DON'T WAIT UNTIL IT'S TOO LATE:
FREE HURRICANE PREPARATION TIPS AND TOOLS AVAILABLE NOW AT BOATU.S. ONLINE “HURRICANE RESOURCE CENTER”

As some boaters have found out in the last few years, it doesn't pay to wait until the last minute to prepare your vessel for an oncoming hurricane. But the experts at the BoatU.S. Marine Insurance Damage Avoidance Program have a free Web site with new information that can help you get a hurricane plan in place now and reduce the possibility of damage. These free tips and “tools” are available at http://www.BoatUS.com/Hurricanes Over one million boaters used the site last year to help them prepare their boats.

The new information comes from the recent experience of the BoatU.S. Insurance Program's “Catastrophe Team.” This post-hurricane, field response team consists of claims adjusters, salvage specialists and transportation staff who are on the front lines of recreational boat storm recovery and damage assessment.

Bob Adriance, Director of the BoatU.S. Damage Avoidance Program, said, “With every storm, we learn a little more about what works and doesn't work and the causes, types and prevention of hurricane damage to recreational boats. By sharing what we see in the field, boaters can make smarter decisions in hurricane planning.”

Much of the new information comes from Seaworthy, the BoatU.S. damage avoidance newsletter. Topics include:

• Hurricane Preparation Starts with Three Considerations: Location, Location, Location

• Canals, the Ultimate Hurricane Holes

• Chafe Protection in Storms

• Hurricanes & Rope

• How Secure is Your Marina Likely to be in a Hurricane?

• Moorings That Can Stay Put in a Hurricane

• The Houston Yacht Club – A Model Hurricane Plan for Other Yacht Clubs

Also included on the Web site are a free, downloadable Hurricane Preparation Worksheet, in-depth Guide to Preparing Boats and Marinas for Hurricanes , and a checklist for what to do after a hurricane strikes.

And when a storm does hit, boaters also have extensive storm tracking features available including “spaghetti” landfall strike probability models, live satellite images, wind band information, NOAA advisories, and a hurricane message board to share experiences.

BoatU.S. – Boat Owners Association of The United States – is the nation's leading advocate for recreational boaters providing its 660,000 members with a wide array of consumer services including a group-rate marine insurance program that insures nearly a quarter million boats; the largest fleet of more than 500 towing assistance vessels; discounts on fuel, slips, and repairs at over 825 Cooperating Marinas; boat financing; and a subscription to BoatU.S. Magazine , the most widely read boating publication in the U.S. For membership information visit http://www.BoatUS.com or call 800-395-2628.