Marina Dock Age, November 2004

Some Ways Marinas can Lessen the Damages from Hurricanes
by Dennis P. Kissman

I am sure everyone reading this column is well aware of the four major hurricanes that used Florida as a target this year. Most marinas in the areas that were affected sustained some form of damage to their facilities. This is especially true where three of those hurricanes passed over the same spot.

The purpose of his column is not to address the damages sustained at these facilities — that is for another article. What I do want to address are the reasons for the extensive damage to some of these marinas, and what could be done to minimize it in the future.

Premise

In my opinion, one of the major contributors to the damage caused to marinas in Florida is statute 327.59 — Marina Evacuation, passed by the state legislature in 1994. It states:

(1) After June 1, 1994, marinas may not adopt, maintain, or enforce policies pertaining to evacuation of vessels, which require vessels to be removed from marinas following the issuance of a hurricane watch or warning, in order to ensure that protecting the lives and safety of vessel owners is placed before interests of protecting property.

(2) Nothing in this section may be construed to restrict the ability of an owner of a vessel or the owner’s authorized representative to remove a vessel voluntarily from a marina at any time or to restrict a marina owner from dictating the kind of cleats, ropes, fenders, and other measures that must be used on vessels as a condition of use of a marina.

Although I understand the reason for the government wanting to protect its citizens, I believe it has done just the opposite for marina owners. A growing number of boat owners are taking the attitude that as long as their boats are in a marina, they are safe and the owners do not have to worry about what happens. As a result, the boat owners take no precautionary measures when a storm is approaching.   Continue »