Winter Sailing

nortada

Well-known member
Joined
24 May 2012
Messages
15,346
Location
🇨🇾
Visit site
Who's staying in commission over the winter?

After such a disjointed year for both my deliveries and leisure sailing, I've decided to keep the boat in commission and tear about a bit in the cold. Could be an opportunity for a Pirates @dolabriform?
So am I but Stone Point could be mighty cold in the winter. For that matter, it can be mighty cold in the summer‼️
 

AntarcticPilot

Well-known member
Joined
4 May 2007
Messages
10,000
Location
Cambridge, UK
www.cooperandyau.co.uk
I've kept Capricious in commission during the winter on a regular basis - you can get some glorious days. But the snag is the short daylight hours, which was less of a problem on the Clyde where most navigable water is too deep for moorings, but which would pose problems trying to thread through the moorings in the Walton Channel!
 

johnalison

Well-known member
Joined
14 Feb 2007
Messages
38,659
Location
Essex
Visit site
We kept our boat in winter commission for a few years but a combination of Raynaud's on my part and the little use we got out of it made it not worthwhile, especially as I felt bound to go down to run the engine (hard) at regular intervals. I haven't laid up yet but will when I can be bothered.
 

Habebty

Well-known member
Joined
16 May 2001
Messages
4,456
Location
Norfolk/Suffolk
www.crittergetteronline.com
I usually leave the boat in until January, but went for a sunny motor down the river and back today then took the sails off. Boat gets lifted Tuesday after 20 months in the water. Did have a couple of scrubs and anode check check though.
Yes, you can get some lovely sails in up to xmas, but never it seems, Jan to March.
 

LONG_KEELER

Well-known member
Joined
21 Jul 2009
Messages
3,721
Location
East Coast
Visit site
The problem with winter sailing as mentioned by Kukri is that it's all or nothing with regard to wind strength.

Still, just nice to get out for a while under any old means. Wildlife too is nice as there's no major work for them to do in the winter other than staying alive.
 

nortada

Well-known member
Joined
24 May 2012
Messages
15,346
Location
🇨🇾
Visit site
I've kept Capricious in commission during the winter on a regular basis - you can get some glorious days. But the snag is the short daylight hours, which was less of a problem on the Clyde where most navigable water is too deep for moorings, but which would pose problems trying to thread through the moorings in the Walton Channel!
Understand that the moorings in the Walton Channel are being changed to provide a clearer central channel but still, unless you know it well, not sure I would want to run it at night.

The clever bit will be from Island Point (NCB) to Stone Point. A narrow channel with not much water on either side. I would arrive about an hour before high water and then just pick up a buoy just up channel from Stone Point. From experience, a very well protected place.
 
Last edited:

AntarcticPilot

Well-known member
Joined
4 May 2007
Messages
10,000
Location
Cambridge, UK
www.cooperandyau.co.uk
Understand that the moorings in the Walton Channel are being changed to provide a clearer central channel but still, unless you know it well, not sure I would want to run it at night.

The clever bit will be from Island Point (NCB) to Stone Point. A narrow channel with not much water on either side. I would arrive about an hour before high water and then just pick up a buoy just up channel from Stone Point. From experience, a very well protected place.
True - although it's buoyed, the buoys aren't lit. I certainly wouldn't fancy doing that - maybe in moonlight if I had to, but not in full dark. And the channel changes too much to rely on the chart plotter (I once had to do that on the west coast of Scotland, but even knowing that rocks don't move, it was scary; a career in map related things makes me mindful of all the ways relying on a map can go wrong!) In an emergency I could follow a recorded track, but as I tend to keep close to the buoys (fin keel, 1.6m draft) that might end up hitting a buoy - GPS is good, but not that good!
 

LONG_KEELER

Well-known member
Joined
21 Jul 2009
Messages
3,721
Location
East Coast
Visit site
True - although it's buoyed, the buoys aren't lit. I certainly wouldn't fancy doing that - maybe in moonlight if I had to, but not in full dark. And the channel changes too much to rely on the chart plotter (I once had to do that on the west coast of Scotland, but even knowing that rocks don't move, it was scary; a career in map related things makes me mindful of all the ways relying on a map can go wrong!) In an emergency I could follow a recorded track, but as I tend to keep close to the buoys (fin keel, 1.6m draft) that might end up hitting a buoy - GPS is good, but not that good!
Wonder what these are like ?

Night Vision Device Binoculars 300 Yards Digital IR Telescope Zoom Optics Hunting Camera with 2.3' Screen Photos Video Recording
 

AntarcticPilot

Well-known member
Joined
4 May 2007
Messages
10,000
Location
Cambridge, UK
www.cooperandyau.co.uk
There have been debates about these before, but I think they'd be ineffective. They work on infrared so essentially they pick up differences in temperature. Good for seeing a live body in the water, but a buoy at the same temperature as the water round it wouldn't have much contrast. The other point is that for physical reasons, the resolution of infrared sensors is less than that of optical devices, so the picture is inevitably blurry.

People with military experience have spoken of light amplifying devices (photomultipliers and the like) but the cost of useful kit puts it out of reach for us!

Radar would work for the yachts moored in the Walton channel, but it's relatively low resolution and of course, there's a minimum range within which you get no returns. I've just had one fitted, but I'm not ready to trust it for that kind of navigation!
 

LONG_KEELER

Well-known member
Joined
21 Jul 2009
Messages
3,721
Location
East Coast
Visit site
There have been debates about these before, but I think they'd be ineffective. They work on infrared so essentially they pick up differences in temperature. Good for seeing a live body in the water, but a buoy at the same temperature as the water round it wouldn't have much contrast. The other point is that for physical reasons, the resolution of infrared sensors is less than that of optical devices, so the picture is inevitably blurry.

People with military experience have spoken of light amplifying devices (photomultipliers and the like) but the cost of useful kit puts it out of reach for us!

Radar would work for the yachts moored in the Walton channel, but it's relatively low resolution and of course, there's a minimum range within which you get no returns. I've just had one fitted, but I'm not ready to trust it for that kind of navigation!
Thought they might be too good to be true.
I share your concern for navigating the Walton Channel at night. I have done it a couple of times from seaward with no moon and found it challenging . Probably better to carry on into Hamford Water and anchor for the night and wait till morning hoping that others have a riding light.
 
Top