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READY2GO · 01-01-2010, 19:38

Well it's January 1rst. It had been a month since I had sailed, and I couldn't stand it anymore. At the beginning of the month our marina had a Christmas party and a boat decoration contest. I had real resurvations about putting lights all over the boat, because I knew I would be stuck in the marina till after christmas. But I went ahead and did it (didn't win either). So I came to the boat yesterday to make a long weekend of it. Took down the lights this morning, and went for a sail for a couple of hours. Got out of the marina and onto the lake (Kentucky Lake), Raised the main, then tried to unfurl the genny. The roller furler was froze (it got down to 18 degrees F last night. Had to drop the main and go up and tap on the furler to get it to move, then raise the main again. Then on my first tack I found out the cam cleat for the sheet was also frozen and wouldn't hold line. Fortunately I have winchers on the winches, so I was able to secure the sheet. When I got back to the marina I worked in the cockpit on the outboard for a couple of hours. I had a wiskey and coke in a cup holder, picked it up to take a drink. When I tilted it all stayed in the bottom of the glass, There was a thin layer of ice at the top. Had to tap the glass to break it up to get a drink. When wiskey and coke freezes, IT IS TOO COLD. I can't wait to finally get out of here and head south.

On a side note, I was the only one on the lake. Go figure.

Bash · 01-01-2010, 20:22

whiskey and coke? do people really do that to themselves?

**skipmac** · 01-01-2010, 20:41

Readytogo I sympathize. It was so cold in Florida today I had to put on long pants and even wear shoes.

unbusted67 · 01-01-2010, 20:41

Wow that is awesome. Good for you for going out. I was on Martha's Vineyard last year in February and there was some guy out sailing to the Cape in a beautiful key lime colored cat boat.

I was so blown away by the fact that that was even legal.

Trebek1 · 01-01-2010, 20:58

Went down to Galveston today. Cold wearing a t-shirt, but still kicked off the shoes and socks and walked in the cold surf a bit.

cdennyb · 01-01-2010, 21:01

oh thank God it was the drink...

I thought you were going to say the boat wouldn't move and you looked around the surface of the water was frozen tight and the boat wouldn't budge...

scook1 · 01-01-2010, 21:12

I can totally sympathize. In the past 2 weeks I traveled from Illinois to Michigan, and finally to Pennsylvania. I moved from snow to freezing rain, then to ice. I completely respect your courage and commitment by going out in these temperatures. You are a braver man than I,
Spencer

senormechanico · 02-01-2010, 08:26

Several years ago, we were out for a weekend in freezing temps with snow.
The day before it had been raining, but now it had turned to snow.
The first time I tacked, I called out for an ice pick. The winch socket was full of ice.

I also made a discovery on that trip. When you wear polarized sunglasses, falling snow is blocked out. You can only see it falling if you tilt your head. Pretty cool.

A few days later when I mentioned it to my wife's boss (a beautiful but dumb blonde type) she said,

"Do you mean to tell me that it snows over WATER?"

Mule · 02-01-2010, 09:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by senormechanico

"Do you mean to tell me that it snows over WATER?"

"Naa, it does not snow down over water, it snows up, then when the cloud moves over land it snows down, you know, "Lake Effect"....What goes down must come up. right."

Is she kindda trophish? Maybe a just a little bit?

READY2GO · 02-01-2010, 09:42

Bash, Oh yes, and how sweet it is.

Skipmac, I'll be there soon enough.

Scook1, I'll be in your neck of the woods this month for the boat show.

Woke up this morning and it was 15, think I will wait to about one o'clock to go out today. Should be about 25 by then.