Prepare Your Yacht For a Hurricane
Yachts In A Hurricane: Everything You Need To Know
When you’re buying a yacht or if you already own a yacht, you’ll know that asides from sinking, vandalism, fires and a few other exceptions, a hurricane is the worst thing that can happen to your yacht.
So while you can’t stop a Hurricane, you can be proactive in preparing your yacht for one. The following tips should help you protect your yacht through the storm.
1) Assure Adequate Coverage & Establish A Hurricane Contingency Plan - Every company can insure your boat but not every company can insure your yacht. There’s a select few institutions that underwrite yacht insurance so I always reccomend going through a marine insurance broker, that will pin these underwriters against eachother for the most competitive rates, but it’s a shame when owners make claims only to find out they’re policy wasn’t underwritten properly.
Underwriters just before a storm will often times cease taking new policies or amendments as the imminent risk of damange or payout is greatly increased, so make sure it’s done ahead of time. When obtaining yacht insurance, it’s common for insurance companies to require a hurricane contingency plan and it’s important you stick to that approved plan or again, run the risk of insurance not paying out.
2) Outrun The Storm - The given nature of hurricanes is that they’re path is rather volatile and not easy to predict yet a move of 30 miles may make the difference between experiencing 50 mph winds vs 250 mph winds. Avoiding the eye of the storm or storm to the best of your ability is always ideal.
3) Off the Coast, Tall Pilings & Floating Docks - the greatest risk of damage occurs from storm surge, or rising water levels. If the docks are floating, they’ll rise with the surge as will your vessel, and so long as the pilings are high, it will be nearly impossible for your lines to come undone over the top of the piling.
4) Isolate or Concentrate - It’s ideal if you can get to a marina where there’s no other vessels around you, because although wind and debris pose a threat, a much larger threat is someone else’s yacht that isn’t properly secured, coming free and repreatedly smaking into your yacht. On the contrary, it’s common practive for yachts to tie up together to form one large collective unit under a shed, typically upriver in a shipyard, which reduces movement, friction and damage.
Preferred reservations are typically made well in advance of a storm on a first come first serve basis, so if you’re late to the party, you run the risk of not being guarenteed a spot or paying a premium.
In the event your vessel sustains damage during a hurricane, file claims immediately, as there’s typically a surge in cliams filed, therefore resulting in a delay in cliams processed and paid out.
If you want additional guidance on what to do for your yacht during a hurricane feel free to reach out to me at cm@theyachthunter.com. In the event your vessel is damaged during a hurricane and you’re beginning your search for your replacement yacht, I would love the opportunity to advise you as your yacht purchasing advisor, regardless of where you’re located and regardless of the yacht you’re interested in buying.