Florida Cat Owners,
After being in St. Croix 13 years, with many 'big' storm hits, here is some suggestions.

1. Take care of your boat today( Wednesday).
As the storm comes closer, more priority items appear and time grows short. Plus easy access to stuff becomes a very hard job. A friend, Brother, Mother , Son, etc. may call any moment for help,..and you gotta go!
-strip EVERYTHING off the boat, mast, rudder system, tramp, lines, everything.
-tie boat down or 'hide it' somewhere.
..if it gets airborne, consider it destroyed.
- If you can dissassemble the crossbars, better yet.
...this way, you can make the cat 'compact', slid in a garage wall, whereever.
- water in the hull, at 8 pounds a gallon ( 20 gallons = 160 pounds) is great, easily removable, weight.
- tie mast down somewhere.
...yes, these 'fly' too, and usually, cannot take much of a 'hit' before they are worthless.

Non Boat tips!

1. Fill bathtub full!
- it is amazing how little water it takes to shower, adults and kids.
- plus, this will be used to work toilets
2. DO ALL YOUR LAUNDRY!
-before Hurricane Marilyn, 1995, my wife was doing laundry, I was a little unhappy as I was on the roof securing stuff, she said' you will see', [ her being through Hugo in St. thomas].
...sure enough, no power for 2 weeks, man, you will be happy for clean clothes and bedsheeets after a hard day.
3. Non Refrig FOOD
4. Camper stove w/ fuel!
5. Camper Lantern, non battery
6. Non battery Board Games ( you will need them, especially if you have kids)
7. Small Radio
8. Rechargable drill ( many a story about saving a house by refastening a board on a window in the midst of a storm)
9. Plastic Garbage bag everything! Double Plastic Bag the important stuff.

HOW bad is the wind driven water?

Well, I have witnessed water blown through the cement block walls of my house.
Not thru the roof, not thru a opening,...but thru pores in the stucco,the block and the cement, so that the inside of the wall is wet, weeping water.

Get Ready.

Bruce
St. Croix