Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Protect cars and boats during storm
Emergency managers advise most people to just hunker down at home when a hurricane threatens, but what about cars and boats?
Motor vehicles:
If you have a garage or carport, keep your vehicle inside.
Reinforce the garage door with 2x4 lumber, aluminum beams, or other hardware designed for hurricanes.
Take down tools, equipment and other heavy objects hanging from the ceiling or walls or on shelves and put them on the garage floor.
If you have no garage, park next to your home or a building that shields your vehicle from the wind. RVs, vans, trucks or other high-profile vehicles can be flipped over in high winds.
Do not park in narrow areas between two buildings because winds can become more intense as they funnel through these openings.
Remove all exterior attachments from vehicles such as antennas and magnets.
Cover your vehicle with blankets or padding and then a plastic sheet or waterproof tarp to protect it from airborne debris.
If you park near the beach, tape sheets or towels over the vehicle’s windows so extreme winds don’t sand-blast and pit or shatter the glass.
Do not put tape directly on the windows. It could leave a sticky residue that may obscure visibility.
Park away from trees and power lines that may damage your vehicle.
Gas up a day or two before the storm arrives. Pumps may not work afterward or there may be long lines if they do. Make sure you have cash on hand, too.
After the storm, have a mechanic inspect the engine for water damage, electrical problems and contaminated fluids.
If you have to drive:
Avoid going through standing water in flooded areas. They may conceal soft pavement, pot holes, damaging debris, downed power lines and other hidden road hazards. One foot of flowing water can sweep a vehicle off the road.
Beware of broken or flashing traffic lights. Treat the intersection as a four-way stop.
Don’t go sightseeing. Driving through devastated areas may hamper the recovery operations of emergency responders.
Keeping boats on land:
If your boat is less than 20 feet long and is kept at your house, store it upside down beside the home, if possible, or keep it on a trailer.
Put blocks around the trailer wheels to keep it from rolling.
Partially deflate the tires so stormwater can drain out of the back of the boat and not damage the trailer.
Tie down the boat and trailer with strong rope that won’t chafe the boat or damage its cleats.
Attach the rope to sturdy ground anchors or trees with strong roots.
Do not store small boats between buildings to avoid wind funnel damage.
Boat equipment, motors and canvas should be removed and stored indoors.
If you store your boat at a marina, make sure your rental agreement spells out who is responsible for the boat during a storm.
A boat longer than 20 feet should be stored on a trailer in a garage or carport because high winds can move it, pick it up, or tip it over.
If left outside, remove all equipment, clean all boat drains and check all trailer springs.
Keeping boats in water:
Do not tie a boat to a dock when a storm is coming.
The boat should be at least 12-15 feet from the dock, anchored from the bow and stern, in deep water, with weighted lines that have enough slack to allow for a five-foot rise in the tide.
Remove batteries and other water-sensitive equipment, and store boating records in watertight containers.
Clean all cockpit drains and tie down gear that can’t be removed.
A boat should have enough fuel and its bilge pumps should work.
If tying up your boat in a canal, get permission from affected property owners. Use spring lines to keep the boat away from the docks.
Do not block a canal with lines that prevent other boats from seeking safety unless you remain on the boat to move the lines.
If several boats tie up with each other they must have fenders or tires between them.
Boats can tie up to trees but the trees must be alive and have strong, deep roots.