Hurricane Season Boat Prep in Fort Lauderdale: What to Check Now

Hurricane season runs through November, and the boats that come through storms with the least damage are almost always the ones that were prepped well before a storm ever showed up in the forecast. All Points Boats (APB) has spent over 28 years working on vessels in South Florida and knows what actually holds up when a storm hits, and what doesn’t.

Waiting until a storm is forecast is the worst time to find out a boat isn’t ready. Haul-out slots, rigging supplies, and technician time all get scarce fast once a storm enters the cone, and shops with the deepest in-house capability get booked first. Getting ahead of it now, while the season is active but no storm is imminent, means the work actually gets done instead of rushed.

What Storm Prep Should Cover

Hull and structural integrity: thru-hull fittings, seacocks, and hatches need to be sound before a storm, not discovered as a problem during one. Structural repairs found during prep are far easier to schedule now than after a named storm is tracking toward Florida.

Electrical and generators: a functioning bilge pump and a generator that actually starts can be the difference between a boat that survives a storm and one that doesn’t. Corroded connections and neglected generators are common failure points.

Securing and rigging: proper lines, chafe protection, and fendering matter as much as the boat itself, especially for vessels riding out a storm at the dock rather than being hauled.

Haul-out and storage: for boats being hauled ahead of a storm, having a relationship with a yard that can move quickly when a storm is tracking in matters more than price. APB’s 30,000-square-foot Fort Lauderdale facility and ABS, Lloyd’s Register, RINA, and AWS certifications mean structural work gets done to class standard, not just patched.

After the Storm

APB also works extensively with the insurance industry and adjusters on storm damage claims, and can perform structural repairs at shipyards throughout the region, including for vessels too large to haul. If a storm does cause damage, having a shop that already knows the insurance process speeds up getting a boat back on the water.

Don’t Wait for a Forecast

The boats that fare best in a storm are the ones prepped weeks before, not the day before landfall. Contact APB now to get a storm-readiness check on the schedule while there’s still time to act on what it finds.