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Ivanvet · 02-12-2018, 12:30

It’s been raining all day here in Boston. Thankfully we got shrink wrapped yesterday, which means that although it’s 45F outside, I can have my electric heater off inside thanks to the greenhouse effect. I almost have the hydronic diesel heater installed and organized the toolbox-lazarette, so I decided to have one of those lazy days that combine so well with this kind of weather.

What does everybody do when you want/have to take a break from projects, work and family?

In my case I made a mental list of winter projects (refinish the cockpit table, making new wooden companionway doors, a teak grid for the cockpit, reroute new running rigging) and I took on celestial navigation. I found this link that really boils down to something accessible for everybody. Who knows, I may even ask my female Santa a sextant for Christmas (just as a ‘cool-skill’ to know rather than my go-to navigation skill).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ARXW8InStY

LoudMusic · 02-12-2018, 13:17

Well if it was warmer than 45F out and the boat wasn't wrapped up I'd probably scrub the deck!

D Rock · 02-12-2018, 13:45

Sit around and write music!

https://soundcloud.com/davidnomadrock/first-light

Keep your eye on the prize!

D

boden36 · 02-12-2018, 14:20

Curl up on the fwd bunk and read a good book! I can think of no nicer place to be on a rainy day.

Regards,
Richard

boom23 · 02-12-2018, 14:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by boden36

I can think of no nicer place to be on a rainy day.

[emoji121] [emoji121]

No matter what I do...

thomm225 · 02-12-2018, 15:02

Sometimes you sail and then motor in after the wind stops and the rain starts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ku8iWRjqWQs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_qj1Y5x8yU

**a64pilot** · 02-12-2018, 17:29

Watch TV and do interior jobs.
I need to wire a homerun circuit for the Engel, or install another bus in the entertainment cabinet so that I can separate it for example, now I’m powering it off of the entertainment bus and turning all that stuff on and off with individual switches, but realized just the other day that leaves the hard drive powered 24/7 and I don’t think I want to do that?

Ivanvet · 03-12-2018, 10:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by D Rock

Sit around and write music!

https://soundcloud.com/davidnomadrock/first-light

D

That's the perfect music for a day like that. Good job!

Quote:

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Watch TV and do interior jobs.
I need to wire a homerun circuit for the Engel, or install another bus in the entertainment cabinet so that I can separate it for example, now I’m powering it off of the entertainment bus and turning all that stuff on and off with individual switches, but realized just the other day that leaves the hard drive powered 24/7 and I don’t think I want to do that?

That sounds like a good project. One thing I'm learning with projects is that you start with one, all the sudden something else comes up or another idea makes the project 'to expand', and somehow that vicious circle eats all my weekends. Still fun though.

redhead · 03-12-2018, 10:21

Here in the Pacific Northwest we know rain (7" in Nov). We have a thing called "Rain Denial". We dress up and do exactly whatever we want (except in a gale). I've seen soccer games in a downpour!

I won't spend hours on deck in the rain, but I will put on my Grundens and my Xtratuf boots and do some chores on deck. In a gale, I bake bread and do way too much on the computer.

Stu Jackson · 03-12-2018, 10:42

I used to live in Northern California for 40 years, so my answer to the OP would have been: "What's a rainy day?"

Now that I live in BC, this being my third winter here, I ask, "What are these things called seasons and how do you work with them?" Yes, layering and shells work great, but it's cold, cold, cold...

Lot to be said about "Mediterranean Climates" without having to be in Europe.

model 10 · 03-12-2018, 11:38

It often stops raining hard after a while down in the jungle. Some days aren't good for painting, otherwise business as usual. I carry a piece of plastic with a hole in it as emergency rain gear in the dinghy and around town. It comes in many colors, you can be stylish.

wrwakefield · 03-12-2018, 12:10

We are fortunate enough that we don't have to put the boat up for the winter [and we are full time livaboard cruisers...] Therefore, we can't let rain stop us from using the boat... [With the possible exception of varnishing exterior wood- which we apparently refuse to do anyway, so no excuses needed...]

As Redhead said, its a classic case of Rain denial.

For example, in the local communities of this temperate rain forest we often see school kids walking around in the cold, driving rain without any rain coats, hats, or umbrellas. [I don't know if I've ever seen an umbrella for sale up here except maybe in the gift shops owned by the cruise ship companies...]

Sometimes we'll see a teen wearing a cotton hoodie in the rain. [Perhaps to improve their cool factor? They look like drowned rats... And don't they know cotton kills in cool climates?...]

Rain is just an accepted part of their lives...

Admittedly, however, a rainy day at anchor can prompt us to work on interior boat projects, or read, cook, nap, etc. as desired... But that is only for 300 or so days a year, give-or-take, so not full time...

When we chose to be out in the weather [rain/snow; kayaking/hiking/boating] we find drysuits beat [really good] rain gear by a wide margin. We prefer our Kokotat drysuits when sea kayaking [they seem to be the only ones that know how to tailor the shoulders/arms for full range of motion...] We prefer our Ocean Rodeo [Boss model] drysuits for everything else.

You don't get cold in a drysuit [no drafts] and you are already wearing your survival and emergency flotation suits.

We are also fortunate enough to have a 2nd steering station in the pilothouse... No drysuit required...

When we choose the climate controlled pilothouse over a drysuit, it still isn't clear to us whether we are acquiescing to age, wisdom, experience, weakness of character, or a combination... [But the why doesn't really matter to us anyway...]

Best wishes finding your rainy day balance...

Cheers! Bill

anacapaisland42 · 03-12-2018, 12:20

Say "Thank God it's not snow".............1" of rain = 12" of snow !

Bill

SV_Harbinger · 03-12-2018, 13:17

Well when it's raining and I don't have anywhere I need/want to be, I will generally start the day, by starting a nice soup, with every intention of getting all the little nagging house keeping tasks I don't want to do when it's sunny and successfully complete maybe 2-3 of them before i end up comfortably lounging on the settee with with a book or sometimes the tv having said soup, and probably a beer, if it's warm I may be doing the same thing in the cockpit under the bimini.
If it's snowing, then my day looks something like it does on a rainy day, you just generally won't find me in the cockpit if I can avoid it, and a blanket if probably involved.