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Boat owners relieved Tropical Storm Ian's track continues to head west

'We've been in some storms before here, and it can be a pretty wild ride,' Scott Sims says
Boat tied to dock in Stuart
Posted at 12:15 AM, Sep 25, 2022
and last updated 2022-09-25 01:09:57-04

STUART, Fla. — Boat owners in Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast said they are relieved the chances of a hurricane hitting our area are becoming less likely.

Sunset at the Sunset Bay Marina in Stuart on Saturday was where the nerves of boat owners were as calm as the waters of the St. Lucie River.  

"I'm relieved," said sailboat owner Scott Sims, who was with his wife Maha, as they watched the projected path of Tropical Storm Ian bump westward every few hours. 

Scott Sims, lives on sailboat in Martin County
Scott Sims is among the many boat owners pleased to see the forecast tracks keeping a potential hurricane away from South Florida and the Treasure Coast.

TRACKING THE TROPICS: Hurricane Center | Hurricane Guide

The couple realized they likely won't have to rig their sailboat, which is their home, to prepare for the worst.  

"We've been in some storms before here, and it can be a pretty wild ride," Sims said.

Across town at the Sailfish Marina, several yachts were moved from the docks to the warehouse in the past few days. 

Others in the water that are tied to the docks will likely stay.  

"It was a little spicy out there," Rich Dubord, who runs a charter fishing boat, said. 

Rich Dubord, runs a charter fishing boat in Martin County
Rich Dubord discusses the upcoming forecast and how it could impact his business.

At the Sandsprit launch site in Stuart on Saturday, he towed his craft from the water after a busy day of fishing.  

With rain from the storm expected, he may have to wait a few days before his next trip.  

"It's too early to predict," Dubord said. "It's still up in the air. We're going to have to wait it out."  

Back at the Sunset Bay Marina, Sims only hopes the rest of the storms this hurricane season stay away from the sailboat dock that he calls home.  

"The season's nearly over," Sims said. "As long as they aim for the jet stream and bounce off, I'm good with it." 

Sims knows that even though Tropical Storm Ian may not be a threat here, it's still likely to develop into a hurricane, and threaten other boaters in other parts of Florida.