BoatUS can help Florida Panhandle boaters prepare for Helene with a free hurricane preparation checklist, how-to videos, storm-planning guides and more. (credit: Amy Beth Krisanda)
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BoatUS hurricane preparation information for boat owners includes helpful diagrams on how to best protect a boat stored in the water, such as here when a slip is not available. (Credit: BoatUS)
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SPRINGFIELD, Va., Sept. 24, 2024 -- With potential Tropical Cyclone Nine expected to reach hurricane strength as Helene before hitting parts of Florida’s Gulf Coast later this week, recreational boat owners have all the hurricane preparation information they need at BoatUS.com/Hurricanes.

The website from Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) offers help to every boat owner, whether a boat will have to weather the storm in the slip, stored ashore, on a boat lift, in canals, or at marinas and boat clubs. BoatUS is the nation’s largest boating advocacy, services and safety group with more than 725,000 members and with 40 years of experience in hurricane preparedness for recreational boats.

“This storm is expected to intensify,” said BoatUS spokesperson Scott Croft. “Now is the time to give your boat the best chances for survival by preparing accordingly, no matter where you plan to keep it.”

The storm-planning help, easily downloadable and all available free, includes a BoatUS Magazine Hurricane Preparations Guide and Hurricane Preparation Worksheet you can easily take to the boat to review to ensure you haven’t missed anything, and a Guide for Preparing Boats and Marinas for Hurricanes — a helpful resource for marina and boat club staff, community resiliency managers and local government organizations that focus on protecting boating facilities.

A playlist, which includes nine hurricane preparation videos, makes it easy to understand the steps to take and additional articles, such as how to use protected canals or why some lines break before others, are also available.

Visit BoatUS.com/Hurricanes for up-to-the-minute storm tracking tools with live satellite images and checklists for what to do before and after a hurricane strikes.

Go to BoatUS.com/Hurricanes for more.

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Suggested social media post:

#Helene is expected to reach #hurricane strength and make landfall in parts of Florida’s Gulf Coast later this week. Boat owners who need to prepare for storm surge, high winds and rain have free planning help from @BoatUS at BoatUS.com/Hurricanes https://bit.ly/4diD73i #stormwatch #stormready #hurricaneprep #hurricanepreparation #gulfcoast #coastalflorida #floridagulfcoast #FloridaPanhandle #boatus

About Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS):

Celebrating more than 55 years, BoatUS is the nation’s largest advocacy, services and safety group with more than 725,000 dues-paying members. BoatUS is the boat owners’ voice on Capitol Hill, fighting for their rights. The TowBoatUS® fleet is available 24/7 to assist our members on the water when boats break down or run aground with some 600 vessels and 300-plus locations across North America, bringing our members safely back to the launch ramp, marina or dock. On the road, we are The Boat Owners Auto Club™, helping ensure roadside trailer and tow vehicle breakdowns won’t slow you down. BoatUS offers GEICO boat insurance policies that give boat owners affordable, specialized coverage and the superior service they need. Award-winning BoatUS Magazine is the largest circulation recreational marine publication in the U.S. with engaging content that speaks to the passion for boat ownership, while our 501(c)(3) nonprofit BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water offers the nation’s only free online boating safety course and many other programs that keep boaters safe and our waters clean. Visit BoatUS.com.