What are you Doing this Winter?

[sweetsailing]

So, for those of you living in the northern climates who are putting your boats away for the winter, what do you do with your time in the winter that is boating/sailing related? I find that if I am not sailing, I am thinking about sailing or doing something sailing related, so how about you? What are you doing this winter that is sailing related?

Here's what we are up to this winter:
· Update boat project list and shop for parts and pieces to complete project next season
· Work on updating blog
· Check into taking a class on communications/ham radio. We have an SSB radio aboard this new boat and we don't have a clue what to even do with it. I think I also have to check into some FCC license for the VHF since it's DSC capable? This is all new to us.
· Hubby is taking a Mack Boring diesel engine class this winter
· Will perhaps need to attend the Chicago Strictly Sail show to see what I need to spend my money on
· Save money for the cruising kitty...a constant and seems to be in direct conflict with the bullet point above
· Refinish the teak pieces off the boat that we were able to bring home for the winter - hatch screens, cockpit table, etc
We still have about 5 years before we head south due to kids, however we try to keep up with educating ourselves about anything that will be useful to us when we do leave. Try to keep learning all the time. Since we just this year bought our cruising boat, it seems like our learning curve has gone up considerably, however that is exactly why we purchased the boat in this time frame, so we have a few years to get to know her and make any modifications and address maintainance items before we leave. Of course, maintainance isn't going to end, however we will know more about that boat after a year or two.

How about you? What are you doing this winter to keep sailing in your thoughts?

[micah719]

Re-setting up workshop.

Building models (2 boats), making lots of blocks, and a 12ft yuloh.

Experimenting with promising new bamboo mast in mockup before building full-size. Looking forward to destructive testing to prove concept....muahahhaha!

Sewing. Lots of sewing...30 sq m dipping lug.

And if there's any shoptime left, working on the other little projects. Portable woodturning lathe/bench, a toy trebuchet working on the principle of a cycloid curve counterweight rolling down an incline plane, a universal cycloid curve generator for the previous gadget, and an adjustable bino tripod with built-in spirit levels for the archery range (just bought some snazzy rangebinding binos, so got to have another toy to fit).

[mbianka]

I'll be working on or finishing up all those projects on board I thought I'd be finishing up over the summer but, never got to. I also have some new items that recently popped up. Like trying to start the Honda BF-2 outboard that spent a week on the bottom of the harbor after Hurricane Sandy flipped the dingy.
Just the other day as I was winterizing I found the washdown pump was not working though it was fine just a few weeks ago on the fall cruise.
My girlfriend will also be dragging me out on a Catamaran charter or two over the winter and spring so I still get a chance to feel some soft warm water. Looks like the first one will be in the St. Thomas/Culebra area. Something to look forward to as the water starts to get hard around here. These breaks are also one of the reasons I don't feel the need to head south with the boat. Though the boatyard winter storage bills are starting to make it very tempting to start thinking about it.

[sailorboy1]

My project list for the winter are:

- Replace the shaft seal that is currently secured with rescue tape. During this will need hub and since I have everything apart I thinks I'll take apart my Flex-o-fold prop and Prop Speed the whole system.
- Combine the head raw water intake with the head sink drain so all I have to do to fresh water flush the head before leaving the boat for a week is to shut the valve and put water in the sink and pump it though
-New hose for the aft hold tank
- new pump for the aft head
- Build a frame and install about 300W of solar

and then there is the always, new anti-foul paint and hull waxing for spring launch

if I get too bored I'm just going to sit in my living room and tear up $100 bills!

[marshmat]

Building the new boat. Or at least a lot of the key subassemblies of it.

And at some point, replacing the cranking battery in the existing boat. (Ever try to start a 30 horse OB by wrapping a rope around the flywheel? It doesn't work too well.)