Hurricane Coming!

[MikeS]

Hi All.

I live in south Florida, and it looks like hurricane Irma is coming right at us! My house (where all my cameras and other photo gear is) is fairly secure, and has gone thru one hurricane so far in it's life, but I'm wondering, does anyone know how well 4x5 gear can handle going thru a hurricane just in case we get hit head on? I would imagine my Linhof would need to be sent back to Linhof to be completely serviced, and my lenses would all need cla's , that is if they're even salvagable! Am I wrong?

[jp]

Probably too late, but I'd expect a pelican case to protect it's contents in a situation like this. I'd probably tie the case down too.
If you insure it, make sure that paperwork and documentation is all good. If not, don't lose your account/password for the forsale forum here and ebay.

[Ron Stowell]

Probably too late, but I'd expect a pelican case to protect it's contents in a situation like this. I'd probably tie the case down too.
If you insure it, make sure that paperwork and documentation is all good. If not, don't lose your account/password for the forsale forum here and ebay.

Live in Port Richey, Fl. all photo gear packed and ready to move out.
Credit Cards, cash, important paper and clean clothes, the rest can be replaced if need be.
Good luck we are staying in place until ordered out.

[goamules]

I've heard some doseys, but "how will my 4x5 do in a hurricane" is the best.

Um....depends. Is it going to be underwater? Are you going to leave it outside? Will a tree fall on it? Or will your house remain water tight or you put it in a dry car? Good grief....every case is different. How could anyone possibly "guess" what will happen to one item in one house, in one city, in one moment in time????

A simple experiment will answer the question. Place your camera on the sidewalk. Position several "control" items beside in, in a line. A toaster, a cat, a loaf of bread. Get a garden hose and stretch it over to the experimental test range....

[j.e.simmons]

Reputedly, the dishwasher is a fairly good storage place. It is more or less water tight and is anchored in place.

[Mark Sawyer]

Most modern 4x5's have been engineered to current camera-building codes to be hurricane-proof. It's the shark-nados you have to watch out for...

[MikeS]

I've heard some doseys, but "how will my 4x5 do in a hurricane" is the best.

Um....depends. Is it going to be underwater? Are you going to leave it outside? Will a tree fall on it? Or will your house remain water tight or you put it in a dry car? Good grief....every case is different. How could anyone possibly "guess" what will happen to one item in one house, in one city, in one moment in time????

A simple experiment will answer the question. Place your camera on the sidewalk. Position several "control" items beside in, in a line. A toaster, a cat, a loaf of bread. Get a garden hose and stretch it over to the experimental test range....

I was asking a serious question, after seeing those folks in TX waiting to be rescued on their roofs, I was thinking worst case, yes my gear would be under water, and I don't know how water tite my cases are. I asked the question as a real question, figuring maybe there was somebody here that has gone thru something similar, not for you to give a snarky answer to, that helps nobody.

[LabRat]

If you have a boat in the garage, it might be a place to put stuff in that won't get wet from below...

Crazy as it might be, even an inflatable pool boat/raft in the house to put other stuff in would at least float if the floor flooded...

Put as much on the highest shelves, or 2nd floor above possible waterlines... Wrap cases/stuff in plastic bags if windows blow out and rain comes in... Maybe putting stuff in large picnic coolers and taping shut...

Hope you don't have to say; Toto, I don't think we are in Florida anymore...

Good Luck, and be safe!!!!

Steve K

[goamules]

I pride myself in good old fashioned American ingenuity. The Internet has created a lot of helplessness. Your question is "...does anyone know how well 4x5 gear can handle going thru a hurricane ..."

You've been in a hurricane, I've been in about 20 of them. Every case is different. I'll give an educated guess: 50% can handle going through a hurricane, and 50% cannot. If you are asking "can I immerse my LF gear in water?" The answer is no.

[HMG]

Reputedly, the dishwasher is a fairly good storage place. It is more or less water tight and is anchored in place.

Probably the most counter-intuitive - but completely logical - advice I've ever heard. Not to mention that few looters or thieves would look in the dishwasher.