Any special precautions in prep for the high winds?

colhel

colhel

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 Jan 2011
Messages
4,203
Location
Gillingham(Dorset) Boat Weymuff
Visit site
This is our first year in a Marina (Cobbs Quay). Shall I just lash up extra warps and fenders? I'm taking the headsail down tomorrow, should I remove the main and boom aswell? Anything else I can do? Am I being overly concerned?
 
Take all sail and covers off. Spiral a halyard a few turns round your forestay foil, tighten it up. Tie off all halyards so they won't frap. Put fenders on the other side from your boat from your tied up side. Tie across to the other finger if the neighbouring berth is free, easing lines on your pontoon side a little. Drop your boom to the deck and tie off. Put loads of lines on, preferably with compensators or tyres rigged as compensators, try to avoid short and tight lines especially if you are high freeboard. If you really things will get very hairy put tyres around as fenders.
 
Having seen the damage 100kt winds can do in a marina, do everything to prevent chaffing of mooring warps, double up etc. consider what effect a storm surge might have, ie exceptionally high water levels, remove all canvas (sails, spray dodgers, etc. then check the moorings on the neighbouring boat if that owner is less than conscientious than you. In a proper storm, there is a real risk of finger pontoons being bent and or ripped off. I remember seeing pontoons moving like galloping gertie and boats heeling at large angles and feeling helpless to do anything.

But then again that was the storm of the century and I don't think it will be that windy this weekend.
 
the dangers are not so much from a boat that has been well prepared, but from events that are outwith the control of the skipper.

e.g.

Waves causing fenders to lift above the pontoon, so that the hull is in contact with the steelwork (tie lines to the underneath of the fender and pass them below the keel to the offside?)

Badly prepared boats breaking free (the marina staff will not be allowed on the pontoons in very high winds)

Storm surge lifting pontoons above design level

Power failures - loose elec cables; security gates disabled, CCTV failure

fuel leaks from sunken craft causing fire and slipperiness/contamination issues






etc.
 
Pair up your fenders, one high and one low in each pair. I see more minor damage done by trapped under and ridden over fenders than perhaps anything else in a decent blow. Also, don't tie them to the guardwires, use the stanchion bases, cleats or toerail as available.
 
Stay on board if you can and if you think your boat is worth it. It'll be noisy but worth it if there is no damage. F*^K the marina staff, it's your boat and your responsibility, it's not the HSE stopping you going down to your boat, but the marinas staff & lawyers in case you bring a law suite against them!.

I was were once told by our marina that I couldn't go down to my boat for H&S reason in a near gale. My main was coming untied and about to take off towards Ireland. I told them to try and stop me if wanted; walked down the pontoon, re-lashed the sail and made a cup of coffee and some toast; I spent a pleasant day doing odd jobs around the boat, re-tensioning dock lines, etc; it was blowing it's tits off mind, but I felt safe on board my boat and knowing it was safe.

In Morocco a few years ago thr pontoons floated off the pylons with the surge, did all sorts of damage.
 
As the forecast is for hurricane strength winds there are lots of guides around on precautions to take.

The main one is to get the canvas off including anything like a dodger.

Double up lines and add lots of chafing gear.

I would not stay on the boat. Try driving along at 70 mph and stick your head out the window to get a feel for the conditions. If you insist on staying you NEED a pair of motorcycle goggles or a scuba mask if you plan to be out when it is windy.
 
if you are staying on board, think about rigging a line along the pontoon, so that you can hold on to it as you escape.
 
boomerangben said:
But then again that was the storm of the century and I don't think it will be that windy this weekend.
Click to expand...

Hope not but Monday looks hairy... Simon (from the weather school) 's latest forecast for Solent area is

"Increasing SW F8-F9 occ F10

overnight into Monday. Veering W

F10-F11 but gust F12 during the

early morning, easing F9-F10 in the

afternoon"
 
Just a thought. If your boat is on the hard already think about securing the cradle or props. Neighbouring boats may topple and cause damage. This happened in the January 2005 storms in the Lake District. Whole lines of boats toppled.
 
We used to take sails and all canvas work including spray hood, can covers, GPS cover, SatC cover and winch cover. As you are in a marine double up the lines and fit anti chafe gear. Leave some slack in the lines.
 
I dropped the headsail and main this morning and put another line from a sheet winch to our mooring buoy to take a little load off the front cleats.

As it took less than an hour I can't see the point in not doing it and will probably be glad I did if it blows as forecast!
 
I've just stowed the headsail, wanted to have a look at the top bearing anyway. Put some sail ties round the stackpack, probably halved its volume. Taken all halyards and the emergency inner forestay right up forward so they can't frap no matter how hard it blows. Lashed the boom as low as possible out to a deck cleat to hold it against the mainsheet so that it can't worry to and fro. My fenders are always paired anyway. Lines checked, all good. Neighbouring boats given a glance over, all good. Sprayhood to be removed as soon as it starts really picking up, but making a nice lookout shelter for now. Oh, and drinks cabinet stocked. I'm ready.
 
Simondjuk said:
I've just stowed the headsail, wanted to have a look at the top bearing anyway. Put some sail ties round the stackpack, probably halved its volume. Taken all halyards and the emergency inner forestay right up forward so they can't frap no matter how hard it blows. Lashed the boom as low as possible out to a deck cleat to hold it against the mainsheet so that it can't worry to and fro. My fenders are always paired anyway. Lines checked, all good. Neighbouring boats given a glance over, all good. Sprayhood to be removed as soon as it starts really picking up, but making a nice lookout shelter for now. Oh, and drinks cabinet stocked. I'm ready.
Click to expand...

I think I'd just put my boat behind yours. That should do it.
 
Ah but we're being blown on, so I suspect, given the strength of your boat, we'd end up with it inside ours.

I've just prepared an additional warp. If it gets really sporty, I might run it from the outer end of the next pontoon to our aft cleat to prevent us riding our fenders quite so hard, as it's likely to be bang on the beam.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top