MARION — Due to the projected path of Hurricane Lee, the Marion Harbormaster Department asked all Marion boaters to remove their vessels from the Island Wharf and Old Landing Dinghy docks no later than Thursday, Sept. 14, according to an email alert. 

Kayaks and dinghys should also be removed from racks in the same time frame, according to the alert. 

“This is to lighten the load and strain on the chain system that holds the floats in place,” wrote the Marion Harbormaster Department in a Faceboook post. “We appreciate your understanding, these floats are very hard to rebuild when damaged and takes a lot of time.”

The Marion Harbormaster Department alerted residents to this via email on Wednesday, Sept. 13. 

“We are still currently monitoring Hurricane Lee and [the] potential to take all the floats out is still a possibility,” wrote the Marion Harbormaster Department. “You taking your vessel off the docks makes it that much easier. Better safe than sorry.”

According to Mattapoisett Harbormaster Isaac Perry, Mattapoisett boaters can leave their vessels in place as of 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 13. 

“We’re not making that decision just yet,” said Perry, noting that the projected wind direction of the storm would not impact Mattapoisett harbor as much as Marion. “Unless something really drastically changes with this storm and its projected track, I don’t see us ... putting any order in place.”