Hermine has weakened from a hurricane to a tropical storm after slamming into Florida, but as boaters prepare for Labor Day weekend Wareham Harbormaster Garry Buckminster said his staff will keep an eye on the forecast.

“We’re getting prepared in case something were to happen,” said Buckminster. “It’s more precautionary at this point. Obviously, we’ll know more going into Saturday and Sunday.”

To prepare, Buckminster said boaters should contact their marinas and have a haul-out plan ready in case the weather takes a turn for the worse. It’s easier (and cheaper) to keep boats safe if they’re out of the water, said Buckminster.

“We advise that it’s not worth risking your property if you have time to take precautions,” said Buckminster. “You can always put your boat back in the water. It’s easier to do that than have to deal with a damaged boat.”

In the meantime, Buckminster advised boaters to make sure their vessels are properly tied, dinghy racks are secured and dock defenders are in place.

With the boating season coming to an end, Buckminster noted that some people leave their boats unattended for longer periods of time, which may cause problems in case a quick evacuation is needed.

It’s important for people to perform regular maintenance on their boats, especially before a storm, said Buckminster.

“You want to make sure the bilge pumps are working, batteries are charged and everything is in good working order,” he said.

A tropical storm—classified by sustained winds moving 39-73 miles per hour—is working its way up the coast, but it's too soon to say whether it will blow out to see or have a major impact on the South Coast.

A hurricane is classified by sustained winds 74 mph or faster. Buckminster noted that the last two major hurricanes to hit the area – Irene and Sandy – mostly spared Wareham. However, he said smaller storms have the potential to do damage.

“We’ve had a few pass by that fizzled out, but you could have something as simple as a bad day with high winds that would cause some boats to break free,” he said. “Just like with any storm, people should be ready.”

Ultimately, Buckminster advised to never ride out a storm in a boat.

For more information on the storm, visit the National Hurricane Center's website.