As spring approaches, the season's first sail is anticipated by many northern owners. What will you do for your first sail of the year (or, if you're in a southern climate, your first sail of the spring)? Are you planning a day-sail test of all systems, a quick weekend overnight, a Spring Break week away... or the beginning of an extended cruise? Share (or make) your cruising plans here, then vote in this week's Quick Quiz at the bottom of the HOW home page.
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Shakedown
My first sail will be a day trip to shake down the "underway" systems (engine, rigging, etc). My first "overnight" will be at the dock to ensure the boat has been loaded properly and nor forgetting any critical supplies (like toothpaste). Our first overnight trip will be to a secluded cove on a mooring where we'll relax with friends and "acclimate" back to the cruising routine and, again, check the systems. Last year our acclimation weekend discovered that the alternator "fried" while charging our batteries the first night out. After that it's free wheeling.
My first sail will be a day trip to shake down the "underway" systems (engine, rigging, etc). My first "overnight" will be at the dock to ensure the boat has been loaded properly and nor forgetting any critical supplies (like toothpaste). Our first overnight trip will be to a secluded cove on a mooring where we'll relax with friends and "acclimate" back to the cruising routine and, again, check the systems. Last year our acclimation weekend discovered that the alternator "fried" while charging our batteries the first night out. After that it's free wheeling.
It Was A Great Spring
Two weeks ago, we got the first inch of our spring rains and all the wonderful plant life decided to bud on the same day. (All the plant life that had not already budded, that is.) Last week we had three days of rainy conditions in a row, ending on a Friday. Saturday, all the plant life was fully grown out with lots of green everywhere. Sunday, it was 87 degrees with almost no wind so I assume we're moving right on into summer. Oh well, spring was a nice weekend. So, what will I do for the first "spring" sail? Install air conditioning! (BTW, this is NOT the first official complaint of sweltering summer heat; it's not that bad yet.)
Two weeks ago, we got the first inch of our spring rains and all the wonderful plant life decided to bud on the same day. (All the plant life that had not already budded, that is.) Last week we had three days of rainy conditions in a row, ending on a Friday. Saturday, all the plant life was fully grown out with lots of green everywhere. Sunday, it was 87 degrees with almost no wind so I assume we're moving right on into summer. Oh well, spring was a nice weekend. So, what will I do for the first "spring" sail? Install air conditioning! (BTW, this is NOT the first official complaint of sweltering summer heat; it's not that bad yet.)
Greg, there's no wind...
...otherwise, your assumption would be correct. I'd be out-a-here in a heart beat.
...otherwise, your assumption would be correct. I'd be out-a-here in a heart beat.
SPRING? HERE?
I took the cover off the boat this past weekend but we are still expecting a mix of rain and snow! Probably launch around Mothers Day and take an evening sail with light winds to see what works and what doesn't. With water levels so low in Lake Erie, it will be important to stick to channels of deeper water while in the harbor and get out into the lake before "tacking around"
I took the cover off the boat this past weekend but we are still expecting a mix of rain and snow! Probably launch around Mothers Day and take an evening sail with light winds to see what works and what doesn't. With water levels so low in Lake Erie, it will be important to stick to channels of deeper water while in the harbor and get out into the lake before "tacking around"
snow today!
i was going to drive down to seward this weekend to pull my dodger off and have a few zippers repaired, it snowed 20 inches today good thing i didnt. heres a question for you warm weather sailors, how many of you guys can ski right up to your boat? it just doesnt seem natural does it? looks like spring is about a month away for me.
i was going to drive down to seward this weekend to pull my dodger off and have a few zippers repaired, it snowed 20 inches today good thing i didnt. heres a question for you warm weather sailors, how many of you guys can ski right up to your boat? it just doesnt seem natural does it? looks like spring is about a month away for me.
SUNNY DAYS
This past weekend was excellent I recently purchased a hunter 27 and was down in maryland washing, waxing and in 68 F weather. I started early and with the help of a good friend we sanded and painted to bottom. After that long day we went to do some relaxing. Sunday morning brought light winds, and some cloudy skys, still with the temperature around 65 F. Did some touch up and hooked up a new exhaust hose. Than made my arrangements to put Drem Maker in her slip. Launch date April 3.
This past weekend was excellent I recently purchased a hunter 27 and was down in maryland washing, waxing and in 68 F weather. I started early and with the help of a good friend we sanded and painted to bottom. After that long day we went to do some relaxing. Sunday morning brought light winds, and some cloudy skys, still with the temperature around 65 F. Did some touch up and hooked up a new exhaust hose. Than made my arrangements to put Drem Maker in her slip. Launch date April 3.
For Ted
We can ski up to the boat even in the south. All we have to do is make sure the ski boat can turn around in the harbor close enough to the sailboat that we have enough momentum to ski/glide right up to the stern of the boat before the ski(s) go completely under water. Don't ya just hate a smarta**??? Sorry to hear about the snow. Hope you guys get out soon!!
We can ski up to the boat even in the south. All we have to do is make sure the ski boat can turn around in the harbor close enough to the sailboat that we have enough momentum to ski/glide right up to the stern of the boat before the ski(s) go completely under water. Don't ya just hate a smarta**??? Sorry to hear about the snow. Hope you guys get out soon!!
A little off track but close to snow.
For all the sputtering about the hardships of northern winters I'm reading in this thread I like to input a situation I enjoy every year at Christmas. We live in Texas and every year we go to my in-laws in Houston for a few days. Most of the time the temp is low seventies during that time. It's good to wake up early the day after Christmas and listen to the lawn mowers hard at work. A couple of houses down from my in-laws live a family of Yankees. Every year on Christmas Eve, at about 4:00AM they have snow generating equipment brought in to cover their house and lawn in 3+ feet of snow! Every year, they wake up to a white Christmas and are happy with this. To me this is hysterically funny but the kids can't wait to get down there to play in the stuff. My point is, Yankees really love their snow to the point of distraction so quit bellyaching. I'm not fooled.
For all the sputtering about the hardships of northern winters I'm reading in this thread I like to input a situation I enjoy every year at Christmas. We live in Texas and every year we go to my in-laws in Houston for a few days. Most of the time the temp is low seventies during that time. It's good to wake up early the day after Christmas and listen to the lawn mowers hard at work. A couple of houses down from my in-laws live a family of Yankees. Every year on Christmas Eve, at about 4:00AM they have snow generating equipment brought in to cover their house and lawn in 3+ feet of snow! Every year, they wake up to a white Christmas and are happy with this. To me this is hysterically funny but the kids can't wait to get down there to play in the stuff. My point is, Yankees really love their snow to the point of distraction so quit bellyaching. I'm not fooled.
In great lakes - probably run aground!
The water level in poor Lake st Clair (between Lake Erie and Lake Huron) is so shallow, that I'm afraid that when they launch my deep keel H31 I may never make it out of the hoist well! Can I put little wheels on the bottom of my keel? I suppose that I'll spend most of my summer digging little keel ruts in the bottom of the lake. But, I wouldn't trade sailing for anything else!
The water level in poor Lake st Clair (between Lake Erie and Lake Huron) is so shallow, that I'm afraid that when they launch my deep keel H31 I may never make it out of the hoist well! Can I put little wheels on the bottom of my keel? I suppose that I'll spend most of my summer digging little keel ruts in the bottom of the lake. But, I wouldn't trade sailing for anything else!
no yankee
mike your right, i love the snow as much as i love to sail, thats why i love alaska, six months of great snow (just got back from skiing 30 min ago)six months of allmost 24 hours of daylight to sail in. its like one of those ying and yang things by the way all you guys are so far south of me it makes you all southerners, to me anyway
mike your right, i love the snow as much as i love to sail, thats why i love alaska, six months of great snow (just got back from skiing 30 min ago)six months of allmost 24 hours of daylight to sail in. its like one of those ying and yang things by the way all you guys are so far south of me it makes you all southerners, to me anyway
quit yakking, it windy out there
First sail? Gee, I just try to make sure the boat's ready before I pull it to the lake. We launched on Sunday, got a spectacular day of sailing, moving at hull speed without having to work hard. Beauthiful sun, wind, and water. I'll worrying about gear for cruising when the weather stabilizes. As for skiing to the boat, Ted, the problem might be stopping in time. The closest ski area. Willamette Pass, is about 1 hr and 15 min away, which is slightly farther than going to Florence on the Oregon coast, and snow rarely gets down this low. Odell Lake is literally across the street (hwy 58) from Willamette Pass, but droping off a ski mountain into a volcanic caldera filled with 300' of snow melt is not something to be approched without some care, so you go first. As for "yankee," call me a westerner or an oregonian. From here you have to travel east just to get to cowboy country. Personally, I think "yankees" are east coast types. Jim Kolstoe, h23 Kara's Boo
First sail? Gee, I just try to make sure the boat's ready before I pull it to the lake. We launched on Sunday, got a spectacular day of sailing, moving at hull speed without having to work hard. Beauthiful sun, wind, and water. I'll worrying about gear for cruising when the weather stabilizes. As for skiing to the boat, Ted, the problem might be stopping in time. The closest ski area. Willamette Pass, is about 1 hr and 15 min away, which is slightly farther than going to Florence on the Oregon coast, and snow rarely gets down this low. Odell Lake is literally across the street (hwy 58) from Willamette Pass, but droping off a ski mountain into a volcanic caldera filled with 300' of snow melt is not something to be approched without some care, so you go first. As for "yankee," call me a westerner or an oregonian. From here you have to travel east just to get to cowboy country. Personally, I think "yankees" are east coast types. Jim Kolstoe, h23 Kara's Boo
Lake Erie
There are parts of Lake Erie bottom that have not been seen in years maybe even eons. Last weekend the water was 11 inchs above low water datum when it should be 30 to 40 inchs above datum. By mid summer ,we should be able to walk over to the islands . It doesn't look like a very promising season at this point. Springl launchings might be a problem but Fall haulouts could very well be a daunting chalange. With so little water in the western basin , the Erie rollers could be really nasty this year. So take care when the noreasters blow.
There are parts of Lake Erie bottom that have not been seen in years maybe even eons. Last weekend the water was 11 inchs above low water datum when it should be 30 to 40 inchs above datum. By mid summer ,we should be able to walk over to the islands . It doesn't look like a very promising season at this point. Springl launchings might be a problem but Fall haulouts could very well be a daunting chalange. With so little water in the western basin , the Erie rollers could be really nasty this year. So take care when the noreasters blow.
John of Lake St Clair -
John, You want to borrow my 23 for a while? 2 ft 3in. draft does come in handy sometimes. I just need to find a 23X33 ft box. I think we accidentally got your water. My Lake, Ray Hubbard, is actually way high right now.
John, You want to borrow my 23 for a while? 2 ft 3in. draft does come in handy sometimes. I just need to find a 23X33 ft box. I think we accidentally got your water. My Lake, Ray Hubbard, is actually way high right now.
The Rites (make that RIGHTS) of Spring
Nancy and I just acquired our 1978 Cherubini Hunter 27 from Jim Gardner. Shipped her down from New Jersey and splashed her last Thursday. First shake-down mini-cruise last Saturday afternoon, all is well, no, make that perfect! Our first cruise of this spring will be over the Easter weekend. We'll leave Indian Harbour Beach, Florida, Thursday late afternoon and make for the islands off of Grant where there is one of our favorite protected anchorages. Anchor for the night and enjoy Nancy's great cooking, a few coctails, and maybe even a few dances below in our new "ballroom", or at least is seems that big since upsizing from the Columbia 24 that we traded for Ciao Bella. Early Friday morning, we'll set sail for Fort Pierce where we'll tie up at the yacht club for the night, anticipating more great dining, a few coctails and, yes, a bit of dancing, but not too much, because Saturday AM, we head outside from the inlet to venture into some coastal "blue" sailing. If the weather's perfect, we'll spend most of the day outside, for our ultimate objective is to make some cruises to the Bahamas, but not just yet. If conditions aren't what we feel comfortable with, the Intercoastal is just fine for us "old fogies". Don't want to push our luck with a new (to us) vessel that we don't yet know intimately. Mid afternoon, we plan on heading back north towards Sebastian, where we'll anchor and row in to one of our favorite restaurants, "Captain Hyrams", for yet another sumptious feast. Egad! Somehow I think our ballast just increased again! Sunday, it's the pleasantly long haul up the ICW to our marina in Indian Harbour Beach. With any favors granted from the weather gods, we'll be sunburned, exhausted and thoroughly thrilled to have completed our first holiday weekend on our new "Ciao Bella". As an aside, Jim Gardner, Ciao Bella's PO tells me that he sailed our previous boat "Oldark" from the marina to his home a few days ago. It was 40 degrees, windy and rainy. It's 84 degrees here today. Ciao Bella likes the south! Neil and Nancy Smith "Ciao Bella" - 1978 H-27 nsmith@cfl.rr.com
Nancy and I just acquired our 1978 Cherubini Hunter 27 from Jim Gardner. Shipped her down from New Jersey and splashed her last Thursday. First shake-down mini-cruise last Saturday afternoon, all is well, no, make that perfect! Our first cruise of this spring will be over the Easter weekend. We'll leave Indian Harbour Beach, Florida, Thursday late afternoon and make for the islands off of Grant where there is one of our favorite protected anchorages. Anchor for the night and enjoy Nancy's great cooking, a few coctails, and maybe even a few dances below in our new "ballroom", or at least is seems that big since upsizing from the Columbia 24 that we traded for Ciao Bella. Early Friday morning, we'll set sail for Fort Pierce where we'll tie up at the yacht club for the night, anticipating more great dining, a few coctails and, yes, a bit of dancing, but not too much, because Saturday AM, we head outside from the inlet to venture into some coastal "blue" sailing. If the weather's perfect, we'll spend most of the day outside, for our ultimate objective is to make some cruises to the Bahamas, but not just yet. If conditions aren't what we feel comfortable with, the Intercoastal is just fine for us "old fogies". Don't want to push our luck with a new (to us) vessel that we don't yet know intimately. Mid afternoon, we plan on heading back north towards Sebastian, where we'll anchor and row in to one of our favorite restaurants, "Captain Hyrams", for yet another sumptious feast. Egad! Somehow I think our ballast just increased again! Sunday, it's the pleasantly long haul up the ICW to our marina in Indian Harbour Beach. With any favors granted from the weather gods, we'll be sunburned, exhausted and thoroughly thrilled to have completed our first holiday weekend on our new "Ciao Bella". As an aside, Jim Gardner, Ciao Bella's PO tells me that he sailed our previous boat "Oldark" from the marina to his home a few days ago. It was 40 degrees, windy and rainy. It's 84 degrees here today. Ciao Bella likes the south! Neil and Nancy Smith "Ciao Bella" - 1978 H-27 nsmith@cfl.rr.com
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