Hurricane advice?
 

My boat is 40', fixed keel, and is currently in New Orleans Municipal
Marina on Lake Pontrachain (Sand/mud/silt bottom).

With the upcoming hurricane season, and knowing that every boat in there
in '05 was destroyed (but not one in the Orleans Marina immediately
behind (inshore) of it), my mind has been contemplating methods and
options on what to do if I get (say) a weeks' notice of an imminent Cat
3+ hurricane.

My idea is to sail her out to mid lake and single-anchor with max rode
(so she can swing), after taking off all loose bits.

Or hiding her beneath the high bridge of I-10?

Opinions please!

--
Molesworth

Hurricane advice?
 

Lake Ponchartrain can get pretty rough. Aren't there any hurricane
holes better than than over there? What about up one of the rivers on
the North shore ... the Tchefuncte for instance? Over here, people
anchor out on Gulfport Lake but it's much smaller and more protected
so they're just dealing with wind and rising water. Not waves. Even
then, a few sink. But mostly due to other boats breaking loose or
being run over by a runaway floating house or something. I think I'd
use the Mid-Poncartrain idea as an absolute LAST resort. Under I-10
might be a little better but not much.

Rick

On Wed, 16 Apr 08, Molesworth wrote:
My boat is 40', fixed keel, and is currently in New Orleans Municipal
Marina on Lake Pontrachain (Sand/mud/silt bottom).

With the upcoming hurricane season, and knowing that every boat in there
in '05 was destroyed (but not one in the Orleans Marina immediately
behind (inshore) of it), my mind has been contemplating methods and
options on what to do if I get (say) a weeks' notice of an imminent Cat
3+ hurricane.

My idea is to sail her out to mid lake and single-anchor with max rode
(so she can swing), after taking off all loose bits.

Or hiding her beneath the high bridge of I-10?

Opinions please!

Hurricane advice?
 

On Wed, 16 Apr 2008 09:49:34 -0500, Molesworth
wrote:

My boat is 40', fixed keel, and is currently in New Orleans Municipal
Marina on Lake Pontrachain (Sand/mud/silt bottom).

With the upcoming hurricane season, and knowing that every boat in there
in '05 was destroyed (but not one in the Orleans Marina immediately
behind (inshore) of it), my mind has been contemplating methods and
options on what to do if I get (say) a weeks' notice of an imminent Cat
3+ hurricane.

Get as far inland as possible on a protected river or cove. We did
that for hurricane Charlie here in south Florida and it proved to be a
good strategy if a trifle nerve wracking. Don't wait until the last
minute because lift bridges and locks tend to stop operating well in
advance. Getting upstream from a lock protects you from tidal surge
effects if that is an option.

My idea is to sail her out to mid lake and single-anchor with max rode
(so she can swing), after taking off all loose bits.

Really bad idea in my opinion. You are almost certain to lose the
boat on a large unprotected body of water like that. At the very
least, create a three point moor using the largest anchors and rode
you can muster. Use lots of chaffing gear.


Or hiding her beneath the high bridge of I-10?

Another bad idea in my opinion. Bridges become a focal point for
current and debris.

Hurricane advice?
 

On Apr 16, 7:49*am, Molesworth wrote:
My boat is 40', fixed keel, and is currently in New Orleans Municipal
Marina on Lake Pontrachain (Sand/mud/silt bottom).
With the upcoming hurricane season, and knowing that every boat in there
in '05 was destroyed (but not one in the Orleans Marina immediately
behind (inshore) of it), my mind has been contemplating methods and
options on what to do if I get (say) a weeks' notice of an imminent Cat
3+ hurricane.
My idea is to sail her out to mid lake and single-anchor with max rode
(so she can swing), after taking off all loose bits.
Or hiding her beneath the high bridge of I-10?
Opinions please!

In '05 we rode out Rita by anchoring (2 anchors) in Bayou Bonfouca,
across the lake from N.O. in/near Slidell. Our boat survived Katrina
in a slip in a small marina up that same bayou although all the boats
on the hard were destroyed and half the other boats in slips were
sunk. Personally, I wouldn't anchor out in the lake and I definitely
wouldn't tie up under I-10, the causeway, or any other fixed position
on the lake itself. I'd recommend anchoring up a bayou. I had boats in
the '60s which survived Betsy and Camille too, when a lot of other
folks lost their boats.

My $.02,

Frank

Hurricane advice?
 

In article ,
"Roger Long" wrote:

I can't think of a worse place to be than under a bridge. Wind speeds can
be accelerated, stuff blows off, lots of things to hit close at hand, deep
channel wtih poor holding, everything loose being funnled past you.

I can't imagine surviving in the middle of a big, shallow, expanse like L.P.
with any tackle you could transport out there either. I little
miscalculation in my early days had me anchored in a 26 foot boat being
pulled through the waves in just an unremarkable coastal blow. The only
thing that save my bacon was that the boat didn't have a fore deck or
forward cabin hatch to get pulled open. Even if your tackle held, you would
need a submarine in shallow water like that.

I would suggest:

1) Maine

2) As far up a river or creek as you can get.

I don't ever want to be down in that part of the world in hurricane season
with a boat I care about as much as mine because you have to plan days ahead
for storms and take days off for every storm that even looks like it's going
to be close. Even up here, if we get a rear hurricane headed this way, I
figure I've got to move 2 - 3 days ahead of it to be sure of finding a spot
in one of the good holes. Then I have to worry about the guy who drives his
45 foot powerboat in, throws the anchor over without setting it, and then
goes home.

Thanks to everyone who replied. I really had no idea of what to do.

But now I shall scout the northshore rivers for my own personal funk
hole!

--
Molesworth

Hurricane advice?
 

"Molesworth" wrote in message
...
My boat is 40', fixed keel, and is currently in New Orleans Municipal
Marina on Lake Pontrachain (Sand/mud/silt bottom).


Seems to me somebody who lives in New Orleans would know how to spell Lake
Ponchartrain.

--
Gregory Hall

Hurricane advice?
 

"Molesworth" wrote
My boat is 40', fixed keel, and is currently in New Orleans Municipal
Marina on Lake Pontrachain (Sand/mud/silt bottom).

"Gregory Hall" wrote:
Seems to me somebody who lives in New Orleans would know how to spell Lake
Ponchartrain.

They teach us to spell okay down here, they just don't teach us to
type worth a $#!t

Rick "Mid-Poncartrain" Phantman lol!

Hurricane advice?
 

On 2008-04-16 10:49:34 -0400, Molesworth said:

my mind has been contemplating methods and options on what to do if I
get (say) a weeks' notice of an imminent Cat 3+ hurricane.

The others' comments were right on. I'd only add that you shouldn't
expect a week's notice, and don't discount a tropical storm as they can
blow up fast.

Scout out a variety of hurricane holes. The one you choose now may be
filled then and you will then have less time to choose your next move.

Personally, I'd also plan how to get off the boat and to a safe
on-shore building once preps were done. The boat's more replaceable
than you.

You might also consider having your slip as a backup. (For various
reasons, that's my primary) I created storm docklines which, instead of
attaching to the pilings next to our slip, go to the next set over. We
also will flip stern-to so we can cross the stern lines and have more
scope at the bow. The lines are on the boat, ready to deploy in a few
minutes: Drop and "nail" loops to the top of the pilings, drop the
loops on the cleats, done. Takes longer to strip the canvas.

--
Jere Lull
Xan-à-Deux -- Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD
Xan's pages: http://web.mac.com/jerelull/iWeb/Xan/
Our BVI trips & tips: http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/

Hurricane advice?
 

In article ,
lid wrote:

"Molesworth" wrote
My boat is 40', fixed keel, and is currently in New Orleans Municipal
Marina on Lake Pontrachain (Sand/mud/silt bottom).

"Gregory Hall" wrote:
Seems to me somebody who lives in New Orleans would know how to spell Lake
Ponchartrain.

They teach us to spell okay down here, they just don't teach us to
type worth a $#!t

Rick "Mid-Poncartrain" Phantman lol!

Hey, I'm still trying to remember to leave out 'u's!

--
Molesworth who lives near Tchoupitoulas..

Hurricane advice?
 

On Apr 16, 3:17*pm, "Gregory Hall" wrote:
Seems to me somebody who lives in New Orleans would know how to spell Lake
Ponchartrain.

--
Gregory Hall

Yes, Greg, those of us from N.O. do know how to spell Lake
Pon*T*chartrain. You could maybe sign up for thaty typing class with
Rick. (wink)

Frank (and we know how to spell AND PRONOUNCE Tchoupitoulas, too)