Hurricane Irma prep questions

Ferg

New member
We're in the potential landfall path of Irma with our 25 on the trailer. It's loaded and ready to take us inland if required.

My wife is worried that 100mph winds will flip the boat and trailer over with us inside. I don't think it's likely, but would like your thoughts
 
leave as soon as you can. Why wait at all? There is nothing that you can do to "save your house" by staying.

If you had a 10 day warning for a earthquake would you stay around?
 
We ARE planning on getting out of here, moving inland, and want to use the boat on the trailer as shelter. The question is will the boat on the trailer tip over with 100mph winds.

We are waiting to find out expected point of landfall. If it hits south of us and travels up to NC inland, we're better off at the coast. If it comes at us from the coast, we're better off inland. We're on top of it, and waiting to see the path to further develop
 
When I say leave I mean the state and maybe two more. Yes I think 100 mph hour winds have the possibility of over turning your boat. But it has a bigger possibility of tearing it in half with a tree, part of a house, or other debris. If your plan is to stay where the winds are 100 mph your plan sucks.

No really get far away. I was stationed in Charleston when Hugo came ashore. I was sleeping in west Georgia when it hit. Why? because I am not stupid. I got out early. The Marines that stayed in the barracks, In my room all lived but they wish to god they had left with me. They spent the night in the dark chest deep in water in the barracks with no food ( mre's are not food). No water. It was a week before we had power again. I spent a month helping clean up that city. I saw a lot of damage, many people died. I will never stay for a hurricane.

My family is waiting on word from my aunt and uncle that live in st Thomas. No phone or email yet. They did not leave either . Why? because they are both morons ( and have been for a while.)
 
Also think about the tornado. Hugo spun off hundreds of tornado all the way to Atlanta that did huge damage. I hear Kentucky is nice this time of year.
 
We're getting pretty concerned I'm not gonna lie. The latest update has the eyewall coming right over us in Savannah as a category 3 storm. Ill be leaving my boat on the trailer, unhooked, drain plug in with two anchors set into the ground. Its self bailing and hopefully it makes it. If not oh well. Our house may be toast as well at 14.5 feet elevation on the salt marsh. We definitely aren't sticking around to find out, and will be headed out of here tomorrow and heading a few states away to the west. Definitely looks like worst case scenario.
 
Appreciate the advice

We'll head out on Saturday, two days before presumed arrival. We'll watch the track and decide on our destination
 
I just got word on my aunt. house made it bu the hospital up the street lost its whole roof. No electricity or water for most people. many of the homes are on tank water from roof runoff as there are few wells. Downed trees are keeping them from leaving the immediate area. the island is a mess from what they are hearing.

Ferg and Paul. Good luck and when you get to where you are going buy all the chain saws you can to sell when you get back. because there wont be any to buy on the coast.
 
We once sat out straight line winds of 75+ mph in Wild Blue, on the trailer, attached to the truck. In an RV park. The forecast was for thunderstorms, and we did have the bow pointed into the wind. It was not pleasant. This was not in a hurricane and the winds, at their worst, lasted less than an hour.

Living in a hurricane zone, I have seen the results of boats on stands and trailers with significant winds... toppled like dominoes. If 100 mph winds came from the side, I would certainly think that a 25 would be at risk of tipping over. With the winds in the first paragraph, a couple semi-trucks tipped, as well as an empty train car. Keep the bow into the wind, stay attached to the truck. Ground anchors (screwed in) may help. Keep in mind that as a hurricane passes, the winds will change direction.

The other issue isn't just the wind, it is what is IN the wind. Hurricane Dolly (a Cat 2) passed right over our house. The hurricane shutters kept the house from being breached, but we did find a roof shingle (not ours) that had pierced a piece of our siding. You have a lot of glass on a 25. The safest bet is what Tom suggests: get away from it; once north of Florida, consider going west.

Another issue isn't just getting you and some stuff out of harm's way, it is having a plan for when you return... generator, fuel, a room air conditioner, plenty of water, and food that will keep.

Wishing you a safe journey away from it, and hoping for the best on your return.
 
One thing to keep in mind is that the relationship between wind speed and its ability to do damage is not linear. A doubling of wind speed can do 8 times the damage (due to the fact that energy present in wind increases roughly as the cube of the wind's velocity....therefore double the wind, you increase the potential for damage by 8 times).

I believe many people don't realize that it only takes an approximate increase of wind speed to 125 MPH to do twice the damage of winds at 100 MPH. So if folks were to say to themselves: "90 MPH winds aren't too bad for my boat, how bad can 110 MPH be??" Well, it can be much worse!
 
As mentioned the problem it is not just the wind itself, but all the stuff that the wind is throwing around. Hurricanes have driven 2x4's straight through the trunks of trees. http://www.photolib.noaa.gov/htmls/wea00405.htm

Also, leaving at the last minute will just leave you stuck in traffic with everybody else, somewhere that may not be all that protected.
 
At this point, where we are (near the NC/SC border at the coast, with a southern exposure), it seems like a water event rather than wind. Surf forecast says 30 footers. Higher ground, here I come!
 
Ferg":33ftm8g3 said:
I don't think it's likely, but would like your thoughts

Probably too late to test my theory now because of traffic congestion. You could get in the boat on the trailer and have somebody pull you at 100 mph. Feel safe?

Mark
 
Marco Flamingo":8xxvvlra said:
... have somebody pull you at 100 mph. Feel safe?

Mark

That would be a different scenario altogether. Yeah, the "wind" would be the same, but there is a whole lot of other stuff going on.

I've towed my CD22 at 70 mph with no problems. I don't expect that the airflow at 100 would be a problem. On the other hand, the tires on the trailer are more likely to give out at that speed.
 
We canceled our Mississippi River Trip due to Hurricane Irma. We are on hold for the Tennessee River trip because of Irma--both the potential need to "evacuate" and the potential of what storm effect will be on the Tennessee River. A good Chance that there will be some wind, and some heavy rain in the upper headwaters of the Tennessee.

We have been thru a number of hurricanes--certainly not an expert however. I have a good understanding of the steering currents--and what worries me about this storm, is that it is so powerful, it may overcome those steering currents.

Getting the house ready takes at least a day--bolting hurricane shutters on about 20 windows and doors. The "Last door out" is on a recessed porch, with a steel door and steel frame, with long bolts holding it into the framework. Our house is up to current hurricane standards. Inside the house, all important material has to be gotten at least 3 feet off the floor, valuable oriental rugs taken up. We have a second story, and computers some other valuable items will be taken up there and fully wrapped in plastic or heavy "Contractor bags".

Our part of Florida is almost 400 miles from the peninsula, and over 600 miles from the East Coast--we can see Alabama from our front porch.

We keep the RV full of fuel (should be 800 to 1000 mile range--but going slow in traffic impacts that. We can take an extra 60 gallons of either gas or diesel. We have pre-planed places to go to be safe and protected from the winds.

Yes, 100 mph winds will flip a C Dory on the trailer. In this storm, with the width, Not even Kentucky or Tennessee will be totally safe.

In our vehicle we have enough food, water to sustain us for 3 weeks at a min. We also carry a chain saw, axes, two come-alongs, rope, chains and shackles, plus our 4 x 4 truck has tow points on both front and rear, so we can pull debris out of our way if necessary. We also carry our inflatable, and the Torqeedo motor in the truck.
 
Bob, be careful. I hope that you and Marie stay safe and unimpacted by this storm. With Jose right on the heels of Irma, you might be on the road for a while.

Steve and Diana
 
Here is reality on Barbuda

You may want to skip toward the end where local population is interviewed. It is heart breaking.

Barbuda Is to the North East of Antigua. It is a relatively low and economically poorer Inland in the Leeward Islands. The population is less than 2,000. We sailed there as to all of the other Islands in the Windward and Leeward chains when we were on our way back from Europe in 1985. I doubt that it has changed. Now over 90% of the structures on the Island are damaged. The people fear another direct strike from Hurricane Jose in less than 48 hours. Hopefully they will all be evacuated to Antigua, where there is a much better infrastructure.
 
X2 - at 100mph boat will flip.

Lived through Andrew. Major hassle. Relatives from Miami are here - I'm in Tampa. We should be OK. Cat 2/3 is OK; cat 4 hmmm...cat 5 all bets are off.

I suspect we'll get a 2 or 3. Mostly winds and little water.

Getting house ready. Already have extra water, extra food, extra gas, extra ammo. Generator good to go. Liquor situation normal - stocked. Beer situation low - had to make room for extra food.

Ironically I took my boat to have the trailer guys make some adjustments last week - it'll ride things out inside a shelter. Otherwise it would have been in a field exposed. Go figure - it'll be at 43' above sea level. I'm at 78'.
:thup

In the infamous words of Larry Munson - "Hunker down one more time." (GA vs AU.)
 
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