According to BoatU.S., a canal or narrow waterway may be one of the best places to leave your vessel, if it must be left in the water when tropical weather strikes.

Heads of creeks, small rivers, mangroves and bayous can all provide some protection. There won't be breaking waves and your boat can be secured to the shore, allowing it to rise and fall with the surge.

But there are considerations. If a boat or two breaks loose nearby, your vessel and many others can fall prey to damage. Keep in mind the size of your boat. Four boats were destroyed in Punta Gorda when a 33-foot broke loose during one storm.

The boat didn't have enough lines securing it in the canal. Eight lines should be the minimum.

Another problem in past hurricanes were lines secured to trees. When the trees topple, the boats break free. BoatU.S. says the most vulnerable trees in a storm are non-native "exotics" such as palm trees, which have notoriously shallow root systems. Pilings, most indigenous trees and even earth augers screwed into the ground are a better alternative.

Finally, whichever lines you decide to use, try to keep the number on any one cleat or piling to two. That way if there's a failure, the boat will still be well secured.