Colorado winter sail

Oct 30, 2017
183
Catalina c 27 Lake Pueblo
we keep our Catalina 27 on lake Pueblo year round and last Saturday was one of those majical days.
465BF78E-5314-4A0C-80AB-7DF76D941D57.jpeg
The wind started 10-15 and stayed near 10 for hours. Eventually calming down towards the evening.

It got me to thinking how lucky I am (in Colorado) to be able to sail year round.

If any of you suckerfishes who bought into the Grandby/Dillon hype want to get out for a sail this winter let me know.

Oh and in the winter I frequently only see one or to other boats period.

Did I mention it was 60 (f) out ....
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,995
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Congrats... That 60 F in Colorado must be “Global Warming” :yikes:... Sorry... Could not help myself.

Nice image. Looks like the clouds are really moving. Would indicate you did have nice sailing breeze. Even so the lake looks pretty calm.

Sail On. If you are really into winter sailing, follow our “Les and John’s Excellent Sailing Adventure - 2019 Winter Cruise” where we sail in the “dead of winter” from Everett to Vancouver BC and back over about 10 days. But no 60 degree days are planned. They may happen but I’ll be packing the long johns and dry suite.
 
Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
Some of our members have been seen on their iceboats in previous winters. So far we've been mild relatively speaking. Been able to get out on my bicycle the past few days without looking like a circus bear.
 
Oct 30, 2017
183
Catalina c 27 Lake Pueblo
The photo was taken as the wind was on the dying side. That said it was also taken while short tacking up a protected cove.

Every once and a while we get glass flat and enough wind to move along at 4 kts.


I will definitely follow your trip.
I make a trip out to WA about every other month for business and am always a little jealous of the E. D. from Bellingham. Some day I will make it up that way for a sail... someday for an extended cruise.
 

JRT

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Feb 14, 2017
2,037
Catalina 310 211 Lake Guntersville, AL
Nice, I made it out on Saturday also. I think it was in the low 60s down south here also. My wind was in the 5-10, a few puffs up to 15. Made a nice second solo day sail for my log book since I couldn't get any crew:)
 
Jan 1, 2006
7,040
Slickcraft 26 Sailfish
Pueblo is fairly South - like Hampton Virginia. Not like New England. But even on LI there are winter days that make fine sailing. You may be dressed like for skiing but the visual rewards of a sunny winter day are magnificent. It's a shame we are "Encouraged" to put our boats away by November 1st by the insurance companies and boat yards.
 
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Oct 30, 2017
183
Catalina c 27 Lake Pueblo
jssailem,
I manage a skilled nursing facility.
The company I work for is out of Portland but we (CO) are lumped in with the WA region.

I wind up in Seattle but usually just for a quick overnight trip. At least I get the views on the flight in and out. Lol.
 

TomY

Alden Forum Moderator
Jun 22, 2004
2,758
Alden 38' Challenger yawl Rockport Harbor
Pueblo is fairly South - like Hampton Virginia. Not like New England. But even on LI there are winter days that make fine sailing. You may be dressed like for skiing but the visual rewards of a sunny winter day are magnificent. It's a shame we are "Encouraged" to put our boats away by November 1st by the insurance companies and boat yards.
Yeah, you can't confuse weather with climate. There has been a lot of ice in our harbor this year, already. But several fishing boats stay in all year round and go out a few times a week.

We will often get days through December that are nice enough to sail. But as you mention, insurance forbids coverage. So,.... in comes the new, nearly free boats. No insurance needed.

The Winter Sailboat

There is a good example of a winter sailboat in our harbor, on a mooring, right now. A Cape Dory Typhoon. 19 feet, strongly built little boat, self bailing and not prone to deck leaks so no worry about a filling bilge.

Small enough to quickly hank on a stowed jib and main (this one leaves the main on-covered). Leave on a moments notice. But big enough to 'get you home' if things kick up.

The most important safety equipment would be your mooring. Oversized and well maintained. Your mooring cleat: Oversized and well maintained.

A Winter Sailboat just waits for a good day.
 
Jan 1, 2006
7,040
Slickcraft 26 Sailfish
I like the Typhoon. I think it's a better sailing boat than the CD 25. I would think it's a good choice for a winter boat. Round bilges won't suffer so much with some ice.
 
Jul 1, 1998
3,062
Hunter Legend 35 Poulsbo/Semiahmoo WA
The weather has really changed in the past few decades! Back in the late 1970's we had -30ºF in Alturas, Northern California, and in the -20ºF for several days on end. Used to ski Mt Shasta on Labor Day in September, and during the ski season, the snow bank along side the road to the ski area was higher than a car roof. Could ski outside the ski area down about 4,000 feet to the road below then hitch a ride to the lodge again. Lately, however, they haven't even been able to open the ski area.

Locally in Bremerton, in the mid 1980's there was typically a lot of snow starting by Thanksgiving near sea level, enough to push snow with the front bumper. ~ 1986 there were numerous days in the 20ºF and we'd get a couple feet of snow on the patio, significant snow fall up into Easter. Measurable "precept" every single day of June.

In recent years there has been very little snow, typically only around 2 to 3 inches a couple times mid winter and this year we haven't even had a single snowflake!, practically no rain all summer but lots of nasty smoke for months from forest fires.
 
Oct 19, 2017
7,733
O'Day 19 Littleton, NH

Looking at this chart, one might conclude that the temperature of Earth has never been more stable. The last 10,000 years look relatively flat. However, this chart shows some funky things with time compression and it is hard to tell if we are in a Milankovitch Cycle or not.

-Will (Dragonfly)
 
Oct 19, 2017
7,733
O'Day 19 Littleton, NH
The first time I saw snow falling from the sky, I was tubing down a glacier in Washington state in the Summer of 1972. I was 9.
We got hailed on while cooking soup for dinner at our campground. We all huddled in our VW camper while the Old Man cooked on the picnic table in his foul weather gear. There were hail stones floating in our soup by the time he served it.

Good times.

-Will (Dragonfly)
 
Mar 22, 2009
2
2 26X Colorado
We are putting our sailboat in Lake Pueblo hopefully starting next March. renting a yearly slip. Already picked out our spot.
 
Dec 25, 2000
5,703
Hunter Passage 42 Shelter Bay, WA
Hard to believe that it's only 20 years since the Mt. Baker ski area received its record breaking 1140 inches of snow.
Well remember that year when our Scout Troop did a winter camp out just south of Baker. Made snow igloos for the first time and spent a quiet cozy night inside while it howled a blizzard outside. Snow shoed in as the snow was so deep. And this morning we had the first frost on the pumpkin of the season.
 
Jan 5, 2017
2,263
Beneteau First 38 Lyall Harbour Saturna Island
We had ice on the fish pond this morning. It’s only October, still summer. Must be those prairie people sneaking all their cold air through the mountain passes.
 
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Oct 22, 2014
20,995
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
We had a temp of -2C here in the AM. Birds came to the birdbath and skated to a landing. Feels like winter is here a bit early.
 
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