Storm Preparedness Policy
When a hurricane, tropical storm or major nor'easter threatens Chatham, Outermost Harbor Marine (OHM) may haul boats out of the water to protect them, the docks and other customers' vessels. This policy explains when we act, how we reach you, what it costs and what you can do instead.
It applies to every boat in OHM's care, whether it is in a slip, on a mooring or rack, in for service, or in storage. For seasonal customers it is also part of the Weather (Storms) section of the Dockage / Storage Lease Agreement.
Want us to haul your boat before a storm?
Sign up ahead of time and you’re on our storm list: we’ll haul your boat, or pick it up by water from a mooring, when a storm threatens.
Storm Stages
OHM follows National Hurricane Center and National Weather Service (Boston/Norton) forecasts for Chatham and Nantucket Sound. OHM management decides when to start hauling and when to move from one stage to the next. The timing below is a general guide, and we may act sooner if a storm speeds up or strengthens.
1. Monitor
| When | A named storm could reach New England within 5 days |
| What OHM does | Watches forecasts and prepares haul-out equipment and a pull list |
| What you should do | Check your contact info is current; decide if you want your boat hauled or moved |
2. Prepare
| When | About 72 hours before sustained winds of 40+ mph are forecast for Cape Cod, or when a Tropical Storm or Hurricane Watch is issued, whichever comes first |
| What OHM does | Contacts owners and starts hauling in priority order |
| What you should do | Reply to OHM; strip canvas and loose gear; move your boat yourself if you choose |
3. Secure
| When | A Tropical Storm or Hurricane Warning (about 36 hours out), or when conditions are no longer safe to work |
| What OHM does | Finishes hauling where it is safe, doubles lines on boats still in slips and secures the property |
| What you should do | Stay off the docks; boats not moved by now stay where they are |
Once a Warning is in effect or winds are over 30 mph, OHM staff will stop hauling and working on the docks for their safety.
Haul-Out, Notification and Fees
OHM may haul any boat in its care when a storm threatens. You do not need to ask, and we will try to reach you first.
How we contact you. We call, text and email the numbers and address on your lease. If we can't reach you, we will haul the boat anyway, as the lease allows. Keep your contact details current, and tell us ahead of time if you never want your boat hauled.
Haul order. With limited time and one ramp, we haul in this order:
- Boats in slips and on moorings that are most exposed to wind and surge
- Larger boats that would do the most damage if they broke free
- All other slip boats
- Rack boats
We cannot promise every boat will come out before conditions become unsafe.
Fees. Storm haul-outs are billed automatically to your account at $15.00 per foot for the haul and $15.00 per foot for the relaunch ($30.00 per foot round trip). Blocking and land storage during the storm are included.
Keys. The lease requires spare keys to be kept at OHM so we can move your boat in an emergency.
Your Options and Responsibilities
You may skip OHM's haul-out if you tell us before Stage 2 ends. Your choices:
- Let OHM haul it. You'll be billed the storm haul-out fee.
- Move it by water to another harbor or hurricane hole for the storm. You're responsible for the boat until it's back in its slip. OHM staff will not move boats from the marina to other locations.
- Haul it on your own trailer. You can't use OHM's ramp yourself, so arrange a pickup time with us or haul somewhere else.
If we don't hear from you, OHM will haul the boat.
Boats kept outside the marina. If your boat spends the summer somewhere other than OHM and you want us to haul it for a storm, an OHM captain can pick it up by water and bring it in. Captain pickup is $218 per hour per captain, plus the storm haul-out fee. Request a pickup as early as possible; captains are limited and go first come, first served.
Before any storm, every owner should:
- Take off bimini tops, enclosures, sails and anything else that catches wind
- Take off loose gear, electronics and personal belongings
- Check that the automatic bilge pump and battery work (required for slip and mooring boats)
- Make sure OHM has spare keys and your current phone number
- Check your insurance: many policies cover storm haul-out costs, and some require one
Boats left in the water should also have doubled lines, chafe gear and extra fenders. If OHM has to do this for you, it will be billed as labor.
Mooring Customers
OHM can require any boat to leave an OHM mooring with 24 hours' notice. Removing it is your job: move it to another location, or haul it on your own trailer.
If you want OHM to haul from our ramp, the charge is $15.00 per foot for the haul and $15.00 per foot for the launch.
After the Storm
Once the storm has passed and OHM has checked the docks, channel and ramp for damage, we relaunch in roughly the order we hauled. We will get all boats back in as quickly as possible once conditions allow us to do it safely, usually within 2 to 5 business days.
Late-season storms. From mid-September on, we'll ask whether you want your boat relaunched or kept out for the winter. If you keep it out:
- The relaunch charge is dropped, and the boat moves straight into winter storage
- You'll need a Fall Boat Service Request (Gold, Silver or Bronze) on file to get on the spring launch schedule
- Take off the rest of your gear; we'll give you a time to come by
If you don't answer, we'll relaunch the boat once the docks are safe. If you find damage, report it to OHM and your insurer within 48 hours.
Liability and Insurance
The Lease Agreement's terms apply to storm haul-outs. OHM is not responsible for weather damage, whether the boat is in the water, hauled or somewhere you moved it, except for gross negligence, willful wrongdoing or recklessness. Hauling a boat, or not being able to haul it in time, does not make OHM responsible for storm damage.
Every boat must carry "all risk" hull insurance for at least its full value, plus at least $300,000 of protection and indemnity coverage, with OHM listed as Additional Insured. Ask your insurer whether they reimburse storm haul-out fees. Many do.
Call us at (508) 945-2030 or stop by the office at 83 Seagull Road, Chatham, MA.