An Important Message
to SLIP Customers regarding Hurricane Plans
As we begin the boating season at Kingman Yacht Center,
we would like to ask for your cooperation in reviewing an
important document for our customers - the Hurricane Plan.
We recommend that you take the time now to familiarize yourself
with this plan and equip your boat with the necessary gear.
All owners of boats docked at our slips must also complete
and file with Kingman Yacht Center a Boater's
Hurricane Plan form. This form is effective only for
one season so it is important that you fill out the Boater's
Hurricane Plan included with this mailing even if we have
previous plans on file.
An Organized Plan of Action Allows
Us to Mobilize Hundreds of Boats if Threatened by a Major
Coastal Storm .....Kingman
Yacht Center has developed a highly organized plan of action
to respond to the potential strike of a hurricane to New
England waters. Because we service more than 350 boats during
hurricane season, advance preparation is critical. Unlike
smaller marinas, we must respond to approaching storms quickly,
efficiently - and early - simply to overcome the logistics
of mobilizing 350 boats before an approaching hurricane.
Each year, we depend upon the assistance of our customers
in filing a Boater's Hurricane Plan. This written plan provides
us with a directive of your intentions for securing your
boat in the event of a hurricane. Clearly specified options
and pre-authorizations allow us to mobilize boats quickly,
and save us from frantically locating owners when time is
most critical.
Waiting List for Hurricane Moorings
.....
Because of the unusually heavy
demand this year for mooring rentals, we are unable to offer
the option of reserving a hurricane mooring for the season.
If any moorings become available at the time of a hurricane
alert, we will rent them to those boaters who requested on
their Plan to be included on our Hurricane Mooring Waiting
List. Indicate your interest in this option when you complete
your Plan.
Marina Evacuated if Storm Threatens to Hit the Northeast
.....
In recent years, a few of our customers
complained when hurricanes lost steam or changed direction
after we called for a complete mobilization of boats. Those
of you who have lived through hurricanes in New England know
how highly unpredictable these storms are. When Kingman Yacht
Center management determines that a given storm poses significant
threat to our harbor, we will request an evacuation of the
marina. At risk are our facilities and property, and your
boating investment of tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Hurricanes by nature are unpredictable and can change their
course or intensity. While a storm that fizzles out may be
an inconvenience, we at Kingman Yacht Center would prefer
to err on the side of caution. Hurricane evacuations are not
a profitable event for us. At the height of the season, we
lose 4-6 days of normal business preparing for the storm and
resuming business as usual. In recent years, this has translated
into a loss of as much as $10,000 per storm.
Preparation is Key to Minimizing Damage.....
Those who lived through1991's Hurricane
Bob with us know that Kingman boats were spared the devastation
sustained in most other Cape harbors. We attribute this to
luck and preparedness. "Bob" was a classic example of how
unpredictable hurricanes can be, making landfall in New England
just 24 hours after veering off Cape Hatteras. Having customers'
plans on file allowed us to haul, move and secure boats and
property on only 24 hours notice (a schedule we hope not to
have to repeat!) Boats in our harbor escaped with minimal
damage. Other marinas subsequently adopted our Hurricane Plan
and insurance companies recommended it to their insureds.
Storm Surge Threatens Boats & Property.....
One final note about marina evacuation
details: In several recent storms that either moved too fast
or changed course, we left boats docked in the back basin.
Regulations, however, clearly call for the complete evacuation
of this area.
In future storms, if time and conditions permit, these regulations
will be carried out and enforced - and for good reason. If,
as forecasters predict, we are hit by a Category 4 or 5 storm,
or are hit at high tide under the right conditions, docks
and boats left in the back basin will be destroyed. A storm
similar in magnitude to the 1938 Hurricane with a storm surge
would cause pilings to snap, destroying any boats left in
the basin. Even during Hurricane "Bob," a mere Category 2
storm, a tidal surge caused the docks to rise nearly to street
level, secured only by the last 12 inches of pilings remaining
above water.
Your Cooperation is Important.....
We cannot emphasize enough the importance
of filing your Boater's Hurricane Plan. Not only is it a requirement
of your dockage contract, it is also the most important document
we will have for your boat in the event of a hurricane. If
you have any questions about how to fill it out, please call.
We are pleased that you have joined us this season. We wish
you calm seas and fair winds in the summer months to come.
For more information:
Kingman
Yacht Center | 1 Shipyard Lane • Cataumet, MA 02534
| 508-563-7136
