MAROOCHYDORE man Daniel Perdikis is documenting his wild weekend in Florida as deadly Hurricane Irma batters the coastline, including Miami.

Mr Perdikis is holed up in a hotel in Fort Lauderdale at present.

The power is out but back-up generators have kicked in.

"So far so good, things may change tomorrow," he said overnight.

"It's picked up a bit here," he said this morning, our time.

"I reckon 100mph winds on the east coast. The west is getting hammered but haven't any updates on that.

"The power is out but the hotel is on generator. Phone service is still active."

He said tornado warnings had been issued, but so far there had been no reports of major damage in the Fort Lauderdale area.

Mr Perdikis was on board the 55m motor yacht Lady Michelle which had been in dry dock for maintenance and refitting at Dania Beach, about a half hour drive north of Miami, which has been inundated with floodwaters and power cut to about 2.3 million homes.

"It's meant to die off tomorrow arvo so hopefully Tuesday we can get out of the hotel and check the place out," he said.

Mr Perdikis is chief engineer aboard the Lady Michelle and has been sailing for the past five months.

He said himself and the crew were armed with Tasers in preparation of looting, of which there has already been reports of arrests made in Fort Lauderdale, as opportunistic thieves strike.

Mr Perdikis said he was unsure at this stage what impact Hurricane Jose, a second hurricane lurking behind Irma, would have on their plans.

"At this stage it will head north but anything is possible," he said.

Twenty-four people have reportedly died so far as Hurricane Irma continues on its path of destruction.