New Years Day Sail

[robertd]

Happy New Year to one and all.
New Years celebrations were especially joyful to me as I not only spent New Years Eve with my new fiancee, I got out for a New Years Day sail.

Upon my arrival at Shearwater Yacht Club this morning I noticed that my tarp had finally reached the end of it's useful life and allowed a good amount of rainwater into the cockpit. And then of course the water froze so I spent the first 45 minutes or so chipping ice out of the cockpit with a small crowbar. As I keep the boat tilted with the bow up the ice in the back of the cockpit was at least 5-6 inches deep.

Undaunted, 'Kiss was rigged and sailed from the beach at 1300 hrs. I and fellow sailing nut ( Brian Pickton) sailed around Halifax Harbour for a few hours and truly enjoyed the brisk sea air filling the multi-coloured sails of my CL 16.

As dusk was approaching we made it smartly back into the yacht club and prepared to get the boat back on the trailer. During this procedure I took part in my own private polar bear dip as I had to walk into the frigid water up to my knees in order to properly align the boat onto the trailer. Overall this is a fairly simple procedure but I noticed that eventhough I was only in knee deep water for only a few minutes, I developed quite a headache and as soon as I slipped into dry clothes and warmed up a bit, my headache was gone. Brian, being the great guy that he is took pity on the frozen skipper and de-rigged the boat while I changed into warm clothes.

I had never experienced anything like that before but I guess it's all a part of the experience.

With any luck Brian and I will do it again next year.

[brianpickton]

OK that was one version.

I got up Jan.1 to be greeted by one of those low dirty skies that threaten heavy rain, or in this case snow. Rob and I had not talked about going for the sail since November when we had agreed to meet at 1:00 p.m. at Shearwater to go for a burst in his boat. We hadn't talked about it since, and I was wondering if he would be there when I showed up at his club or if his future bride would have talked some sense into him. By the time the appointed hour arrived for the rendezvous the temperature was up to a smoldering -3C and as I approached the club I spied Rob standing beside the boat bailing. It is still called bailing when you are tossing ice out of the bottom of the boat right?

Rob was standing there with the bucket in his hand and looking at me closely. I think he was a little concerned about my reaction to the ice in the boat. I reached over, picked up the pry bar and started chipping. Rob already had 3/4 of th cockpit clear, but he had started at the skinny end of the ice and the deep stuff was still in there. The pile of ice he had already made around the boat was impressive. In short order we had the boat hitched up to its 4 wheel drive mobile boat shed and slid it into the water and then pulled it up to the shore. Rob held the boat and I clambered in over the bow, which in my Pillsbury dough boy state sounds easier then it was. I prided myself on not falling in immediately.

I had planned on winning the war against hypothermia and was bundled up in 5 layers of clothes, which effected my mobility almost as much as the turkey I had been stuffing myself with since Christmas (groan). I was like one of those kids stuffed into a snow suit except in my case the idiot string was on my glasses and not my mittens. My one clothing short fall was my footwear - last years sneakers. You can't wear work boots on a sail boat - you might scuff the gelcoat, right? I was happy to have gotten over the bow with dry feet.

Then I stepped into the cockpit. I discovered a new standard for the lowest coefficient of friction known to man when my rubber shoe soles hit the still frozen cockpit floor! However this was quickly remedied by pouring salt water into the cockpit, which melted the remaining slick of freshwater ice nicely, and only slightly dampened my toes. By the time the ice water got through all my sock layers it had actually gotten warm!

We shoved off from the shore and through a gross error of judgment Rob had left me on the tiller. I was wearing earmuffs a hat and two hoods over my head which was really warm, but forget (a)looking up,(b) forward or (c) aft without fully turning your body, which of course you cannot due when encased in 5 layers of clothing that effectively limit movement like a straight jacket. I struggled and finally got myself sufficiently contorted to look up to the mast head to check the masthead fly for wind direction. That was when I discovered there wasn't one. Well I wouldn't have to look up again, would I? That was when I realized that I wouldn't be relying on feeling the wind on my neck either, so the tell tales on the jib would just have to do. Not feeling the wind was steangely disorienting, who knew that staying warm would lead to sensory deprivation?

I was just settling in comfortably when we cleared the lee of MacNab's Island, got hit by a small burst and started to round up. No problem just ease the main sheet and correct with the tiller right? We had worked the kinks out of the jib but the frozen bits wouldn't bend enough to run through the blocks, so easing the main sheet wasn't working, but no problem I would just correct a little more with the tiller except I couldn't get it to move, so I turned my head to look aft and everything turned black. No I hadn't gone blind, I was staring into the inside of my hood! So I told Rob he needed to ease the jib while I stood up and turned to the rear to see the tiller extension was jammed in a corner, which I couldn't feel through my gloves, so I got that free and was able to bear off just as the puff ended. That was the exciting part.

We carried on on a broad reach up the harbor in search of the elusive cup of coffee but later changed our quest into a pleasant harbor cruise. The stiff parts of the main sheet gradually softened up which was a great help.

Under the bridge we traded positions so I got to trim sails for a while, and now that I was in the front I was able to become a truly useful companion and all weather spray guard on the beat back up the harbor. Why, oh why did I not make that top layer of clothes rain gear? Oh yeah, I couldn't pull them up over the other 5 layers, that's why! (Thank God I didn't have to try to pee!)

I was wondering if Rob appreciated how cold the water was (we both wore life jackets), but after he went wading he observed that all wearing a life jacket would do in those conditions is prolong the agony for a few moments more. Thoughtful, that.

Anyway we had a great time on the sail back down the harbor swapping tales. I have observed over the years that when it comes to spending money most sailors, including myself, are tighter than bark on a tree. Rob confessed that he actually had a perfectly good, brand new tarp for the boat, but that it was "too good to use". I have done exactly the same thing at least a hundred times myself and was proud to observe that Rob is a true sailor, too.

After tacking about Rob headed up to avoid crossing the course of a large tug heading up the harbor that gave us a toot of the horn and a hearty wave as he passed us. Obviously one mad man recognizing a couple of others. We finally brought the boat up to shore under sail, raised the centerboard, dropped the sails and slid up onto the shore. Rob hopped out and I reached into the harbor water to lift the tiller up. I'm pleased to report that I still have that hand, and it mostly works.

After Rob took his walk in the water we took stock. OK, the waders I had recommended he get last summer are definitely on the list for next year. Ever get a headache from drinking an ice cold slurpy on a hot day? Now imagine getting that headache by getting your knees wet! Brother, that's cold. Also on the list for next year is that too good to use tarp, which might help keep the frozen bits out of the main sheet, to say nothing of the water out of the boat.

Unplanned, the club bar was closed. Philistines. So next year we will have to bring our own adult beverages. I'm thinking hot chocolate will do it for me. OK hot chocolate and a shot. And I am definitely taking off at least one layer and replacing it with rain gear. And that hood nonsense has got to go. And I'll need boots to help with the launch and recovery. Crap, I just talked myself into another New Year's Day sail. Same time next year Rob?

[glenn]

I stood on the shore and watched Scottie's crew rock his boat from side to side in order to break the ice on the way out of Wright's Cove... Does that count? Burt's boat wouldn't pump any cooling water, so he didn't go out and Scottie's boat looked kinda crowded, so I just stayed on shore :-(

[CoolBreeze]

fun times!!!

[brianpickton]

I thought I saw Scottie down Shearwater way. They looked like they were having a good time on the water. When do we start the New Year's Day fun regatta? One lap around MaNab's from any direction and then adjourn to the nearest open bar/restaurant by 3:oo p.m. The winners are anyone who shows up.

[robertd]

I'm in