CLAY COUNTY – As hurricane season progresses, boat owners of Clay County should start coming up with ways on how to safeguard their boats from imminent storms.

Brennan Sullivan, the manager of boat and yacht claims at Travelers Insurance, shared a few tips on how boat owners can be ready for hurricanes.

“It’s important for boat owners to monitor their local weather and create a storm preparation plan that they can enact in the event of a tropical storm, hurricane, or inclement weather events in their area,” Sullivan said.

Sullivan also recommends that whenever possible, to secure the boat on land in a high, secure place before a storm. Securing the boat on land drastically reduces the possibility of the boat getting damaged in the storm.

“Boaters should haul their vessels out of the water as soon as they know a storm is coming. It’s important for them not to delay on this because their local ramp or marina may become very congested as the storm is approaching because other boaters may take that same action. Hauling the boat in can help prevent the vessel from striking the dock in the storm and it can also keep the boat safe from improperly secured vessels that may become adrift during the storm,” he said.

With so much water in and around Clay County, it’s important to get boats out of the water ahead of a story, according to Clay County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit Deputy Bill Maher.

“Get them out of the water before they become a hazard by taking them on water,” he said. “Get them out of the water and store them high above ground, especially in flood zones.

“If it’s not possible [to get them out of water,] you have to secure them as best you can. A lot of people tied their boats to trees [during Irma] and the water pushed the boats up in the yard. Some of these boats, they couldn’t get them out of the water and they flooded in the boathouse.”

Hundreds of boats were either damaged or destroyed during Irma in 2017, especially along the Black Creek, Doctors Lake and Governors Creek. Many of those vessels remain abandoned along the creeks and St. Johns River.

In the event where it’s not possible to secure the boat on land, there are ways to make sure the boat is as secure as possible in the water. Both Maher and Sullivan stress the importance of making sure boaters understand the risks of leaving their boats in the water.

Sullivan also provided tips for how to prevent damage to your boat if it were to be left in the water.

“The first thing would be to double up on dock lines and really inspect those dock lines because they become frayed and worn out over time. It’s good practice to look over the cleats on the dock and cleats on the vessel to make sure they’re all in serviceable condition and they’re going to make it through the storm,” he said.

Maher also wants boaters to make sure their lines are long enough.

“Make sure the ropes that are secure are long enough to allow the boat to rise and fall with flooding water. If they are too tight and the water gets too high, they simply get swamped,” Maher said.

Boaters should always have a plan on how to protect their vessels from storms – and it starts long before the storm arrives.