Your Marine Head Units Experts Help You to Minimize Storm Damage
Raritan Engineering your marine head units professionals would love to share with you this week amazing tips on how to protect yourself and your storm damaged boat.
Our hearts go out to all those suffering in the wake of Hurricane Matthew. When people are hurt and homes and precious possessions are destroyed or lost forever, a wrecked recreational sailboat seems wholly unimportant.
In the coming days and weeks, more people will be returning to their vessels and doing what they can to keep them safe. I’ve been through two Category 5 hurricanes (one ashore, one afloat) and several smaller ones. In every case, boats that could have been salvaged shortly after the storm were lost due to neglect, but this is expected, given the many other, more critical needs in a storm-ravaged community.
Here, according to the Boat Owners Association of the United States, are some of the steps you can take to prevent further damage.
- If your boat has washed ashore, remove as much equipment as possible to a safe place to protect it from looters or vandals.
- Protect the boat from further water damage resulting from exposure to the weather. This could include covering it with a tarp or boarding-up broken windows or hatches.
- Any engines and other machinery that has been submerged or has gotten wet should be “pickled” by flushing with fresh water and then filling with diesel fuel or kerosene.
- If your boat is sunk or must be moved by a salvage company, it is not recommended that you sign any salvage or wreck removal contract without first getting approval from your insurance company.
Your Marine Head Units Specialists Suggest Storing Your Boat Ashore
Your marine head units professionals understand that hurricanes are enormous cyclonic storm systems covering thousands of square miles which usually develop in the tropical or subtropical latitudes during the summer and fall.
Historically, individual hurricanes have caused the loss of thousands of lives and billions of dollars in damage as they ran their course over populated areas. If you know that a hurricane is approaching your area, prepare for the worst.
If your boat is easily trailer-able, store it ashore, far from the danger of high water. Follow these tips:
- If you must move your boat, first inspect the trailer to ensure that it is in proper operating condition. Check tires (including spare), wheel bearings, tow hitch and lights.If you can, put your boat and trailer in a garage.
- Increase the weight of your trailered outboard boat by filling it with fresh water and leaving in the drainplug (inboard boats must be drained to avoid motor damage). Insert wood blocks between the trailer frame and the springs for extra support with the added weight.
Some things to watch for:
- Do not attempt to use any AC-powered electrical equipment or power hookups that have been submerged until they have been tested and verified as safe.
- Avoid entering the water in areas where a threat of electrocution still remains. This is more relevant to freshwater areas, where the risk of electric shock is greater.
- Be particularly careful with unfamiliar powered cutting tools, portable generators, or power equipment in general.
- In yards or on land, be especially cautious working around boats that are not properly stabilized by jackstands or something similar.
Learn more at http://www.raritaneng.com/raritan-product-line/marine-toilets/fresh-head/ and see how Raritan Engineering has more information about marine head units and other marine supply needs.