While sailing season is getting into high gear in Arizona and Florida, snow is starting to fall up north. So what do you guys do in the winter? Downhill skiing? Crosscountry skiing? Frostbiting? Iceboating? Ice fishing? Build a boat in your garage? Vacation in Mexico? Go on bareboat cruises in the BVI? Play chess? Does your fleet have any organized activities, like skiing trips?

Today's high is predicted at 32 degrees. Snow is in the forecast. My N6.0 is always the last one to leave the beach at the end of the season. She will be sailed once more this year, probably next week, enroute to winter storage in the barn.

I've always told people that the only reason Vermont's population has not exploded is because of winter. You have to enjoy winter if you're going to live here. What do I do? Well, I can usually paddle my kayak on Lake Champlain through the winter. (Most of the lake freezes, but the "broad lake" section, where I live, often stays open.) Mostly, though, I tele ski, hike and climb in the Adirondack mountains, sled a lot with my kids, or spend time reading a book in front of the wood stove. To get a break from the cold, I guide a few trips each winter (with my kayak touring business) to the Caribbean coast of Mexico and Belize, and spend a week in Stuart, Florida with my inlaws (envying those who can sail year-round).

(I just realized that I left out reference to "work". I do that, too. My other job is a Geographic Information Systems consultant, working out of a home office.)

Cheers,

Our local sailing club actually has a winter series:
http://www.carolinasailingclub.org/events/series.htm#j2

They are set up to retrieve people quickly with a patrol boat if there's a capsize. I haven't actually sailed with them, though - they have an Isotope group, but no other cat group, and my wife has also declared it's too cold for further sailing this year.

For physical activity, I like to hike with my wife through the winter and work out in the YMCA. I also play flute in an English Country Dance band every two weeks, and in church on Sundays.

I'm not part of any fleet. Wish there were a general purpose catamaran fleet on Lake Jordan....

Jonathan

Mountain/trail bike season has begun. IMO, It's a poor substitute for Cat sailling. For one thing I have so far been fortunate when sailing, at least, to avoid surgery and months of painfull rehab.

Jonathan, in North Carolina, you talk about winter??? I've been using a dry suit for the past month! If the weather cooperates, we'll go once or twice this winter, but I'm pretty much done till April. If I could get to NC, I'd sail all winter.

Getting the fleet together for chalkboard sessions, tuning seminars, etc is an idea we're talking about.

Went Ice Boating two years ago. 40 mph under sail on a DN (I'm not good enough yet to do 50's like the experts) which is basically two planks, 3 roller skates and a windsurfer sail, with a seat on it to fool the unwary into believing it's a safe, comfortable experience.... That was pretty cool. Too bad the good ice only comes to LI a few precious weekends in a typical winter, more in a good one. Most of the real addicts spend weekends up north.

BWaaa haaa haaa! I live too far north to sail all year, and too far south to iceboat all winter.

So we try to get in a ski trip or two - last years' were ruined by my shoulder-shatter, see (mountain biking ref. above!)

And this year, I'm very proud of my most satsfying accomplishment - I posted enough of my particular brand of drivel to this forum to earn my "Decent Sailor" label, something made possible by my afformentioned convalescence.

Before all you would-be Decent Sailors out there start flinging yourselves off your mountain bikes at high speed, I can report that it hasn't helped my performance on the water at all.

Mary, I want my money back.

fix the boat and drink. curse the snow and try to stay alive with all of the people on the road
driving their big old SUVs that think they can drive at 125km/h in a blizzard and still be able
to stop. dumb butts.

What you REALLY have to be worried about is those kooks who are drinking, driving, cursing and towing their broken boats thru a snow storm at 125mph.... If you live in Wisconsin you recognize these people as being from Illinois.

SAIL SAIL SAIL.....we sail ALL year round here....ohhhh by the by I live in the US Virgin Islands. It was a beautiful 85 degrees here today...went out for a sail this afternoon....heres a pic fron the regatta here on St Croix in FEBURARY....

Downhill skiing (really my 1st love)
I can't wait for winter...sorry

Jonathan,

CSC still hasn't posted when the winter series starts. If you find out before I do, let me know. Couple of us want to come out there and check it out.

Mary,

Actually here on the jersey Shore (beach) its time for indoor chores paint, honey do's and the such. I will be securing the remaining items for surfer girl, for her maiden journey in summer 2003. As a side note another group named her "mother of all hobies".

Yes, the boardwalk is empty and the winds blow, but it is a restful period, until the tourists and sunshine returns.

Mike

We sail year around here in Southern California despite 55'F water temp and air in the low 50s to low 60s. There really isn't much reason for most people to not sail year around now that the drysuit technology has advanced so much. We take care of Harvard University sailing team and they sail year around on the Charles in Boston, MA. IF you can sail in winter there,...you can sail anywhere. The Gill BREATHABLE suit has been their suit of choice this year.

Just FYI...we sail in drysuits here in California almost year around.

MM

Just this past week, I purchased a table saw, in the hopes of passing the time over the winter in the garage doing some woodworking. Should be a fun time.

Since taking up sailing, it has made the winters a little more of a drag, but luckily I can always read about it here. The boat not only satisfies my sailing fix, but it satisfies my "tinkering" fix as well during the summer, so I hope to have woodworking be the winter passion.

Of course, I can also spend time making the catsailor internet store the best sailing store on the face of the planet. Which reminds me, we'll be selling everthing needed to make your sailing season warmer. Drysuits, wetsuits, and everything you need to stay toasty! And how could I possibly have time to saili when working on that???!!

Fair winds,

Tim J.

Mark, there is a reason you can't sail cats year round in the midwest... the water gets kinda hard! Unless there is a warm winter and the water doesn't freeze, our choice is ice boating or other sports.

A little story to add to Mark’s Harvard story. I used to drive along the Charles River to work everyday. It's does freeze in the winter. One morning I noticed three flat bottom powerboats breaking up the ice with poles. My first thought was that someone fell threw ice and it was a search and rescue. On my way home I found out what was going on. They were the Harvard sailing team breaking the ice so they could sail. They cleared about a football size area with a small path to the dock. I think there were about ten boats sailing.

Winter? What's winter? Here in Socal, all I hear are complaints from out of towners that we don't have any seasons. Nonsense..I saw three trees with yellow leaves today!
It does get a bit cold, but we sail anyway...wetsuits, drysuits. I also teach sailing classes all year, but have to say, I'm happy that I don't have to demo the capsize drills in late January!

Sheldon
P-18

are we supposed to stop sailing in the winter? nobody told me. i try to sail the cat in the winter, but usually sail monohulls because the wife gets cold when the water drops to 70 degrees. i was in the water just yesterday (monohull race)unhooking our rudder from the committee boat after another boat sailed into us and pushed us into the committee. the water was about 79 degrees. damn cold if you ask me. i hate the bitter cold winters we get in florida (he he he he).

by the way, the other boat was at fault (see rule 18.2)

we get the same stuff regarding no seasons in florida. we do too have seasons: football, baseball, hockey, and basketball.

What do we do during the winter ?
Mostly preparing our cats for the next season.
Because of a huge storm last week we lost a A-Cat (tree big holes in the hull and a broken mast).
We Also lost one hull completely of a Dart 18 from one of our friends.
Last winter we restyled (gel-coat gear etc) and spray painted my N6.0 .
The winter before we did the same with the Nacra 5.7 of the friend who lost his A=cat last week.
Because of the cold water temp from November till March, we have enough time to prepare for the next season.
If we did not have any damage this year we would have bought a old used cat and made in a good shape to make some money to pay our contribution for the next season.
Further we like to go Skiing, and do some ice sailing when the ice is safe enough.

Have a nice winter,

Mary,
Thought you might enjoy a photo from Ohio that I took this morning (Nov. 22).
Jack Hoying
Fort Loramie, Ohio

i guess sailing is out of the question.