Cruising Outpost

Twisty,

Good luck to you. I've been off the board mostly due to the lack of wifi due to Hurricane Issac that flooded the marina office. I probably have more hurricane stuff than any boat out there. 5 complete & over-sized for my boat, anchors and rodes. Katrina kinda brought out the OCD in me in regard to hurricanes. I never ever want to lose another boat. You are just too far away from me.

If they distribute MREs following the storm, get a case and squirrel them away on board. They are OK as emergency rations. I've eaten my share.

And good luck you and everyone in the storm's path. I think this storm may have a large storm surge and be a major rain event. I don't think it will be a big wind event as long as you can get a little inland. Strip the sails and everything else you can remove topside. Use the largest ground tackle you can find with as long lines as possible. Remember chafe protection. Leave some spare line at the bitter end so you can play out more line and distribute the wear on lines. And remember, your neighbor's boat can be a bigger hazard than the storm if his boat is not adequately prepared. Get away from him. And don't assume you can predict the wind direction. It sometimes only takes a few miles difference from the projected path to give you a complete change in wind direction. And remember the backside of the storm can be just as bad. Do not be complacent at any point. At the height of the storm, no assistance can come to your rescue. See if you can get a friend to ride it out with you. You must be prepared or get off the boat ahead of time. Also trees and other debris may be floating around and can foul your ground tackle.