With weather forecasters hard at work trying to determine the course Hurricane Matthew will take later this week, recreational boaters, marinas and boating facilities along the US Southeastern Coast may not want to wait to make preparations. “It doesn’t take a direct hit for winds, rains and surge to cause damage,” said BoatUS Seaworthy Editor Charles Fort. Free hurricane-planning help from Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) is available online at BoatUS.com/hurricanes, and includes:
- The easy-to-download, sharable “BoatUS Tips for Protecting Boats in Hurricanes” is a basic two-page primer on hurricane preparation for all recreational boaters in hurricane states.
- “Boater’s Guide to Preparing Boats and Marinas for Hurricanes” is the boater’s guide on Hurricane Prep 101, but with more details on how to protect your boat and marinas.
- “What Works: A Guide to Preparing Marinas, Yacht Clubs and Boats for Hurricanes” is a helpful resource for marina and boat club staff, community resiliency managers and local government organizations that focus on protecting boating facilities.
When a storm approaches, BoatUS.com/hurricanes also has up-to-the-minute storm tracking tools with live satellite images and checklists for what to do before and after a hurricane strikes.
Much of the hurricane guide information comes from BoatUS and its Marine Insurance Catastrophe (CAT) Team, a recognized leader in hurricane preparedness with more than 30 years of post-storm boat salvage experience. Go to BoatUS.com/hurricanes for more.