Winter Boating Sucks!

[Hydra]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

I love sailing in the winter.

Me too! I toured Brittany from St Malo to Lorient around New Year's day. I went cruising again for one week in February. The weather was dry and cold for the area (0°C / 32°F to 8°C / 46°F during the day).

Unfortunately, my crew wasn't properly equipped and I had to lend him clothes and a blanket for the night. With 6 layers of clothes on the torso and 3 on the legs, I was fine.

I had mercy on him, so I reduced the sailing time every day and selected marinas where we had electrical power for the heating (I don't have diesel heating). But the temperature was so close to freezing that no water was available on the pontoons. In fact, we had ice on the deck in the morning on the first days.

We had offshore winds and no swell, so the sailing was very pleasant.

Alain

[Cotemar]

Winter and Sailing should never ever be used in the same sentence.

[Hydra]

Winter and Sailing should never ever be used in the same sentence.

Please allow me to disagree. I love winter sport, whether backcountry skiing or sailing.

Alain

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Hydra

Me too! I toured Brittany from St Malo to Lorient around New Year's day. I went cruising again for one week in February. The weather was dry and cold for the area (0°C / 32°F to 8°C / 46°F during the day).

Unfortunately, my crew wasn't properly equipped and I had to lend him clothes and a blanket for the night. With 6 layers of clothes on the torso and 3 on the legs, I was fine.

I had mercy on him, so I reduced the sailing time every day and selected marinas where we had electrical power for the heating (I don't have diesel heating). But the temperature was so close to freezing that no water was available on the pontoons. In fact, we had ice on the deck in the morning on the first days.

We had offshore winds and no swell, so the sailing was very pleasant.

Alain

+1

Pay no attention to the haters! They simply don't understand (for those who didn't pick up on it, Dave's image is a fruitcake, as in -- nutty as a . . . . . Like you I also love winter sports -- skiing, snowmobiling, everything. Winter is a great time to be outdoors.

I can imagine how beautiful N Brittany is in the winter. I love those places -- St. Malo, Lezardrieux, Tregeuir, Isle Batz, Morlaix. . . . I was surprised to find out last summer that even the ferry town Roscoff is very, very lovely.

I've sailed all over the world, but can't really think of any place I would rather be sailing than Brittany and Normandy.

I would however recommend that you invest in diesel heating. That makes a huge difference for winter sailing!

[Hydra]

We were sailing from Lézardrieux to Roscoff on the 31st of December, beating to windward in a moderate sea and we were late passing the Triagoz because we had some problems with the mast, so we missed the tide change and lost a lot of time. We were at sea at midnight and we heard a Navy signal station saying on Ch16: "A tous à la mer, bonne année 2013" (All stations at sea, happy New Year 2013). We arrived in Roscoff new marina around 1am on the 1st of January.

In the morning, I went looking for fresh bread in Roscoff and found a bakery filled with people. We left in the evening and went north of Île de Batz, catching the ebb at the N entrance of Chenal du Four and arriving in Camaret in the afternoon of the next day.

I am considering a diesel heater but I don't know where I would mount it: my boat is only 30'.

Alain

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Hydra

We were sailing from Lézardrieux to Roscoff on the 31st of December, beating to windward in a moderate sea and we were late passing the Triagoz because we had some problems with the mast, so we missed the tide change and lost a lot of time. We were at sea at midnight and we heard a Navy signal station saying on Ch16: "A tous à la mer, bonne année 2013" (All stations at sea, happy New Year 2013). We arrived in Roscoff new marina around 1am on the 1st of January.

In the morning, I went looking for fresh bread in Roscoff and found a bakery filled with people. We left in the evening and went north of Île de Batz, catching the ebb at the N entrance of Chenal du Four and arriving in Camaret in the afternoon of the next day.

I am considering a diesel heater but I don't know where I would mount it: my boat is only 30'.

Alain

What a dream sail! You are hurting me! I can't imagine a better place to meet the new year . . .

You will find a place for a diesel heater. You don't need a big one on a 30' boat. In the worst case, you can always mount a drip-fed one on a bulkhead.

[GeoPowers]

Originally Posted by thinwater

My daughter had planed a great spring break sailing trip with friends, but we've had an very cool spring, generally 10-20 degrees below average. The day before we left it snowed and we had toe shovel the deck in the morning.

Even so, it worked out OK.

The kids did bring bathing suits; that part didn't work out.

Ha! We left for a spring break cruise on 3/23, had a great sail up to Baltimore, and spent 4 nights on the hook there. We had 4ish inches of heavy snow, but the ensuing rain made short work of it. Then we had a fast/brisk sail to Rock Hall for 2 nights, then up the Severn River and Maynadier Creek, then Spa Creek/Annapolis for Easter, and then home today. It was a good trip with lots of fun for the kids, but the crew wanted some warmer, beach-going weather for next year!

Frank

[zeehag]

winter boating,here , in feb, totally sukks--is called sailfest.
and there is the fishing--no one can catch anything...oh well...
and the dolphins on the sail from la cruz to zihuatenejo.....absolutely horrific....

[zeehag]

i forgot to mention the sunsets and sunrises are so drab here----winter is just not the time to be playing on the ocean....



dang this is a tough job--but , ye know, someone has to do it--happy april 1.

[Bash]

winter 2013 ended 20 March at 1102h GMT.

[GeoPowers]

Originally Posted by Bash

winter 2013 ended 20 March at 1102h GMT.

I refuse to be educated about winter by someone from Sausalito!

[Cotemar]

Originally Posted by zeehag

winter boating,here , in feb, totally sukks--is called sailfest.
and there is the fishing--no one can catch anything...oh well...
and the dolphins on the sail from la cruz to zihuatenejo.....absolutely horrific....

It called SkiFest here.
and there is the Ice fishing
and the dolphins are no where to be seen.
and its flippin cold

[Bash]

Originally Posted by GeoPowers

I refuse to be educated about winter by someone from Sausalito!

Laughing. I've been sea kayaking in Baja ever since the equinox. Returned Sausalito yesterday, which for me was the first day of spring under 90° F.

Brrrrr.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

+1

Pay no attention to the haters! They simply don't understand (for those who didn't pick up on it, Dave's image is a fruitcake, as in -- nutty as a . . . . . Like you I also love winter sports -- skiing, snowmobiling, everything. Winter is a great time to be outdoors.

I can imagine how beautiful N Brittany is in the winter. I love those places -- St. Malo, Lezardrieux, Tregeuir, Isle Batz, Morlaix. . . . I was surprised to find out last summer that even the ferry town Roscoff is very, very lovely.

I've sailed all over the world, but can't really think of any place I would rather be sailing than Brittany and Normandy.

I would however recommend that you invest in diesel heating. That makes a huge difference for winter sailing!

"Winter is a great time to be outdoors." . You obviously haven't enough time on our sceptred isle then !!! ,

+1 on Roscoff. A great place. Good little restaurants.

Dave

[bobconnie]

Well Atoll, we have room behind the house for another boat or two ! but it was only 80 deg F here today !! Might not be warm enough for ya ?? Your welcome !!