RIB During Hurricane

[Karl]

I never had a RIB before and have one on a used boat I just bought. I want to place the RIB on top of the sundeck roof with a crane and chocks, but I'm wondering what to do with the RIB when a hurricane is due.

Of those of you who have a RIB on your boat, do you remove it for a pending hurricane and store it or do you leave it on your boat? I live in a condo and keep my boat at the condo marina, so I don't have a garage to place the boat in; also, I do not have a trailer for the RIB to transport it to temporary storage anywhere else. What are your thoughts? Thanks, Karl

 

[Pascal]

as long as it is properly strapped down, it should be fine. 2 of those ratchet straps, crossed at the stern and one at the bow will keep it in place.

if it's a very serious storm, 110Kts+ then it may be worth the effort if you have a trailer.

 

[Boatsb]

Under 80 Kts its probably fun to run it in the river to see how well it handles waves.


OK so only kidding.

Most of the people I know of recommend that you keep them inflated if they will be outside in the winds. They are a bit heavy but deflated could probably be put on the salon if you have the 2 rear doors.

 

[Angela]

if it's a very serious storm, 110Kts+ then it may be worth the effort if you have a trailer.

If it's a storm that serious, get the hell outta there!

 

[boatwright]

windage, windage, windage,if you are really trying to protect the boat and it can be removed take it down/off. that goes for canvas,side curtains, flags,antenas dingys etc.wind speed goes up arithmicly. wind pressure goes up geometricly.a doubling of the wind speed is something like 4 times the wind pressure. got caught in our sailboat by bertha near new bern nc and had to anchor out.(too slow to out run the storm) took EVERY thing down possible put the dingy in the water doubled the painter and sunk it to the gunnel. no damage of any kind just a very nervouse crew. of the three boats near us one turned turtle(no one aboard) one went ashore and the other draged and motored into the wind until the eye went over then reanchored.none had done the prep that we had. at a marina i used to work at the dockage contract required all roller furling sails had to be removed in the event of a approaching hurricane.

 

[Traveler 45C]

. of the three boats near us one turned turtle(no one aboard)

What caused it to turtle?

An RIB could be strapped down well enough to keep it from flying off and into the windshield but why chance it? What if a tie down breaks? The rest might not be far behind.

It seems much easier and safer to get it off the boat and tied up correctly. This way you’ll know it won’t beat up your Hatt.

 

[boatwright]

What caused it to turtle?

I can only guess, but it was a smaller sailboat (28 - 30'?) with the sails still on. It had lost 1 of its 2 anchors, and had a large cockpit. Guessing by the amount of debris on our boat, I think his cockpit filled with water, turned broad-side to the wind and rolled over. 90 degree knock-downs are hard to come back from.

 

[labrador]

Any well made fixed keel ragboat in the 40' and up range can recover from a 90 degree plus knockdown especially if the stick goes over the side. Don't ask me how I know. Had the stick in the water several times on broaches with the kite up. Had to be 110 degrees to do that.

 

[Genesis]

Reducing windage is one of THE keys to hurricane survival.

It is not so much about being turtled, it is about exceeding load limits on your ground tackle and/or structure between you and the dock (if you're tied up at a dock.)