How many of you go out from time to time in the rain just to get out and go sailing? If you have planned a weekend cruise and find out that it is going to rain all weekend do you cancell your plans or just go for it?
Weather sailor survey
- Thread starter Bad Obsession
- Start date
- Status
I will admit that I am a fairweather sailor. Unless I am out on a long cruise I usually won't leave the slip on a rainy weekend. I don't know what the big deal is though because I have a bimini, a connector, and a dodger so I wouldn't get that wet.
I do hate packing sails when they are wet. I have always worried about mildew if I pack the main wet and put the sail cover on or rolling up a wet jib on the furler.
Ditto what Bob V. said...
I'm not a NW native, but it's become very apparent to me, that if you want to sail in the NW, you can't wait for the sun (because there isn't any wind on those days). Maybe that's why I saw several boats out just sitting this evening (watching the reflection of their sails drying?).
Now skiing in the rain? THAT'S SOMETHING I HATE!
Dave
I'm not a NW native, but it's become very apparent to me, that if you want to sail in the NW, you can't wait for the sun (because there isn't any wind on those days). Maybe that's why I saw several boats out just sitting this evening (watching the reflection of their sails drying?).
Now skiing in the rain? THAT'S SOMETHING I HATE!
Dave
It is not wise to be out in the middle of the water with an electrical storm near. Somthing about having a huge metal pole sticking up in the air seems like a bad idea.
Unless you're just a daysailor, sailing in the rain doesn't make much of a difference, since you're going to have to do it sooner or later. 
Lightning is a different story... bad stuff... good to avoid.
Lightning is a different story... bad stuff... good to avoid.
I am pretty much a weather geek, so I am pretty sure I know what the weather is going to do around a planned outing. A minor rain event is not a problem for sailing, but in the summer here, having the boat all closed up in the humidity and heat does not make for a nice daysail; I generally avoid that, especially if I am taking a newbie out. I will start a planned cruise in the rain. I generally wait out thunderstorms, but once I am out, they are a fact of life here in this part of the world, occuring on a daily basis .. Yes, it is unnerving at times to be carrying the largest lightning rod with you!
If the admiral is aboard.. we stay on the boat in the harbor but don't go anywhere.
If iit is just me aboard, Hell yeah :dance:, if the wind is up and as long as it isn't coming down in buckets or lightning. Our sailing season is too short to let a good wind go to waste.
If iit is just me aboard, Hell yeah :dance:, if the wind is up and as long as it isn't coming down in buckets or lightning. Our sailing season is too short to let a good wind go to waste.
I think that presents an opportunity to work on ones foul weather sailing skills. By all means, press on! LPT
Well, I was GONNA go out in the rain this weekend, but the reports now say sun Some of my best weekend cruises have started out (or finished) in p*ssing-down rain. There's also a beauty in the clouds lifting off the mountains, or in reading a book in front of the "fire", listening to the rain coming down, occasionally looking out the window at the Arbutus trees...
I've sailed in rain, snow, hail, thunderstorms (I don't GO, but sometimes you're out when they hit. Then it's overcanvassed, motor running WOT, 90 deg to the cell's path...). I've sailed in fog, but I like it even less than sailing in a gale.
So if forecast says fog or gale, I don't go. If I'm already out, I MIGHT go. Rain... depends. If it's a "nothing else to do, might as well go sailing", I'd stay put. If it's "time to get some Green Time or I'll go nuts!", I'd go.
druid
Some of my best weekend cruises have started out (or finished) in p*ssing-down rain. There's also a beauty in the clouds lifting off the mountains, or in reading a book in front of the "fire", listening to the rain coming down, occasionally looking out the window at the Arbutus trees...I've sailed in rain, snow, hail, thunderstorms (I don't GO, but sometimes you're out when they hit. Then it's overcanvassed, motor running WOT, 90 deg to the cell's path...). I've sailed in fog, but I like it even less than sailing in a gale.
So if forecast says fog or gale, I don't go. If I'm already out, I MIGHT go. Rain... depends. If it's a "nothing else to do, might as well go sailing", I'd stay put. If it's "time to get some Green Time or I'll go nuts!", I'd go.
druid
I don't mind sailing in a warm summer rain, but I really try to avoid or just don't go out if thunderstorms/lightning are likely. And as to "having a long pole on the water" in regard to lightning, the only time I've actually seen lightning hit the water was when sailing on a friend's IP 38 a few years ago. The lightning hit the water about 25 yards off the bow, not the mast on boat. Go figure. It was quite an event with the water turning into a red boil for a few moments, the hairs on our necks standing up, all the onboard instruments going nuts. We were just plain lucky that day.
Sure
For many years my buddy Dave and I would take Friday afternoons off, and were thinking of having T shirts made up with something to that effect. We did it for over four years, 12 months of those years, and while the weather here is nice from April to October, winter can be downright wet and cold. It was great experience and I second having the right clothing. Ya wouldn't go skiing in shorts, now would ya...
For many years my buddy Dave and I would take Friday afternoons off, and were thinking of having T shirts made up with something to that effect. We did it for over four years, 12 months of those years, and while the weather here is nice from April to October, winter can be downright wet and cold. It was great experience and I second having the right clothing. Ya wouldn't go skiing in shorts, now would ya...
- Status