Winter Sailing...

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woody001

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Well, this season I have decided to be "hardcore" and sail over winter.

Any Tips?

* Clothing?
* Extra Safety Measurements? > Should we harness on earlier because the water is cold?
* Tips on keep warm and GETTING CREW..all my crew seem to be poofs.

woody
 
I've got an icepick and a blowtorch you can borrow.
Suggest you wear golfing shoes to penetrate the ice on deck, deckies no use at all.
You might also consider a St Bernard (complete with Brandy barrel).
Also, get a decent trolley for the pontoon. It'll come in handy when you have flattened the batteries.

But better than that, take a camera. The crisp air and empty waters produce some really great uncluttered photo ops.
 
* Clothing? Good warm T shirt should be fine.

* Extra Safety Measurements? > Should we harness on earlier because the water is cold? Yes, it probably gets colder in the late afternoon. It also gets dark earlier, which is a consideration in these matters.


* Tips on keep warm and GETTING CREW..all my crew seem to be poofs. So you're still striving to become an Equal Opportunities skipper. Very commendable. However, are you experiencing a crew retention problem?
 
Get some Sealskinz (click on products) socks and gloves. They are fab. They work on so many levels. They're warm and dry. If they get wet they become like wetsuits and are still warm. They are great. It's the ends of the limbs you need to look after.
My avatar was on Boxing Day and I was wearing my Sealskinz.
 
*Clothing? Good warm T shirt should be fine. <span style="color:red"> Would that be a long sleeve T shirt or standard or sleeveless?, I find the standard sufficient myself. </span>

* Extra Safety Measurements? > Should we harness on earlier because the water is cold? Yes, it probably gets colder in the late afternoon. It also gets dark earlier, which is a consideration in these matters. <span style="color:red"> I have not noticed much difference in the Scottish waters - bl**dy cold day time or night time.</span>

* Tips on keep warm and GETTING CREW..all my crew seem to be poofs. So you're still striving to become an Equal Opportunities skipper. Very commendable. However, are you experiencing a crew retention problem?<span style="color:red"> Ditch your present crew and get some proper totty! You can also ditch the barrel overboard to save weight</span>
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"Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity"
sailroom <span style="color:red">The place to auction your previously loved boatie bits</span>
 
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Any Tips?

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Yes..... Buy Virtual Skipper and set ya laptop up in front of a nice warm fire, do included suitable drink to hand, if you so wish!

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Remember how short the days are. Your day sails will just be 5 or 6 hours - which is fine, because you'll be cold by then!

Monitor yourself and crew for cold all the time - it's easy to ignore getting a bit chilly and then it starts affecting your judgement and dexterity and you can be in trouble. A decent hat and gloves made all the difference for me.

Get used to sailing in a deserted harbour/river/Solent. It's wonderful! Last Christmas eve, we were out for 5 hours and saw just one other boat sailing, and one guy on his moored boat. That was on the east coast, but in the summer those numbers would have been in the hundreds.

Harnessing etc - don't on any account fall in. Perhaps, be extra cautious because no one will be around to help.

Enjoy it !
 
You might consider a waterproof sock to cover your rolled genoa. Rain getting in then freezing to ice is not good for the material. Your genoa won't fall to bits, but the microscouring of the material with the abrasive ice-particles will not improve the life of the sail /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Have a nice time, some of the best high-pressure weather in the winter.
 
Take the laptop and some DVDs, coz it gets dark early and there is a tendency to finish up as p~##*d as a rat if the crew retire to the pub early. Having an electric heater, which is run on marina power, saves on diesel as well and goes in some way towards getting value for the £2 hook up! I'm going to try some silica crystals this year to cut down on condensation at night, running the dehumidifier is a little noisy for crew sleeping in the saloon.
 
* Put more clothes on than you think you need. It is easier to
cool down by taking a layer off then it is to warm up.
* Have a thermos flask of coffee and one of Lidl's tinned
pasta soup. That will both feed you and warm you up!

Most important of all. Enjoy! I did my first winter last year and actually sailed far more than in the summer! There were some great weekends in January and the sunsets are spectacular! Just be careful of frostbite when you take the gloves off to take a photo!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Take the laptop and some DVDs, coz it gets dark early and there is a tendency to finish up as p~##*d as a rat if the crew retire to the pub early

[/ QUOTE ]

Good advice that. The reason I don't sail in the winter is not the cold, in fact sailing on a bright cold day in a deserted Solent is great, it's the long winter nights with nothing much to do. Great danger of "cabin fever"!
 
SWMBO and I got some wicking thermal underwear from Aldi for about £10 a set a couple of years ago and its transformed our winter sailing. With a decent longtail shirt, fleece, gloves, warm hat and breathable oilies, we are warm as toast
It makes a huge difference. Highly recomend you get a set and try them out
 
Don't forget that the pushpit mounted barbecue can double as a brazier for keeping your hands warm. Chestnuts optional.
 
Have chartered regularly over the winters for the last 5/6 years in the Solent. Very few bad weekends. Survived quite well with the 3 layer system and a good sleeping bag as boats were not normally heated.

As for crew - I know a few who would volunteer with pleasure
 
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