Getting Through Hurricane Season as a Yacht Owner

Getting Through Hurricane Season as a Yacht Owner

Hurricane season can be a scary time for yacht owners. Late summer and early fall can bring extreme storms with only a limited amount of warning. The Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, and in particular Florida, often see at least two hurricanes every year, and if recent studies are correct, could see even more in coming years. Your yacht doesn’t have to be collateral damage in the storm if you know a little about hurricane preparedness.

Yacht owners who don’t properly prepare for a hurricane could risk losing their prized possession. Severe wind and rain can, along with flying debris, cause unfixable damage to a boat. Every year during hurricanes, untold numbers of boats wash up on shore, often times so damaged they eventually end up in garbage dumps. Unfortunately for these boat owners, had they taken advantage of hurricane-oriented yacht services in Fort Lauderdale, their loss could have been avoided.

Companies, such as Starboard Yacht Group, offer hurricane preparedness contracts with the goal of securing or relocating vessels prior to severe storm weather. Services like this can save thousands of boats throughout hurricane season. Instead of losing their yachts, Fort Lauderdale yacht owners are often left wondering how such a simple service could end up saving their favorite toy. Preparing a yacht for an incoming hurricane isn’t as impossible as it may sound. There are actually two strategies used by companies when preparing for a storm: either leaving the yacht in water with securing devices, or relocating the boat on land.

Securing a boat in water involves linking together many ships in a snug harbor. Harbors that aren’t in danger of storm surging are best, since extremely high water can break boats loose and throw them on shore. Special attention also needs to be paid to how the ship is anchored, what type of ground material is beneath the water for adequate anchoring, and what the surrounding area is like around the harbor so that if a boat breaks loose it won’t face unnecessary damage. Experts understand that many yacht owners are weary of leaving their boats in the water, but in reality, boats can be very safe if the proper strategies have been employed to protect them.

The obvious alternative to water storing is relocation of the yacht. Part of many hurricane preparedness services offered by yacht companies in Fort Lauderdale involves hauling boats out of the water as a storm approaches. Typically, boats are then brought well above the anticipated storm surge area, put into a safe area with reliable equipment and stored on specially designed storage racks.

Storing out of water may seem safer than keeping it in water, but if an unreliable company uses bad equipment, or isn’t careful while pulling the yacht out of water or transporting it, then the yacht is just as susceptible to damage. Prepare ahead of time for the next hurricane season by consulting with professional yacht services in Fort Lauderdale on how to best protect your yacht.