Cyclone Preparations

[Brettoh]

As the boat will not fit into the shed it will become something to be concerned about when a cyclone arrives on our doorstep.
Should I make some fastenings to be able to strap the boat and or trailer to the ground?
I have some drop in anchors that I can use to screw in some eyebolts to anchor a strap to. I wonder if they are big enough?

126486126487

[stevej]

Sounds like a plan

I’d go enough for three heavy straps
but also tarp it so the wind can’t get under any edges to lift it

[Brettoh]

Sounds like a plan

I’d go enough for three heavy straps
but also tarp it so the wind can’t get under any edges to lift it

I was going to rremove the clears and rear cover and just leave it open rather than set up more area for windage. hmmmmmm

[tunaticer]

Put the bungs in and fill it with water is the best move.
1000 litres = 1 tonne.
Axle stands under the trailer frame before filling with water to save your springs.
You would likely get 2000 litres in the hull before you reach your batteries.
Face the bow to the most likely wind direction also helps a lot.

[snatchy]

From observations and experience at the center of Yasi...
- clears and soft roofs off. Quite a few T tops Bent. Cut off if required as its easier to just re upholster than to get metalwork and upholstery done. Save that step for when you know the center of a cat 3+ cyclone is heading right for you.
- hardtop roof strapped down tightly to the boat so it doesn't lift off. Strap in 2 directions ie. across and fore/aft if possible
- any tarps will be shredded in no time. Boat and everywhere will have shredded leaves in it.
- didn't see any boats pushed over from wind but maybe they were all well secured to the ground? Your bolts would be good. 4 Star pickets hammered 50cm into the lawn at 45 degrees works too.
- did hear of a collapsed trailed due to boat filled with water, so the above suggestion to sit trailer frame on axle stands would be wise. With it strapped down well, water wouldn't be needed to keep it down but it won't hurt.
-expect some wind borne debris to damage things. Unavoidable
-facing it into the wind will help for sure for the first half.... But after the eye and the wind is reversed, your roof might rip off, as happened to mine. (Didn't think to strap it down in the hasty preperations)
-well done on getting prepared

[Brettoh]

Put the bungs in and fill it with water is the best move.
1000 litres = 1 tonne.
Axle stands under the trailer frame before filling with water to save your springs.
You would likely get 2000 litres in the hull before you reach your batteries.
Face the bow to the most likely wind direction also helps a lot.

Water in the hulls is a good idea and I do have axle stands.

Cheers

[Brettoh]

From observations and experience at the center of Yasi...
- clears and soft roofs off. Quite a few T tops Bent. Cut off if required as its easier to just re upholster than to get metalwork and upholstery done. Save that step for when you know the center of a cat 3+ cyclone is heading right for you.
- hardtop roof strapped down tightly to the boat so it doesn't lift off. Strap in 2 directions ie. across and fore/aft if possible
- any tarps will be shredded in no time. Boat and everywhere will have shredded leaves in it.
- didn't see any boats pushed over from wind but maybe they were all well secured to the ground? Your bolts would be good. 4 Star pickets hammered 50cm into the lawn at 45 degrees works too.
- did hear of a collapsed trailed due to boat filled with water, so the above suggestion to sit trailer frame on axle stands would be wise. With it strapped down well, water wouldn't be needed to keep it down but it won't hurt.
-expect some wind borne debris to damage things. Unavoidable
-facing it into the wind will help for sure for the first half.... But after the eye and the wind is reversed, your roof might rip off, as happened to mine. (Didn't think to strap it down in the hasty preperations)
-well done on getting prepared

The roof os pretty solidly braced however I will prepare to strap over it if need be.

HAvent got any Lawn so bolts it is>
We have had a couple of cyclones here over the years and the worst weather comes from the south east . The boat is situated on the west side of the house so it is kinda sheltered and I will also have my hightop Iveco Parked beside the boat which might take a bit of the sting out of the wind.

You have reminded me to think about the van and trailer now. Ill have to stick some weight in them to keep them planted too.
Thanks for the idea.
Cheers

[Corry]

Great to see you're prepping now, we should do the same. We've got a beach house at Seaforth (Q) that we only get to every few months so we pretty much leave it cyclone prepped, everything is away and luckily all the boats fit in the shed. We've made solid inserts that lock into the window recesses to protect the windows, we copped some damage from the roller door giving way during Ului in 2010 that made us more aware of what damage can occur.
On a side note, are they wheel dolly's that your using under your tyres? I've been looking into using something like this for our new shed in Cairns, how do they go, work alright?

[Brettoh]

Great to see you're prepping now, we should do the same. We've got a beach house at Seaforth (Q) that we only get to every few months so we pretty much leave it cyclone prepped, everything is away and luckily all the boats fit in the shed. We've made solid inserts that lock into the window recesses to protect the windows, we copped some damage from the roller door giving way during Ului in 2010 that made us more aware of what damage can occur.
On a side note, are they wheel dolly's that your using under your tyres? I've been looking into using something like this for our new shed in Cairns, how do they go, work alright?

Hey, thanks for the reply.

I bought them from Super Cheap for about $150.00 ea . I use them on smooth concrete but cant move the boat by pushing it, even with help. Boat weighs under 2000kg on the trailer.
Bought a cheap electric boat winch to drag the boat into position. Works a treat>

vid linkhttps://youtu.be/shQolYDMf3Q

[Corry]

Ha Ha Ha, that's exactly what I'm going to do. I've got an ATV recovery winch that I'm going to mount at the back of the shed and a Mini Mover for the front. Figure putting it on wheel dolly's will make it easier.
Thanks for that Brettoh, perfect

[Lovey80]

Corry, if your shed concrete is smooth and flat, the wheel dollies will work just fine. My cat loaded with fuel and gear is around 3t and I use them to swing my boat around a 90^ corner with two people pushing.

[Noelm]

How do you get it on and off the dollies? It seems like a lot of work if you need to Jack it up?

[shaungonemad]

How do you get it on and off the dollies? It seems like a lot of work if you need to Jack it up?

The dollies have there own jack, they are a U shape, you slide them in and operate the foot pedal. Done in seconds.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[gunna]

These

https://www.supercheapauto.com.au/p/sca-sca-vehicle-positioning-hydraulic-jack-680kg/128776.html#q=Jacks&lang=en_AU&start=14

[chris69]

As the boat will not fit into the shed it will become something to be concerned about when a cyclone arrives on our doorstep.
Should I make some fastenings to be able to strap the boat and or trailer to the ground?
I have some drop in anchors that I can use to screw in some eyebolts to anchor a strap to. I wonder if they are big enough?

126486126487

Have you thought about filling the hulls with water!!!!.

[ranmar850]

As someone else pointed out, filling the hulls with water may really exceed your trailer's ability to keep it off the ground. Looking at where you have it, it looks relatively sheltered. Take off your clears, anything easily removable to reduce windage, and expect to have to clean the crap out afterwards. Leave any bungs out or scuppers open. If you can, sure, put in some star picketds and tie-down ropes, don't overthink it. You do realise that the greatest risk to your boat, should you get Cat 3 or more, will likely come from other people's flying debris? All the prep in the world. apart from actually putting it inside a cyclone-rated shed, won't help when someone's roof slices through it.

I know all this from experience, both from having lived in WA for for almost fifty years, and from being through a few personally. We went through Cyclone Seroja in April 2021. All the wind gauges broke, estimate of peak winds was in excess of 240km/hr. Forget about being in the path of the eye, we were just offset, which is far worse. Your most destructive quadrant is just inside the eye wall, on the south east corner, and we got it. BOM radar image I screen shot as it approached--direction of approach was NNW, probably slightly more west than north. Houses were unroofed, smashed completely in some cases, so much damage done from flying debris. Most street running east-west had their power lines ripped down/poles snapped off from, again, flying debris.

https://photos.smugmug.com/The-House-/i-VpXPHdq/0/5f86b62f/X2/Screenshot_20210411-185122_Chrome-X2.jpg
Our house came through it OK. Houses all around us were unroofed, some were eventually repaired, others had to be demolished. You soon find out who has a good roof--doesn't matter how many screws you have holding your roof sheets down, when the whole lot gets peeled off because the battens were nailed down, not screwed down. Or your garage roller door blows in--no one pays the extra for a cyclone rated roller door, --and bang, your house explodes.

So, to sum it up--don't overthink it. Worry more about your house than your boat.