How Do You Deal with All the Windy Days Here in Florida

[Mark1977]

Windy days...hmmmm...GO SAILING....LOL...

[tybee22]

Oh , I totally agree. 30 yrs in the Keys still don't like the cold and in the summer 25 ft underwater is quite comfortable, as well as providing seafood for supper.

[Hudson Force]

What windy days? 'maybe twenty minutes with a front passing by, but all else has been a pleasant 15-20. These are perfect days!

[tybee22]

CaptForce, you must not have spent much time in the Key West mooring field during a cold front as we locals call them. This mooring field is totally exposed to the North, which means the fetch has nothing to knock it down. Not the ideal situation in winter, but it provides me with the shore attachments I need as I am still tied to the work-a-day work week for the next 2 yrs. For $300 a month I get a mooring , dedicated floating dinghy dock with locked access gate, dedicated shower and laundry facilities and holding tank pump-out on a regular basis without haveing to be aboard or move the boat and free parking. This is for the sole use of the regestered users of the KW mooring field. This is a pretty good deal for the KW area. Having lived aboard for 21 of the 30 year own here I have tried it all kinds of ways. I would say Boot Key Harbor in Marathon has better shoreside arraingments with storage units and workspaces that can be rented, but my work keeps me in KW. I'm not complaining just stateing how I personally handle the windy weather. Once I take my retirement I will no longer need the long term shoreside attachment and will find a more tenable spot to hunked down when the blows come through.

As for a few minutes of wind check out my post # 13 on this thread for the 5 day forcast for this area. 15-20 is a cakewalk, 25-30 can get a little tiresome when it blows for days at a time.

[Therapy]

I am working and missing some of this delightful wind.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by tybee22

CaptForce, you must not have spent much time in the Key West mooring field..................

You're absolutely right! I avoid all the "Snowbird Rookeries" packed with large numbers of boats or places with a big fetch! I'm just returning, northbound, from the Keys, but there's no way you'd find me in Key West or Marathon for more than a quick pass by. I did well to find pleasant places while I was working and living aboard and now, without commitments, I can choose better places.

[tybee22]

Originally Posted by CaptForce

You're absolutely right! I avoid all the "Snowbird Rookeries" packed with large numbers of boats or places with a big fetch! I'm just returning, northbound, from the Keys, but there's no way you'd find me in Key West or Marathon for more than a quick pass by. I did well to find pleasant places while I was working and living aboard and now, without commitments, I can choose better places.

Since my commitments keep me here for now I deal with it, snowbirds,tourists and all the assorted BS. 2 more yrs and I will be doing the same as you, staying in better places.

Cheers

[Cheechako]

I pretty much anchor in the lee of something, and use all chain and oversize anchors. If the wind changes direction resulting in a long fetch, I get out of there. Funny, the first year I went to Georgetown Bahamas, most of the fleet was anchored over in the lee of Stocking Island by the Chat n Chill. A newbie came in and anchored across the bay, exposed and all alone in front of the Peace and Plenty (?) Hotel. I guess they spent most of the night sorting out anchors dragging, tangled and breaking. It was a school shop teacher and his family who were not really sailors at all. Me and a buddy spent the next day snorkeling around finding all his gear buried in the white sand for him. Clevis' were all rusty, undersize chain etc. Everything on the boat was in poor shape/poorly maintained. He said the PO told him it was in great condition and "ready to go"... arghhh. Their cruise ended in Georgetown.... but I think they had fun along the way... You always have to ask yourself "why is everyone over there? in stead of in this great open spot over here?" :>)

[unbusted67]

Originally Posted by Nemo55

I got this idea from reading some older posts,,sounds pretty straight forward and logical to me.
Hang a five gallon bucket from each side of the Pontoons,,or in the case of a mono,,port and starboard,,they will act as stabilizers and slow the rocking motion.

Yup and slam against the hull all night long!

[gettinthere]

Tybee
has this winter been any different for wind in the keys? Heading east in hawk channel against strong east wind is not fun. And no place east of Marathon to anchor protected from east wind.

[unbusted67]

Originally Posted by tybee22

CaptForce, you must not have spent much time in the Key West mooring field during a cold front as we locals call them. This mooring field is totally exposed to the North, which means the fetch has nothing to knock it down. Not the ideal situation in winter, but it provides me with the shore attachments I need as I am still tied to the work-a-day work week for the next 2 yrs. For $300 a month I get a mooring , dedicated floating dinghy dock with locked access gate, dedicated shower and laundry facilities and holding tank pump-out on a regular basis without haveing to be aboard or move the boat and free parking. This is for the sole use of the regestered users of the KW mooring field. This is a pretty good deal for the KW area. Having lived aboard for 21 of the 30 year own here I have tried it all kinds of ways. I would say Boot Key Harbor in Marathon has better shoreside arraingments with storage units and workspaces that can be rented, but my work keeps me in KW. I'm not complaining just stateing how I personally handle the windy weather. Once I take my retirement I will no longer need the long term shoreside attachment and will find a more tenable spot to hunked down when the blows come through.

As for a few minutes of wind check out my post # 13 on this thread for the 5 day forcast for this area. 15-20 is a cakewalk, 25-30 can get a little tiresome when it blows for days at a time.

More importantly what do you do during hurricane season?

[tybee22]

Actually this winter as been fairly mild for us with very few strong fronts making it this far down, some years it blows for a month or so. We usually get the tail slap as the big systems move across the mainland and out to sea. This one is the result of the most recent one and as the Atlantic high moves in it is reinforcing the winds.
If your draft is 5 ft or less the option is to go under one of the bridges and get on the Gulf side of the Keys and you cut down on the wave action and have more options for tucking up behind something. Sometimes it my only be a flats , but even though you are exposed to the wind it is nice and calm as the wave action is broken by the flats. From Islemarada it is mostly a motor because of the channel , there are a few areas large enough to sail then you hit Biscayne Bay. You pick which side of the islands you want to travel on based on the wind direction to stay in the calmer waters.

You are right about Hawks Channel in an east wind, here we call them square waves.

[tybee22]

Originally Posted by unbusted67

More importantly what do you do during hurricane season?

I either go to a canal system at a friends house and tie the boat spider-webbed in the center or go into a natural canal surrounded by mangroves and spider-web myself in there. If it is forcast to be a Cat 4 or above I leave the boat and go to a safe house I have available to me. Less than Cat 4 I tie the boat down , strap in with a good book and wait it out.

There is a lot of work involved in doing it this way as I make sure the boat is well stocked with supplies and I strip everything that can be stripped off the decks and topsides and store below.

Not saying this is the right way to do this, it is how I personally do it and so far it has worked for me. The whole key is to have your plan set up before the canes come.

[wolfenzee]

Windy here this time of year is 45kt w/60kt (had three storms in one week like that last month) a couple of days ago it was 45F w/15F windchill...this is my last PNW winter. 15-20kt is a pleasant breeze.

[S/V Blondie-Dog]

Originally Posted by tybee22

This mooring field is totally exposed to the North, which means the fetch has nothing to knock it down. Not the ideal situation in winter...

I too can personally attest to the fact that the KW mooring field is completely exposed to northerly winds... not any fun in the least but Key West still beats Marathon any day of the week.

Btw... ditch the volleyball netting if ya ain't got any pets aboard... it can be hazardous during a blow.

Cruising aboard S/V Blondie-Dog: Wiping Out Along the Bow in the Middle of the Night...