Chiara’s slave
Well-known member
We put our feet up for an hour back on the mooring. Just because, rather than needed before driving the 3 miles home. But it’s a good plan rather than nodding off like that.
Winter sailing
- Thread starter Rhylsailer99
- Start date
Rhylsailer99
Active member
For sure but i don't know anyone willing to sail overnight when its freezing cold and pitch black for hours.
I really could have done with extra hands when my dinghy wheel was caught on a mooring buoy leaving my boat moored backwards held by the glue of the dinghy eyes. It was a split second decision to hit reverse fast, I had to do that twice before I could pull the dinghy in and remove the rope.
All that was going on around midnight.
Leaning over the side at that moment I dropped a good head torch that was attached to my head
.Ive also learnt now looking back on the trip that I had my genoa and main sail blocks in the wrong position causing excessive weather helm or probably not helping to resolve the issue.
nevis768
Active member
I was sailing last week just south of Oban in the freezing temperatures, and the odd snow shower, I shut the wheel house door and put the heater on. Motor sailers rock :}
dancrane
Well-known member
Don't kid yourself you can force wakefulness in the car if you're very tired. I've done much the same, long ago - suddenly realised there were light branches hitting the windscreen. The shock kept me wide awake a while, but really, as soon as you realise you're remotely tired, it's time to pull in and close the eyes properly. A dozing driver is far more dangerous than a wakeful one who's had six or seven drinks that evening, and you wouldn't do that. We push our luck when sleepy because it's not technically an offence, but it's much more dangerous.
The best possible answer. You achieve the nearly impossible - good value from a boat - because it's a genuine pleasure to use, all year round.
.
Stemar
Well-known member
Me too. Driving back from a night rally. Destroyed my beloved Cooper S. Any time I feel sleepy now, I pull over for a nap.
dunedin
Well-known member
A motor sailor with a wheel house is not necessarily essential - or indeed desirable - for many of us who regularly go winter sailing. In the same way that we go winter walking or climbing, rather than just sit in our cars.
A boat which is a joy to sail in the light winds often found on sunny winter days is more important to me. And it is easy to stay warm and dry in a modern boat with a really good sprayhood (ideally with Nordic windscreen) and autopilot (to allow to go and make more hot coffee).
Of the boats I see sailing in Scotland in December / January, the vast majority are modern conventional stern cockpit sailing yachts (most of the older boats seem to be tucked up for the winter), plus one regularly used Fisher which, true to its name, goes out fishing, rarely hoisting a sail - but it is the exception.
A boat which is a joy to sail in the light winds often found on sunny winter days is more important to me. And it is easy to stay warm and dry in a modern boat with a really good sprayhood (ideally with Nordic windscreen) and autopilot (to allow to go and make more hot coffee).
Of the boats I see sailing in Scotland in December / January, the vast majority are modern conventional stern cockpit sailing yachts (most of the older boats seem to be tucked up for the winter), plus one regularly used Fisher which, true to its name, goes out fishing, rarely hoisting a sail - but it is the exception.
dancrane
Well-known member
There's no denying there are very beautiful sea days in winter. Today is lovely in the Solent, or it appears to be, seen from behind glass. I'm still delighted not to be out there.
I guess no-one driven exclusively by their enjoyment of sailing buys a motorsailer...
...but anybody driven equally by their enjoyment of being afloat and by their dislike of inevitable discomfort, buys a motorsailer or eventually wishes he had.
If you have a garden and deck chairs, it's a pleasure out there in summer (at least, in parts of the summer). But no-one sits in the garden in winter for more than five minutes if they could be sitting indoors. That's what motorsailers offer, the option to get out of the weather, all year round. Everyone who owns one, knows it. Everyone else denies they want it.
I've never denied I'd like it but I'm still considering an open-cockpit yacht instead, so the ineradicable self-delusion about reasons for going to sea are just as present in me as in anyone else. One day soon I'll be sitting in the cockpit on a cold or wet day which began fine, wondering how I bought the wrong boat, again.
I guess no-one driven exclusively by their enjoyment of sailing buys a motorsailer...
...but anybody driven equally by their enjoyment of being afloat and by their dislike of inevitable discomfort, buys a motorsailer or eventually wishes he had.
If you have a garden and deck chairs, it's a pleasure out there in summer (at least, in parts of the summer). But no-one sits in the garden in winter for more than five minutes if they could be sitting indoors. That's what motorsailers offer, the option to get out of the weather, all year round. Everyone who owns one, knows it. Everyone else denies they want it.
I've never denied I'd like it but I'm still considering an open-cockpit yacht instead, so the ineradicable self-delusion about reasons for going to sea are just as present in me as in anyone else. One day soon I'll be sitting in the cockpit on a cold or wet day which began fine, wondering how I bought the wrong boat, again.
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The Q
Well-known member
Except for a few years spread about in the middle, I've been sailing / racing around day a week all year round for over 40 years.
My current winter clothing is a Fladen buoyancy, jacket and trousers, the buoyancy is spread throughout the clothing and is very warm.
Gloves "Sealskinz" extreme all weather gloves if it's icy, if not normal dinghy gloves.
Boots, lace up all leather upper riggers boots, +2 pairs of socks if it's icy.
My current winter clothing is a Fladen buoyancy, jacket and trousers, the buoyancy is spread throughout the clothing and is very warm.
Gloves "Sealskinz" extreme all weather gloves if it's icy, if not normal dinghy gloves.
Boots, lace up all leather upper riggers boots, +2 pairs of socks if it's icy.
Rhylsailer99
Active member
Always hold the steering wheel in your left hand then when you doze off the rumble strips wake you up. Its much better than the central reservation.
Don't kid yourself you can force wakefulness in the car if you're very tired. I've done much the same, long ago - suddenly realised there were light branches hitting the windscreen. The shock kept me wide awake a while, but really, as soon as you realise you're remotely tired, it's time to pull in and close the eyes properly. A dozing driver is far more dangerous than a wakeful one who's had six or seven drinks that evening, and you wouldn't do that. We push our luck when sleepy because it's not technically an offence, but it's much more dangerous.
The best possible answer. You achieve the nearly impossible - good value from a boat - because it's a genuine pleasure to use, all year round.
.
Chiara’s slave
Well-known member
My car doesn’t allow snoozing. It has various levels of trickery up to and including pulling you over and stopping.
nevis768
Active member
I go winter walking, skiing and climbing, but the thing about that is you are generally warm due to it being exercise. However, on warm sunny days I go climbing, (my main hobby). I generally sail in weather unsuitable for rock climbing, or during the winter, so a wheelhouse is good for me. My boat seems to sail well enough in all winds, Mascot 28, but all is a compromise. I've not seen anybody else out sailing for weeks now, the winter sailers, without wheelhouses, have eluded me so far. Ill be coming south to the Clyde next summer so maybe will see a few more.
Snowgoose-1
Well-known member
The problem I found with winter sailing is the lack of power in the sun to create wind unlike the summer heating and cooling effect.
If it's cold and sunny little or no wind. Otherwise , overcast too windy and often too wet .
Some hardcore winter dinghy sailors out there though.
dunedin
Well-known member
Hence why you need a fast boat that can sail well in 4-7 knots of breeze on the sunny high pressure days
Chiara’s slave
Well-known member
Our philosophy in a nutshell. There’s 6kn of wind in that shot back there, we are doing 5 through the water on a beam reach. We’d do better, but she’s a bit dirty at the moment.
nevis768
Active member
There's not many days like that on the Scottish west coast unfortunately...and less the further north you are, a boat for all seasons is what you need :}
dunedin
Well-known member
Not sure where you are based, but having winter sailed in the Clyde for the past 15+ years or so there are many nice sunny high pressure days most years. Clearly also long periods of wet and windy with low pressures coming through. Helps if not tied to work so can grab the good weather windows when they come.
Can’t imagine it is much different in the Ardfern / Oban area. However Stornoway / Kinlochbervie I guess will be rather breezier!
RunAgroundHard
Well-known member
The debate about whether a modern, fast yacht in light winds, a more traditional hull shape or a wheel house yacht for winter sailing is best, is rather moot. If you are out sailing in the winter for pleasure and are enjoying the experience, that is the only point that matters.
michael_w
Well-known member
You want a lovely light day for winter sailing, otherwise the wind chill is just too much.
Snowgoose-1
Well-known member
There are also further restrictions when over 75 years . That's humanoid age not boat age.
Chiara’s slave
Well-known member
Can you not just stick her (the boat) on autopilot whilst you pop to the heads? Don’t forget to hoist 2 black balls of courseThere are also further restrictions when over 75 years . That's humanoid age not boat age.
