Free hurricane planning videos, guides from BoatUS
SPRINGFIELD, Va., July 31, 2020 – Hurricane Isaias is forecast to run up the East Coast, likely bringing heavy rains, high winds and storm surge from South Florida to potentially as far north as New England through next week. With the storm having reached Category 1 status (sustained winds of 74 mph) Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) is urging boaters to be prepared.
“It doesn’t take a major hurricane to cause major damage to your boat,” said BoatUS Vice President of Public Affairs Scott Croft. “Boats most often sink when they are tied up at the dock, with the owner away, so one of the most important things boaters can do now is to make sure their boats shed water.” Croft says to clear deck scuppers, ensure hatches are tight, remove windage such as bimini tops are removed, and consider adding extra lines with chafe protection.
BoatUS offers free tools, tips and information at BoatUS.com/Hurricane-Prep to help put a hurricane plan in place that can help prevent boat damage. If time is tight, Croft says BoatUS’s collection of hurricane-planning videos with simple projects you can do yourself, can help you start prepping.
Additional hurricane planning materials include a BoatUS Magazine Hurricane Preparation Guide with information on what to expect, where to keep a boat, 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, on a lift, in a dry-storage rack, mooring, or hurricane hole; and a Hurricane Preparation Worksheet to easily manage your boat’s hurricane prep efforts and share with your marina owner/manager.
Boaters can monitor Isaias’ track with the free BoatUS.com/App for iOS and Android devices. (After downloading, go to settings to enable “push notifications” for your region.)
The hurricane preparation information comes from the BoatUS Marine Insurance Catastrophe (CAT) Team, a leader in recreational boat hurricane preparedness with more than 30 years of post-hurricane boat salvage experience. For more, visit BoatUS.com/Hurricane-Prep.
About Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS):
Celebrating more than 50 years, BoatUS is the nation’s largest organization of recreational boaters with more than a half-million members. We are the boat owners’ voice on Capitol Hill and fight for their rights. We are The Boat Owners Auto Club and help ensure a roadside trailer breakdown doesn’t end a boating or fishing trip before it begins. When boats break down on the water, TowBoatUS brings them safely back to the launch ramp or dock, 24/7. The BoatUS Marine Insurance Program offers policies that give boat owners affordable, specialized coverage and superior service they need. We help keep boaters safe and our waters clean with assistance from the nonprofit BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water. Visit BoatUS.com.
