Hurricane season is again upon us with the first tropical storm already come and gone. If you own a boat, the time to prepare for hurricanes and storms is now. Boats have always been vulnerable in a hurricane due to wind, wave action, storm surge, rain and collisions with other objects.

If you own a boat you should develop a plan for preparing for a storm. First review your docking, moorage or storage contract for instructions that may require you to take certain precautions or even leave the marina when a hurricane threatens.

Planning where your boat will best survive a storm and for all the steps and equipment needed to protect your boat should be completed before hurricane season begins. Don't wait until the last minute!

Securing your boat ashore will better the chances for your boat to survive than if stored in the water. Many marina hurricane plans involve hauling as many boats as possible. Smaller boats and those with low freeboard should be hauled and stored ashore or put on trailers and transported inland. Boats stored in dry storage racks have shown to be susceptible to damage and should be placed on trailers and moved inland also.

If you have no other choice but to leave your boat in the water, it should be secured in a snug harbor. A harbor that is not overcrowded and with as much protection from storm surge and wave action is highly desirable. In addition if you plan on anchoring, check to see how much water you will be anchoring in and the type of bottom. Anchors usually hold best in sand.

Another choice would be to take shelter in rivers, canals or other waterways. Again try to pick an area which is not overcrowded and offers shelter from the forces of the storm. Your mooring could and should be made up of an assortment of anchors and lines tied to trees, pilings or other structures. The more correctly applied anchors and lines the better.

If your boat is left at a dock you will need to develop a plan to secure your boat using more, longer and larger lines than normal. These lines will actually suspend your boat away from damaging contact with other structures. Secure your dock lines to sturdy points, pilings cleats, etc., and protect lines from chafing with chafe gear at points of contact. The lines will resemble a spider web with your boat in the center when done. Care must be taken to make sure that the boat is allowed to rise and fall with the storm surge and be buffeted by the wind but still remain in its berth.

Boats left on lifts and davits are also susceptible to damage. Even raised to their highest point, boats on lifts and davits can be damaged by storm surge, rain and wind. Always remember to remove the drain plug to allow the rainwater to drain and not collapse the lift or davits with the added weight. Note: with the drain plug removed the rising storm surge will fill the boat with water. Water damage will occur but it will probably suffer less structural damage than if it were left floating and buffeted against a lift or davits.

If your boat is a trailer boat the best protection is to move it inland and away from the storms path. Always check your trailer and keep it properly maintained so if and when you need to move because of an oncoming storm, you can. If you plan to leave your boat in an area, which may be hit by the storm, there are some things, which you can do. Let air out of trailer tires and chock the wheels to prevent the trailer from being moved by the wind. Leave the drain plug in and add water with a garden hose to increase its weight so the boat will stay on the trailer. (Note: Add blocks of wood between the springs and trailer frame to prevent collapse.) If available, also secure trailer to any structure which will restrain it from moving, such as a large trees or ground anchors.

Wherever you keep your boat during the storm, always remember that its best chance to survive was planned and that plan carried out well before the storm approached.