The new Hurricane Prep for Boaters online course can be taken at your own pace at home.

New Online Course Helps Boats and Marinas Survive Hurricanes

Atlantic Hurricane Season Starts June 1

History has proven that when hurricanes and recreational boats get together, the result isn’t pretty. But what if every boat owner was armed with a specific plan to prepare their boat for an approaching storm? An online course, “Hurricane Preparation for Boaters,” available from the BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water and the United States Power Squadrons, aims to do just that. Conveniently available online, the course is $24.95 and can be taken from a desktop, tablet or smartphone by going to BoatUS.org/courses.

“The BoatUS Marine Insurance damage avoidance program has shown there are measures that boaters can take to reduce hurricane boat damage and improve their chances with surviving a storm,” said BoatUS Foundation Director of Education Amanda Suttles Pérez. “The most important thing for boaters to remember is that early planning is key and if you wait until a storm has formed or a watch or warning has been issued, it’s often too late to put some plans into place. This course is just the latest from us to help boaters get ahead of this timely task.”

Boaters taking the course will be able to create a hurricane plan for their boat, with specific solutions for boats stored in the water such as docks, moorings, hurricane holes, canals; on high ground at the boatyard or club; or even on a trailer in your own backyard. They will learn to evaluate the storm protection provided by a marina or storage area and determine if, when and how a boat should move before a hurricane. It also shows the steps needed to take before a hurricane makes landfall and how to secure a boat for hurricane conditions, including diagrams for tying lines.

BoatUS also offers many other hurricane planning tools at BoatUS.com/hurricanes, including downloadable, no cost hurricane preparation guides for boaters and marinas, boatyards and clubs.