[diver dave]

Then again, there was Wilma.
Forcast let us down on that one. I was in the eye putting up shutters.

Lessons From Hurricane Wilma | Palisades Hudson Financial Group

 

[BandB]

Donna, I think it's just as many lines as you can have. Protect against one not working by knowing it would take multiple ones to break loose for you to have problems. Lines and fenders. I don't see your marina as a high risk location although I do think it could be hit by Emily. Also could be missed. Looks like it will hit land with 45 mph winds but they'll slow fairly quickly to 35 or at tops 40 mph.

Now you tie up perfectly, remove potential flying objects and then, unfortunately, dependent on others having done the same. Hopefully the dockmaster will look around well.

 

[Comodave]

I would do as much as I could as soon as I could. A couple of hours of wasted effort isn't much in case the storm turns at the last minute. Worse case you get some expericnce in storm prep. If my boat was in Florida, I would have several hundred extra feet of line for just such a time. When our boat was in Virginia, the marina had us move to an open slip when a hurricane was projected to come close. Everyone worked for about 4 days prepping. I had 700' of dock lines out around the boat. Then the hurricane turned east and all we got was 35 to 45 knot winds and a lot of rain. I didn't regret a minute of the prep time after the hurricane didn't come near. I did learn a lot.

 

[FF]

35 MPH is less than a thunderstorm will produce.

Your std tie up should be fine , as there are daily thunderstorms in most of FL.

 

[Insequent]

Refer to Hicker's post #1 in the attqched link, based on Tropical Cyclone Debbie, a Category 4 event. You might not get anything like it this time around, but there is nothing quite like some pointers from someone who copped a beating.
http://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s58/cyclone-preparations-marina-31898.html

 

[cappy208]

35 isn't much, provided it's just as the front passes. Two items come to mind. Make sure you aren't tying to just one or two cleats on dock. Spread out the fastenings. It's not uncommon for a dock cleat to fail.

Regarding the dinghy. Compared to the boat a dinghys cheap. Move the dinghy, properly secure the boat. Toss the dinghy on the cabin top. Or deflate it if you're concerned.

 

[FoxtrotCharlie]

Donna, how was Emily?

 

[BandB]

Donna, how was Emily?

Hoping she's fine. Thinking she is as Emily turned into a tropical depression and passed well south of Palm Coast, now at sea and expected to say there.

 

[Donna]

Donna, how was Emily?

Wasn't bad at all. BUT! Pretty proud of myself. Last year I bought the boat in September. In October we had hurricane Matthew. That one was really bad. I had no idea how to tie down a boat this size. She was not on a floating dock at the time. Someone re-tied me after I left to go home. To this day I do not know who it was. I learned from that and the tie up this time was no where near as much.

I understand all to well how these paths turn and strenghten at the last minute. Look at hurricane Charlie and the poor people of Punta Gorda, Fl. They had a 1/2 hour to prep for a Cat. 4. It was forecasted to hit St. petes.

Dingy is on a davit sitting on a hardtop and secured at all times. No worries there.

 

[Jazmin 1]

Always prepare for the worst. I travel, for work, to Europe so during hurricane season Jazmin 1 has all her storm lines on. Irene (2011) was suppose to pass 250 miles soith of Puerto Rico. Last minute she decided to turn slightly north and came inland just 20 miles west of our marina. We lost our swim platform, but would have definitely been worst if we had not prepared. We had two other boats go under and others with substantial damage. Luckily it was just Cat 1.