| Do you have a Severe Weather / Hurricane Plan | | | | to a dock up a river, what are the local |
| For your Yacht? | | | | regulations on Bridges? Most South Florida |
| | | | communities have ordinances that affect |
| | | | opening hours and they have ordinances that |
| | | | dictate how their bridges will operate during |
| Have you heard from your insurance company | | | | severe weather events. It may seem overly |
| lately? If you have not and you are the | | | | cautious to depart a seemly safe slip or dock |
| Captain, Owner or Operator of a recreational | | | | 3 days in advance of a warning or watch |
| vessel Power or sail, expect to and soon! | | | | however timing is indeed everything. Too |
| | | | late may preclude getting into that hurricane |
| One insurance company in no uncertain terms | | | | hole you had in mind or being trapped behind |
| categorically states on it's Severe weather | | | | a bridge in an unsafe location. . |
| Plan Questionnaire for Crewed vessels "Wind | | | | |
| coverage will not be afforded to vessels | | | | Broward County has a Flotilla Plan for the |
| located south of Morehead City NC between 30 | | | | New River; you can review it at |
| June and 1 November unless an acceptable | | | | |
| Severe Weather Plan is completed and Approved | | | | On the East Coast of Florida the perennial |
| by a *** Private client Group Yacht | | | | question is to go North or to go South, the |
| Underwriter". | | | | United States Navy in Norfolk VA usually |
| | | | takes the big ship option, they go to sea. |
| The questions can be as detailed as "how many | | | | That may not be the best option for a 10-knot |
| lines are going to be used," which direction | | | | vessel however. |
| is the slip facing" and of course a wonderful | | | | |
| catch 22 " do you have alternative plans if | | | | Good weather forecasting is imperative and |
| your primary plan becomes unlikely?" | | | | taking those actions to keep your or your |
| | | | clients vessel out of harms way in a timely |
| In short, if you are to have a reasonable | | | | manner is the responsibility of the Captain |
| chance of collecting from your insurance | | | | and his crew Make a seaman like decision |
| company, they expect a reasonable effort to | | | | based on all available data and be prepared |
| protect the vessel and real efforts to | | | | to alter or modify that decision as events |
| mitigate loss or damage, now more than ever | | | | dictate. |
| before. | | | | |
| | | | Consultation with the owner to establish |
| Understanding that yacht crew may have shore | | | | practical time parameters is an essential |
| side responsibilities, house car etc. they | | | | part of any plan That when question needs |
| cannot just tie the vessel to the dock and | | | | to be addressed and agreement reached. |
| run, after all the vessel that they are being | | | | |
| paid to care for is their job and may have | | | | It could result in an expensive voyage to |
| funded those shore side assets in the first | | | | nowhere or prudent action could save the |
| place! Therefore that word again PLAN. | | | | vessel. However, running away from the storm |
| | | | just might be the best run the vessel ever |
| The components of that plan far exceed how | | | | made. If nothing, else such a trip could |
| many lines are in inventory. Is the vessel | | | | provide an excellent opportunity to exercise |
| kept topped off? (If there is, a Severe WX | | | | the vessel and do some real crew training. |
| warning fueling might not be readily | | | | A Plan is not a unilateral thing, the |
| available or waiting for it might affect your | | | | owner, and insurance carrier, crew; need to |
| plans). A recheck of just what is the | | | | be on the same page with the captain if it is |
| vessel's range at speed, if the plan is to | | | | to be workable (emergency funds for example, |
| get out of the way. What is your window, | | | | relocation of the vessel's vehicle, the crew |
| that is just WHEN do you make the decision to | | | | working together to secure their personal |
| run? Of course WHERE TO? If you are short | | | | assets in adequate time to implement the |
| of crew, it might be a bit late to augment | | | | vessel's plan etc.) |
| the crew compliment 2 days before a Hurricane | | | | |
| is forecast to strike (after all it is the | | | | The middle of the Season may not be the |
| middle of summer). Like shore side people, | | | | optimum time to develop a plan, reduce it to |
| you need stores to last a week. Someone needs | | | | writing, and organize the necessary supplies |
| to feed the crew and grocery stores are | | | | and assets. However, it is better NOW than |
| notoriously busy at the last minute. | | | | when storm damages are being negotiated with |
| | | | a claims adjuster or trying to get into the |
| The devil is always in the details, if you | | | | Yard behind a hundred other vessels. |
| are at a dock up a river or if you are going | | | | |