What do you do during hurricane season?
Posted by 8thSt@reddit | sailing | View on Reddit | 13 comments
First time boat owner. Currently in USVIs, and I’m trying to figure out what people do during hurricane season if they don’t haul out? I’ve been reading about going south to Grenada, but it seems like this is for people who stay on their boats. What if I need to leave for a couple of months? Marinas down there seem at capacity and so I’m looking into any available mooring balls with gardiage (?) services, but even those seem limited. It’s very stressful doing this for the first season.
What do any of you do if your boat is based in the hurricane box?
Gone2SeaOnACat@reddit
Kiss the boat goodbye when you leave and rejoice if it’s still there when you get back.
frak357@reddit
Your insurance typically tells you where you can’t and can be during hurricane season. Either batten down in the home marina or go to one of the safe zones according to your insurance policy.
KStieers@reddit
In 2008 I did a liveaboard class in the BVI on a 67' Ketch
The owners used to head up to Maine for hurricane season... until they got hit by Hurricane Mitch mid trip...
Then they switched to Trinidad... it was Coast Guard registered, so he had to haul out regularly (yearly?) And it was cheaper to do in Trinidad...
Sailsherpa@reddit
I’d do whatever the locals do.
casablanca_1942@reddit
Hurricane Milton made a direct hit (within the eyewall) on my location. My boat survived, but sustained damage. I had at the time decided to ride it out in my home marina. I have since decided that if a direct hit is expected, then it would be best to make a run for it.
iSkiBC@reddit
I operate out of the USVI and BVI. I'm done with the season at the end of June. Boat goes to Grenada then I'm off to Croatia. I've left the boat in Prickly Bay, Blue Lagoon, Clarke's Court, and Carriacou. I prefer Carriacou because I have a great connection to getting projects done.
No-Country6348@reddit
It’s such a tragedy that Venezuela fell to authoritarianism. We left our boat there before the fall, south enough to be hurricane safe. Great experience with wonderful people. At that time, some left their boats in trinidad, not sure how safe it is nowadays.
space_ape_x@reddit
We lost our family boat in Hurricane Maria in St John’s Hurricane Hole. Better to sail south…
caeru1ean@reddit
We stayed in Chiapas Mx one year, Cartagena the next, and Grenada this last summer. We stay on the boat full time, apart from maybe going to visit family for a couple of weeks. I'm not sure that marinas are at capacity, because they are so expensive and there are so many places to anchor. Coming from Pacific Mexico where Marinas are way over capacity I was surprised to find thats the case in the Caribbean.
In your case you could try and get a mooring in Grenada in Prickly Bay or Woburn if you can't find space or can't afford a marina. Plenty of people leave their boats in the other Windward islands but you know, you risk it getting hit with a hurricane. Rodney Bay marina in St. Lucia is considered pretty protected, as is Le Marin in Martinique. Carriacou was, until getting a direct hit from Beryl last year. I'm sure it won't get hit again this year...
Free_Range_Lobster@reddit
They pray.
Secret-Temperature71@reddit
First ask your insurance broker what they will allow. For example my broker had Granada put of the box but they would only allow so many to shelter there.
If insurance is no issue St Matrin or Antigua.
oudcedar@reddit
We have left our boat in the water in St Lucia last year and Grenada the year before. It will be Grenada again this hurricane season. We don’t visit the boat during hurricane season so it’s at least 5 months without us being there. If a hurricane hits directly then that’s that’s the end of the boat whether on the water or on the hard tied down like our friends in Carriacou last year - just 3 weeks after we were there. But a near miss and we will be fine in a hurricane hole marina.
NedKelkyLives@reddit
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