I was delivering my boat back to our home marina in Panama City from it's pre season maintenance schedule. I had it hauled in Clearwater (bottom painting, some standing rigging replacement, thru hulls, etc). Clearwater is a marine hub and the work was $1000's less expensive.
The trip by my sailboat across the Gulf usually takes 36-42 hours depending on wind.
A no name superstorm built up out of nowhere and was later labeled the 1993 Storm of the Century. There was under reporting...I expected brisk winds but not what I encountered...in fact when I was 10 hours out, I got my first small craft warning from weather radio. The early warning systems then were not as developed as afterward. We depended mainly on the radio.
If you are interested in this almost instant storm...(built up and hit the gulf in two days)...link below.
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/tbw/?n=93storm