Gulf Boaters prepare for Hurricane Delta

Tie-downs can help prevent a vessel that is stored ashore from being toppled onto its side during high winds. This boat, located at Pensacola Shipyard, Pensacola, Florida, successfully weathered Hurricane Sally as it roared ashore with 105 mph winds © Scott Croft

Just three weeks ago, many boaters were caught unprepared when Hurricane Sally shifted eastward and came ashore near Gulf Shores, Alabama. Now with a fifth storm of the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season again bearing down the Gulf Coast, Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) can help boaters prepare for Hurricane Delta with no-cost tools, tips and downloadable information at BoatUS.com/Hurricane-Prep.

Said BoatUS Vice President Public Affairs Scott Croft, "With each passing storm, the odds that your boat may experience damage increase. Failing to prepare for Hurricane Delta is not a bet worth taking." The hurricane preparation information comes from the GEICO | BoatUS Marine Insurance Catastrophe Team's nearly 40 years of experience recovering vessels after hurricanes and studying the best storm preparation practices.

Tieing vessels firmly to the ground helped these three vessels, located at Penscola Shipyard in Pensacola, Florida, weather Hurricane Sally's 105 mph winds. - photo © Scott Croft

Hurricane planning materials include:

• a Hurricane Preparation Guide from BoatUS Magazine with information on what to expect, where to keep a boat during a storm, and how to develop a hurricane plan.
• a Boater's Guide to Preparing Boats and Marinas for Hurricanes with details on what you can do to protect your boat in a slip, dock, canal or dry-storage rack; on a lift or a mooring, or in a hurricane hole.
• a Hurricane Preparation Worksheet to easily manage your boat's hurricane prep efforts and share with your marina owner/manager.
• hurricane-planning videos with simple, but critical, projects you can do yourself to prepare.

For more, visit BoatUS.com/Hurricane-Prep.