Storm response
Before, during and after.
Hurricane season on Southwest Florida water. What to do at each stage, what we do, and how to reach us when something has already failed.
- Jun–Nov
- Hurricane season
- Safety first
- Stay off damaged structures
- Photograph
- Before cleanup when safe
- Call or text
- (941) 751-3625
June is when this gets decided.
- Structural review of the dock, lift and seawall
- Piling, bracket and connection hardware assessment
- Cable, bunk and cradle check so the lift can actually be raised and secured
- Electrical and control checks, including watertight connections
- Seawall void and drainage check ahead of surge
- Photograph everything now — it is your baseline if you claim later
The week a storm is named.
Demand rises quickly once a storm is named and crew availability can change by the hour. Contact Mariner early, describe the property and immediate risk, and ask what service is currently available.
Do not guess on the lift. Whether to raise or lower depends on expected surge, your lift type and your structure, and the wrong call can be worse than doing nothing. Call us and we will tell you what we would do at your property.
Take photographs of everything while it is still intact. It costs you ten minutes and it is the strongest evidence you can give an adjuster afterwards.
Document first. Repair second.
The instinct after a storm is to start clearing up. Resist it long enough to photograph what happened — what you capture in the first days is what your claim is built on, and once debris is moved it cannot be recreated.
Then get it assessed properly. Surge damage hides: scour around pilings, soil washed out from behind a seawall, and connections loosened without visibly failing. A contractor can inspect the structure and prepare a repair or replacement estimate; ask what supporting documentation is available for the specific assessment.
Storm damage
Don't wait on a form — call us.
If a boat is on a failing lift or a wall is moving, the phone is fastest. Leave the details below as well and we'll have them in front of us when we call.
- 4802 Lena Road, Bradenton, FL 34211
- Mon–Fri · 8am–4pm · Se habla español
What people ask us around a storm.
Should I lower or raise my boat lift before a storm?
It depends on the expected surge, your lift type and your structure — the wrong choice can be worse than doing nothing. Call or text (941) 751-3625 and we will tell you what we would do at your property rather than give you generic advice that may not fit it.
What should I do first after a storm?
Make it safe, then document it — before you clear anything away. Dated photographs taken before any cleanup are what your insurance claim is built on. Only then start moving debris.
How fast can you get to us?
Response time depends on storm conditions, access, crew availability and the number of unsafe structures reported. Call or text with the location and immediate hazard so the team can explain current availability.
My dock looks fine. Should I still have it checked?
Yes. Surge does its worst work where you cannot see it — scour around pilings, soil moved out from behind a seawall, connections loosened without visibly failing. The damage that shows up months later usually started during the storm.
Is it safe to use my dock after a storm?
Not until someone has looked at it. A dock can look intact while the pilings under it have lost their hold, and electrical that has been submerged is a genuine hazard around water. If in doubt, stay off it and call us.
Where to go next
Do not wait on a form if the structure is unsafe.
Stay clear, then call or text (941) 751-3625 and describe the immediate hazard.