Goodnight Irene…
With the weather on the way for the upcoming weekend, it is pretty ridiculous to do a fishing forecast for NJ—unless of course you are looking for the best spread to pull down Main Street in your kayak. If you live on a barrier island like I do, you have lots to do, so I will make this quick.
There is a long history of weather people making spectacular predictions of terrible meteorological events that never materialize. Regrettably, in this semi-old salts opinion, this does not look like it’s going to be one of them. Barring any unforeseen developing pressure fronts rumbling across the mainland U.S., Hurricane Irene is going to hit the Jersey Shore with an intensity near Category 2 range. That means winds with 100 mph, significant rainfall, lots of flying objects, and a legitimate storm surge that is going to be further complicated by new moon tides. This, in an understatement of unusual proportion, is not good.
If you own a boat and it is easily pulled, or, if you are in a slip or marina that is exposed to significant open water, you need to get it out. Remember, it is not always YOUR boat that causes the damage to YOUR boat. The bozos in your area (I feel confident that there are folks slipped near you that have not even considered what to do about their SeaRay or personal water craft) that are not going to be making appropriate storm provisions are placing your property in danger.
First thing you should do is check your Yacht Policy. Your insurance company may have provisions to help pay for pulling your boat in a severe storm situation. You should also carefully read the policy and call your agent to clarify anything you do not understand.
Should you decide to stay in the water, there are a few things you should do:
1. Check your bilge pumps and make sure your scuppers are clear. Bust out the hose today and make sure when the bilge fills that both of your pumps (you should have two) are functioning properly and the float switches are clear.
2. Check the water level in your batteries. If your batteries are low, and your pumps crap out, you and your boat are in Barney Rubble trouble.
3. Any canvas that you choose to leave on the boat should be reinforced with rope and bungee cords.
4. If it is possible to remove your eisenglass, take it off. Good quality eisenglass with quality zippers will withstand moderately high winds, but it will not withstand a bucket from the idiot next door flying through it at 40mph.
5. Take all objects that are not secured to the boat or dock off the boat and stow them below decks. This includes buckets, gaffs, deck brushes, cutting boards, etc.
6. If you are not on a floating dock, take everything of value out of your dock box. I live on the bay and watching dock boxes float around after a good nor’easter is at least a two-beer pastime
7. Lay down your antennas, and if possible, your outriggers, and secure them. Again, bungee cords are your friends.
8. Double up all of your lines.
9. Put your outboards down to protect the lower units. Cowlings are cheaper than lower units.
Someone much brighter than me once said something really smart about an ounce of prevention… now would be a good time to heed the words.
Best bet for the rest of this week and this weekend: Over-prepare and laugh about it on Tuesday, and stay safe.
See you on the other side of Irene……