What do we do now?

[Dick Dixon]

Seadance......my boat is only 15-18 miles......

and I sail every chance I get....especially this time of the year. What do you mean it's too cold. Look at it this way.....during the winter months there are no afternoon thunderstorms to kill you with lightening. Put on a jacket and go sailing!Dicks/v CD EXPRESS

 

[cephius (Dave)]

Build model sailing ships

I have all kinds of hobbies that only occur after the sailing season is over.

 

[ITMaster]

This past weekend we went out

Thursday, (Thanksgiving Day) we did the turkey and all the trimmings including a nice pecan pie on board that afternoon after sailing all day long. (We had gone out Wednesday Nite) It was unusually warm thrusday, 80, but on saturday morning when we got up it was about 48 in the cabin. Outside it had dropped to 29 overnight. After firing up the heater, it was toasty as all get out while waiting for the first pot of coffee to percolate. Once out of our protected anchorage, the winds were 15 to 20 and thanks to the dodger, bimini, connector and side curtains for protection, we had all the water to ourselves. We go all winter long on this beautiful Chesapeake Bay. One of my favorite times of the year on the water is New Years. To be out on the water then and to sometimes have a light snow fall and ring out the old year and in the new one does wonders to the soul. There is such solitude and tranquility that I can't get enough of it. It beats the hell out of the rat race and watching all the Type A's racing each other to see who can get to their grave first. Life for me is too short to hunker down in front of the fire place with a set of knitting needles at this point in it, I just don't have the patience. I will however strap on a set of snow skis and run down a few slopes; it's the closest thing to riding a wave that I can find that time of the year.

 

[SEADANCE]

Hi guys and gals I have missed this board and have been simply avoiding it because its a sore reminder to me I'm not sailing!!!Weekends that are nice here hubby is doing Reserve weekend and that absolutley sucks. When he's not ..it winds up being beautiful (70) during the week and cold on the weekends (60). He thinks its too cold to take the kids out on the water so the boat is hunkered down till March!! I am going to try and talk him into weekend sailing no matter the temp. Since we bought this boat in June we have sailed every weekend. The kids can always stay below where its nice and warm right? right? Its no where near as cold as the Pennyslvania winters I remember growing up but some days its touched about 37-41 here or it has been the last few weeks. I need a few more people from this area to post how they still sail year round so that I can print it out and say.. see?? or I might try the well then I am taking her out by myself attempt or someone else give me a good angle to use to get that boat out of its slip and back under sail!Christmas on the water this weekend was ruled out because it would be too dark out and its a Reserve weekend <thump thump> so I am dragging all of them in the car to go and watch.Okay sorry if I am complaining just a little bit too much but I am seriously having a hard time not doing what I truly love doing above all else and thats behind the helm of that sweet sailboat.Hubby even commented that he wondered where the jolly whench went too that used to go down everyday and check on her,clean her and hang out on her went to ...I hate seeing her just sitting there.Phil aka Nice N Easy where the heck have you been?B/Seadance

 

[Ross]

Around here the kids play in the snow

for hours when the temperatures are in the low twenties. Just wear several layers and enjoy. We all have to shovel snow when it falls, can't wait for a 60 degree day. Folks go snow skiing when the temps are in the teens and the wind chill is sub zero on a down hill run.Tell your sweet husband that he might be deployed to northern Europe in January. Winter sailing would be good preparation for that. ;D

 

[MoonSailer]

I miss Mobile..Dog river!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We would sail all winter and then go eat seafood at Beaudines(sp) and then snuggle up with brandy on the boat. The sauteed oysters.shrimp and crab claws with all the butter and garlic made me feel warm inside no matter how cold the day had been. Seadance you are really missing some of the best sailing of the year. As Ross is indicating a lot is attitude. My brother -in - law always put his motorcycle away for the winter about october and left it until April. Me I rode all winter on nice days. Looking at snowmobile riders got me to thinking why not ride??? With warm clothing like they use on snowmobiles a motorcycle is comfortable on most days when there is not ice and snow. I even rode my dirt bike in the snow. Sometimes riding my goldwing there would be snow in the ditches or where the snowplows left it but if the rode was dry and the temperature in the 50's I went for a ride...and enjoyed the ride. You do have to be aware of teh dangers of cold water!!!! But I have never fallen overboard. My wife and I even take our sea kayaks out when there is ice on the water. We wear wet suits just in case but we never have turned over. Winter can be fun!!!!

 

[sailaway78]

Seadance, Been in Dallas

Hello all,I have been in Dallas since Sept. 21. Thats the day my brother passed away. Had lots of things to take care of, and a ton of honey do's around my mothers house. Missed most of the nearly perfect fall sailing weather, but there are still a few things that come before the boat and sailing. Very limited internet access there, so have missed this board too.

 

[Ross]

Moon, up here the marine police will force you off

the water if you are out in 50 degree or colder water without a wetsuit while kayaking. There are many shirtsleeve days during the winter and if you can take advantage it is wonderful.

 

[Tim R.]

People make that mistake all the time here

As a windsurfer and a kayaker, I can tell you that people that don't know any better put themselves in extreme danger when out on the water. The air temp has much less to do with survival than the water temp. You must prepare for going in the water no matter the air temp. In fact, if you wear a wetsuit and it gets wet, it will act like an air conditioner. It will not keep you warm for long. You need to carry dry layers of clothing and a wind blocking shell at the very least. And you better be able to change while out on the water. If the water is 55-60 degrees as it is most of the summer up here, than you better be wearing a wetsuit even if it is 90 degrees out.Another good one is the life jacket strapped to the fore deck. And last but not least is the legs hanging out of the cockpit.Tim R.

 

[MoonSailer]

Kayak differently in Cold weather

When it is cold we tend to follow along the shoreline and not cross any open water. That wa we can get to shore pretty quickly. But sea kayaks are so stable that in 5 years we have never truned over. Once in Mobile bay Iwas getting very worried in some 5-6' confused seas. It is akward to be on top of a wave with no water in which to paddle. But that was just briefly as I was going around the fort on Dauphin island. There were so many birds on the water and in the air that it was strange. The flying birds were crapping and their little bombs were hitting all around. Fortunately no hits onme or the boat. We routinely windsurfed in wetsuits and I rarely felt cold...more often the problem was overheating. I did get into trouble sailing my Laser off of Myrtle beach one spring without a wetsuit. The water wasn't so cold but the strong wind on wet colthes was very cold. They have had people die on the gulf coast from exposure while kayaking. Two in Mobile bay and one around Appalachicola. Cold water will kill you if you let it.

 

[Swandriver]

Night Sail

Hi Seadance - Long time no sea-- (sorry, couldn't resist) Like you, we miss the water - the challenge is the dark. Night solo after work is a normally good, but with the confines of the back-bay it is more of a motor out-motor in just to be on the boat.We haven't been out since the week-end before Thanksgiving, but will try to enjoy come of the forecast clear cold winter weather. Hope to see you out there. Are you guys able to make the Fairhope Fly Creek gathering? Say hi to the little ones.