Gulfport boat owners impacted by Debby now preparing for Helene impacts

Boat owners prepare for storm surge

Jordan Bowen reports

GULFPORT, Fla. - Debby’s destruction is still on display several weeks later in Gulfport. As vessel owners prepare for yet another storm, several overturned sailboats still remain, serving as a reminder of why it's so important for owners to secure their boats.

"They've been scrambling. You know, they've been scrambling. So you'll see the dinghies out here. Now, today's Tuesday, tomorrow's Wednesday. Wednesday is the big day to finish all the preparation for the sailboats. And then some of the things will be trailer out," Captain Noreen Smith said.

Smith, who’s been a boating captain for the last 15 years, spent the day Tuesday helping owners with anything they might need ahead of Helene.

"The anchor, it should be on a chain, should be heavy enough for each particular boat that's out there. And the scope, the length of the line, most of the time in a storm that's coming like this hurricane, it should be double doubled up on the front. Bough one on the rear," Smith said.

To also prevent boats from coming ashore, many owners are anchoring the boats far away from the shore near the Bayway Bridge and next to tall buildings, which Smith said will help block the strong winds from pushing boats on to the shore.

During Debby, some owners lost their dinghies to access their boats, so Tuesday many worked together to help out their small tight-knit boating community, which has already been rocked by one storm this hurricane season.

MORE: Tropical Storm Helene: Pinellas County updates & information

"We're all concerned, this looks to be bigger than what Debby did," Smith said.

Going into the storm, some boaters said they have put cameras on their boats, so they can monitor what goes on during the storm. Wednesday, Smith plans to help the rest of the boaters remove all their dinghies from the water.

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