The tail end of this year's hurricane season looks to be a treacherous one. BoatU.S. has some tips for weathering the storm.

Scuppers: Wherever you store your boat, make sure the cockpit and deck scuppers are free of debris so rain can drain easily.

Small boats: If possible, small open boats and boats with low freeboard should be taken out of the water and put on trailers.

Boatlifts: Vessels stored on boatlifts in the Chesapeake Bay during Hurricane Isabel proved to be especially vulnerable to the combined effect of wind, rain and surge. When drain plugs were left in, rain added considerable weight and many lifts collapsed. If the drain plug was left out, the boat was flooded by Isabel's extraordinary surge. BoatU.S. says the best solution is to take the boat out of the water and store it ashore on a trailer. An alternative is to move the boat to a well–protected slip if one is available.

Extra lines: Boats in slips should have extra lines and fenders.

Windage: Remove biminis, sails and dodgers to reduce windage and line strain.

Haul–out: Need help hauling out your boat? Ask your insurance company if they have a program to help pay for the cost of a storm related haul–out.

For more on preparing for a major storm, check out the hurricane section on the BoatU.S. Web site.