Season change

Sailing season close to an end north of the equator and starting south of the equator. Let's hear what is going on way down there.

curlew's picture

The South Coast Region of the Dinghy Cruising Association in the UK arranges day sails throughout the winter. The weather is often good. Sometimes we change between Saturday and Sunday at the last minute. If it is very bad, we go for a walk instead. The estuaries are free from moored boats and there are sea birds and seals to watch. I usually wear a dry suit, but it is difficult to put on an extra layer if it gets colder. I have found that a sailing jacket, or even a shore-going anorak, worn over the top of the dry suit works very well. You need to be careful what you wear under the drysuit so it does not stop you using the heads. Sometimes I put the stove on and warm myself up with it. Several of our boats have got wind breaks which work very well when at anchor. They consist of a tarpaulin stretched across between the shrouds and passing in front of the mast. Tails stretch back along the gunnels, forming a sheltered cockpit. I have Gill helmsman's gloves, but they are best if you are one one tack for a long time. They are not very good for intricate rope handling and once wet are not so good, so I tend to take them off when tacking.
Of course, in Winter, we must not capsize under any circumstances, so everyone is very careful.
David

I forgot that the Gulf Stream can have a positive effect in the UK. I spent 3 years there while in the USAF, so I should have remembered. I do remember that at times it can get bl--dy cold and at other times quite balmy.

Enjoy your winter sailing my Southern UK friends. We here in Canada we put our Mirrors away for the winter.

Pete

curlew's picture

Hi Pete
Thank you for the post. Our fear is that the Gulf Stream is likely to weaken, which will give us a sort of semi polar climate like the Falklands.
Occasionally when we go sailing in winter it is icy on the roads and we sometimes see a snow flurry, but the temperature is usually a few degrees above freezing. Of course, we like to have a nice sunny day.
David

sail_and_oar's picture

When I used to sail on a lake here in the UK we would usually only miss a couple of race meetings each winter from the lake being frozen. I sail tidal waters these days which almost never freeze. To spend a whole winter ashore would be a real shame.

The Dinghy Cruising Association are an interesting bunch. They take expedition sailing in small open boats extremely seriously and many head off for a week at a time with everything they need on board. Some will cover 100 miles or more before they return. Their boats are unmistakable, a little care worn with a certain self assured dignity about them. The reef points will be set unusually high up the sail and there will be a heavy anchor and a boat tent somewhere on board.

If you spot a tiny sail a long way out across a big stretch of water it might well have something to do with the DCA. There will be no rescue boat and probably no outboard. The skipper will return when he's ready.

Cliff

DCA are a hardy bunch indeed.
Pete

beermatt's picture

I'll risk a wetsuit on a lake with a safety boat, but on the sea in the depth of winter (Jan-Mar, sea chart below) I use my drysuit. While it's obviously preferable to avoid a capsize in those situatoins I think it'd be survivable with a drysuit and nooprene hood. The hood is a good piece of kit for winter anyway (you're more likely to get them from diving shops than sailing shops), kind of like a balaclava made of neoprene. Because neoprene is associated with wetsuits, ppl often mindunderestimate it's thermal properties out of the water. Makes a massive difference, only problem is it's more difficult to feel the direction of the wind because it completely blocks out the wind from most of your face including ears. Of course if you do accidentally tip over a it's much better protection than a traditional wooley hat!

I found this chart's a really good reference point for the dangers of winter sailing. On a long sunny spring day it's easy to forget that the sea temperature in May is as cold as November!
http://www.cefas.defra.gov.uk/our-science/observing-and-modelling/monito...

curlew's picture

I think the most dangerous time is Spring, when the Sun is warm but the water still cold. This makes it impossible to find suitable clothing.
David

sail_and_oar's picture

It was suggested I should host Newtown Creek rally on the 10th April. This usually involves an 8 mile voyage with a 2 mile open water crossing to get there. I checked last years water temperatures, saw 6 degrees C and squealed a bit. It's been postponed until some time in May. The water temperature at that date last year had risen to 11 degrees.

Cliff

PuffinInTegel's picture

Quote : >>>> I found this chart's a really good reference point for the dangers of winter sailing. On a long sunny spring day it's easy to forget that the sea temperature in May is as cold as November! <<<<
Agreed. When I arrived in Borgwedel on the Schlei last year at the end of May ( when the JollenFlottille teaser was made - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxfgBbU0tDY ) and put my feet in the water, I decided to drive to Kiel and get a dry suit!
Admittedly, although I have been "back" in Europe for >45 years now, I still relate sailing to warm days and sunshine.
Cheers
Gernot H.

Spring days can be invigorating and it's great to get out after being cooped up indoors for the winter months but be aware that the sea around the southern half of the UK is at it's coldest in March and as the air temperature rises in the Springtime many coastal areas can be affected by limited visibility and fog.

I am into sailing and can't imagine my life without it. Thanks for sharing such useful information. I hope this spring everything will be fine!

62816inBerlin's picture

While we have been discussing cold-water topics in the past two years, we're still waiting for comments from down under and further south.
I see, in the Facebook group, that there is at least one Mirrorist in NZ (assumedly there should be a few more). Could it be that the size of a Mirror paired with normal water temperatures in NZ has led to the class not being as popular there as in Australia or South Africa?
Are there any Mirror sailors in Argentina and/or Chile ?
Looking forward to more news and views,
Gernot H.