Hurricane checklist for Broward waterfront owners: boat, lift and dock
A one-page, printable checklist for the boat, the lift and the dock, organized by when you act. It is built from FWC and Broward County guidance, with lift steps from a South Florida lift repair company. We review it each May.
Before the season (by June 1)
The season runs June 1 through November 30.[1]
- Decide in advance where the boat goes: trailer it as far from tidal water as possible, or a protected berth or hurricane hole.[4]
- Inspect lift cables, hardware and grease fittings. One lift company suggests marine grease twice a year and replacing cables as a set, on a salt canal at about three years.[5]
- Service and test the dock and lift electrical connections with a licensed electrician if anything is corroded.[6]
- Photograph the dock, lift, pilings and seawall with the date for insurance records.[7]
- Write down your insurer's claim number, your marina or HOA storm rules, and your evacuation zone.
Hurricane Watch (hurricane conditions possible within about 48 hours)
- If the boat can be trailered, haul it and move it as far from tidal water as possible.[4]
- In a berth: double all lines, rig cross-spring lines fore and aft, and attach lines high on pilings so they allow for tidal rise or surge.[4]
- At anchor: use the most protected area, multiple anchors at 10:1 scope or more, and remove canvas coverings if possible.[8]
- Wrap lines where they pass chocks, install fenders, charge batteries so automatic bilge pumps can run, and remove EPIRBs, life jackets and loose items.[8]
- Lift: raise it as high as it goes without over-wrapping the drum, strap the boat to the lifter beams and the beams to the pilings.[9]
- Clear the dock of furniture and loose items.
Hurricane Warning (conditions expected within 36 hours or less)
- Finish securing the vessel and leave. Never ride out the storm aboard.[2]
- Cut power to the dock and lift at the house breaker; take motors and receivers that unbolt into the garage.[9]
- Follow any evacuation order, including marina evacuations required by Florida law.[2]
After the storm
- Stay off the water until conditions improve. Expect debris, new shoals and missing or damaged markers.[2]
- Photograph damage before emergency repairs if insurance may apply, and contact your carrier.[7]
- Do not run a lift motor that was under the surface, even briefly; have it opened and dried first.[9]
- Schedule a dock, piling and seawall inspection if a named storm came within 50 miles, because underwater damage is not visible from the surface.[10]
- Have the seawall checked for cracks, leaning or soil loss behind it.
Checklist items marked with a vendor source (lift and dock company advice) are one company's guidance. For marina rules, bridge schedules, evacuation zones and local requirements, follow Broward County Emergency Management and your city. We could not verify Broward's current boat-evacuation and bridge procedures at the source, so we have not published them. Next scheduled review: May 2027.
Common questions
When is hurricane season?
Broward County says hurricane season is June 1 through November 30, and South Florida's season is typically most active from August through October.[1]
Should I stay with my boat in a storm?
No. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says never to ride out a hurricane or tropical storm aboard your vessel and to comply with evacuation orders.[2]
What is the difference between a Hurricane Watch and Warning?
A Hurricane Watch means hurricane conditions are possible, generally within 48 hours. A Warning means they are expected in 36 hours or less.[3]
Related: King tide tracker · Flood zone basics
Sources and verified dates
Statements marked [n] come from these sources. Seller pages are listed as ranges they publish, not as quotes. If a rule or fee matters to a decision, confirm it with the agency before you act.
- Broward County Emergency Management (Primary: county page)
Hurricane season is June 1 through November 30; South Florida's season is typically most active August through October.
Broward County: About Hurricanes
Verified on Oct 31, 2026. - FWC (Primary: state agency page)
FWC: never ride out a hurricane or tropical storm aboard your vessel; comply with evacuation orders (Fla. Stat. 327.59 on marina evacuations); after a storm expect debris, new shoals and missing or damaged markers.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission: Storm Prep Resources (boaters)
Verified on Oct 31, 2026. - Broward County Emergency Management (Primary: county page)
A Hurricane Watch means hurricane conditions are possible, generally within 48 hours; a Hurricane Warning means they are expected in 36 hours or less.
Broward County: About Hurricanes
Verified on Oct 31, 2026. - FWC (Primary: state agency page)
FWC: haul trailerable boats out and move them as far from tidal water as possible; in a berth, double all lines, rig cross-spring lines and attach lines high on pilings to allow for tidal rise or surge.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission: Storm Prep Resources (boaters)
Verified on Oct 31, 2026. - Bernerepair (repair company) (Seller published range (company bias))
Cables are replaced as a set; the company says makers allow five years on stainless cable and three years is sensible on a salt canal; grease fittings want marine grease twice a year; electrical problems upstream of the dock disconnect are electrician work.
Bernerepair: Boat Lift Repair pricing table (South Florida)
Verified on Oct 31, 2026. - Souffront Contractors (contractor) (Seller published range (contractor bias))
Dock electrical systems (shore power, lighting) need a licensed marine electrician and, in most jurisdictions, a separate electrical permit (vendor statement; confirm with your building department).
Souffront Contractors: Dock Repair Cost in South Florida
Verified on Oct 31, 2026. - JKT Marine (contractor) (Seller published range (contractor bias))
Dock damage from named storms may be covered by homeowner's or flood insurance or both; contact your carrier and photograph the damage before emergency repairs when storm coverage may apply (vendor advice).
JKT Marine: How Much Does Dock Repair Cost in South Florida? (2026 Guide)
Verified on Oct 31, 2026. - FWC (Primary: state agency page)
FWC: at anchor use the most protected area with multiple anchors at 10:1 scope or more; wrap lines at chocks to prevent chafe; install fenders; charge batteries so automatic bilge pumps run through the storm; remove EPIRBs, life jackets and loose items.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission: Storm Prep Resources (boaters)
Verified on Oct 31, 2026. - Bernerepair (repair company) (Seller published range (company bias))
Before a hurricane the company says to raise the lift as high as it goes without over-wrapping the drum, strap the boat to the lifter beams and the beams to the pilings, cut power at the house breaker, and store unbolt-able motors and receivers; after water recedes, do not run a motor that was under the surface (vendor advice).
Bernerepair: Boat Lift Repair pricing table (South Florida)
Verified on Oct 31, 2026. - Souffront Contractors (contractor) (Seller published range (contractor bias))
Schedule an inspection after any named storm that comes within 50 miles of the property, because underwater piling damage and hardware fatigue are not visible from the dock surface (vendor advice).
Souffront Contractors: Dock Repair Cost in South Florida
Verified on Oct 31, 2026.