CGSC Hurricane Instructions for Members
- CGSC will do what it can for you, but ultimately it's your boat and
your responsibility.
Do not ask or try to pay CGSC dock staff to take care of your boat -
they have work to do.
- If you make an arrangement for someone else to move your boat, e.g.,
because you might be away, provide their name and contact information
to the Dock Master.
- CGSC will not tow your boat out of the mooring field.
- Reducing Windage (as instructed below) includes ...
- Taking all sails down, leaving them in the boat or at home.
- Taking the bimini and frame down, and all canvas covers off
- Taking the dingy and outboard off
- Securing all line ends (halyards)
- Replacing dorades and cowl vents with covers
- Removing solar panels and windmills
- Removing "deck junk" - BBQs, cushions, etc.
- Closing all seacocks (reducing "sea-age")
- Boats on the moorings, strip, and racks must be removed from from
CGSC before a Hurricane Warning is issued.
Failure to meet this requirement will result in a penalty.
In particular, Item 25 of the moorings agreement says ...
If an owner leaves their boat on a CGSC mooring or between the moorings
and Clarington Island during a Club moorings evacuation, their mooring
privileges will be revoked and they will be required to remove their
boat from the mooring field immediately after the evacuation and will
be required to wait one year before they are allowed to reapply for
mooring privileges.
... and Item 3.10 of the rack and strip agreement says ...
Storage of boats on Club property and moorings, and between club property
and Carrington Island, is prohibited, without exception, while a hurricane
watch or warning is in effect for Dade County by the NOAA National
Hurricane Center. Owners who do not move their boats in accordance with
this regulation shall be barred from use of the strip or rack facilities,
including hoists, for one year.
- When you move your boat from CGSC, leave the following information in
a ziplock taped in the cockpit (required if your boat is left in the
Coral Gables waterway) ...
- Boat name
- Year, Make/Model, Length of vessel
- HIN number, FL # or USCG Doc #
- Where you normally keep your boat ("Coconut Grove Sailing Club"!!)
- Full name and date of birth
- Phone numbers and Email addresses (your and alternatives)
- Physical address
July (before the start of the Hurricane Season) and
August (the start of the Hurricane Season)
- Attend a Hurricane Preparation seminar.
- Make a Hurricane Plan, find friends to help (especially if you might
be out of town).
Provide their names and contact information to the Dock Master.
- Prepare for the season ...
- Explore and practice moving your boat from CGSC
- Get anchors, chain, shackles, rodes, floats, and chafe protection
- Test the engine, check the prop, have clean fuel and filters
- Check cleats
- Prepare information cards (see above)
- Take inventory inside and out - take photos
- Get insurance, especially towing
- Not using the boat or leaving town? ... reduce windage
- Check the weather web pages every day
- Read club emails when a storm is coming
120 hours out (in the 5-day "Cone of Uncertainty")
- Review your Hurricane Plan.
72 hours out (in the 3-day "Cone of Uncertainty") for a Tropical Storm
- Reduce windage (CGSC recommendation).
72 hours out (in the 3-day "Cone of Uncertainty") for a Hurricane
- Reduce windage (CGSC recommendation).
- Remove boat from CGSC (CGSC recommendation).
48 hours out - Tropical Storm Watch issued
- Reduce windage before this time (CGSC recommendation).
48 hours out - Hurricane Watch issued
- Reduce windage before this time (CGSC requirement).
- Remove boat from CGSC before this time (CGSC recommendation).
36 hours out - Tropical Storm Warning issued
- Reduce windage before this time (CGSC requirement)
- Remove boat from CGSC before this time (optional).
36 hours out - Hurricane Warning issued
- Remove your boat from CGSC before this time (CGSC requirement).
Failure to meet this requirement will result in a penalty, as explained
above.
After the Storm