Fellow Mooring Members
Now that the winds of Autumn are upon us - the club is planning to take a
number of storm preparation actions that will limit possible damage and risk
to club property. You should do the same to protect your boat
and those who will be damaged if your boat breaks loose during the fall
storms;
Our club policy in the event of a major storm warning will be to pull all
club boats out of the water and make them secure on land. They will not be
available to act as tow or rescue boats for the mooring field. Docks may
not be used during storm conditions. The J.Dinse will be placed on a
mooring under these circumstances.
Every fall we experience a number of high wind and wave days. What can
individual members do to protect their boats? The following is a list of
actions that are based on experience at the club with prior storm conditions:
For all Fall Conditions:
1. Install chafing gear on your mooring pennants.
All dozen or so
breakaways during Floyd were due to pennant chafe.
2. Remove dodgers and biminis to lessen windage.
3. Wrap a line around your main sail to prevent the
cover being torn off and the sail whipping about.
4. Secure your boom with extra lines - not just the
cam cleat on the main sheet.
5. Remove anchors on bow rollers.
They will cut your pennants due to seesaw action in steep waves.
For major storm conditions: (In
addition to the above)
1. Remove all sails especially
furling sails which are notorious for unwinding and shredding.
2. Install an extra line to act as final pennant
back up. Some use a short length of chain to prevent chaffing
over the chocks. ( remove later to prevent pennant wrap)
3. Hang fenders over the sides to
fend off drifting boats.
General good practices:
1. If your boat is trailerable - remove it and take home.
2. Make sure your insurance is up to date.
3 Do not - repeat - Do not go out in a
dinghy in storm conditions to check your boat. That is why
you pay insurance premiums. No boat is worth your life or good health.
Key Numbers to have on hand:
US Coast Guard : 864-6791 (cell - *CG) - life saving
rescue.
Champlain Divers: (Pierre - our club diver) 233-1479.
Boat rescue and damage control - ungroundings
Shelburne Shipyard: 985-3326 -Varied on
water services dependant on conditions.
Questions /Concerns? Steve Landau - LCYC
Harbormaster 985-3742