Let's skip the one about not wanting to belong to a club that would take you as a member because this isn't a joke. Many marinas in areas vulnerable to tropical storms have started mandatory or voluntary "hurricane clubs."

At Sebastian River Marina in Florida, owner Doug Hillman started out offering voluntary membership. Now membership is mandatory. An earlier post showed how he stores, clusters and anchors the boats on the hard. It works.

Last fall, he told me that "the club" costs $1,000 a year, which includes two hurricane or tropical storm haul-outs. Many marine insurance policies cover part of this cost; BoatU.S. now includes hurricane preparation cost in its coverage.

What if you are on a canal or other waterfront property and don't have a marina to organize and execute storm preparation? Jonathan Klopman, a veteran member of the BoatU.S. Catastrophe Response Team suggests talking to your neighbors.

Those along coastal canals are particularly vulnerable to storm surge. Owners, he said, should get together, start their own informal "hurricane clubs," share expenses for good rope and anchoring systems, and moor their vessels together. In the middle of the canal.

I'd love to hear some experiences and thoughts from boaters who belong to marina-sponsored hurricane clubs or who have launched their own, less formal groups. Drop me a line at pamcoyle@madmariner.com.