In case you haven’t seen the calendar or turned on the weather recently, we’re in the middle of hurricane season. This time of year can be scary for many Floridians, but it’s uniquely worrisome for boaters who need to keep their vessel out of harm’s way. Continue reading to learn how to properly store your boat for a hurricane in Fort Lauderdale, FL:
- Pick a quality boatyard:You can’t keep your boat in your backyard during hurricane season, so you’ll need to find a boatyard to store it. Be sure to choose a boatyard that won’t just store your boat for the season, but will also maintain it if anything goes wrong.
- Strip sails and canvas: If you have a sailboat, ensure the sails, canvas and anything else that can catch wind are removed and safely stored. In addition to mitigating damage done by hurricane-force winds, storing your sails and canvas reduces any fading caused by UV rays.
- Wash and buff: Boat owners know the importance of keeping both the interior and exterior of their vessel clean. Washing your boat and subsequently buffing it with wax removes any stuck-on salts, ensuring it’s ready once hurricane season is over.
- Rinse the engine: Any old gas stuck in the engine or carburetor can lead to problems after hurricane season when you’re ready to get out on the water once again. Detach the gas tank and flush it with fresh water to eliminate any old gas.
- Drain and replace engine oil: You don’t want any engine oil sitting in your boat all season, either. Run fresh water through the engine first before adding fresh oil. You should also go ahead and replace the engine filter while you’re at it.
- Fill the fuel and water tanks: Filling up your fuel and water tanks when preparing your boat for storage for hurricane season in Fort Lauderdale, FL may seem counterintuitive. After all, you won’t be using your boat for a while! We perform this step to help ensure there’s nowhere for bacteria to grow while your boat sits idle. Including a fuel stabilizer in your gas is also a good idea at this point.
- Steam-clean cushions: We don’t just need to worry about the exterior when it comes to hurricane season preparation. Rent a steam cleaner and set to work on all of your cushions. This process will remove ground-in salts and any other grime that’s built up throughout the years.
- Remove all perishables: Rodents and other pests are always looking for a free meal, and they’re sure to find one in an empty boat. Pack up any food, even if it’s in a sealed container, to reduce the risk of a pest infestation.
Store your boat with us!
In terms of knowing how to properly store your boat for a hurricane in Fort Lauderdale, FL, nobody is better than our team at Starboard Yacht Group LLC. Whether you’re a seasoned captain who just needs a place to store their boat or a new boat owner who needs everything handled for them, we provide a wide range of services to meet every boater’s needs.
Categorised in: Yacht Management