DaySailer.org Forum

As I look out the window the lake is still frozen. In fact the ice isn't even starting it's shifting floes yet and its April. Still the sun is shining so that puts me into the mindset that I should start getting my DS ready. I am already ready, work has been a bear, winter has been a bear and I'm sure I'm not alone. I'm sure everyone in the north east at least is tired of looking through catalogs and online reading all there is and some books too. We are ready, ready to sail.

Fred DS#1351

You could send some of that ice to sunny California, where we could it let it melt and fill the mudflats our reservoirs have turned into.

At least it's good boat working-on weather. I installed a new mast stub and hinge today, and tomorrow will install pad-eyes at the aft corners of the deck to serve as attachment points for UPS sheet blocks.

Alan,

I feel for all the California and west coast sailors right now. I saw that the Fresno YC had to cancel the high sierra regatta and the pic's they had of Huntington Lake were scary and dispiriting. Docks where you couldn't even see the waters edge.

Although we postponed putting the docks in at the Webster Sailing Association due to ice, they are now in and one of my Daysailers is at the club and ready to sail. This Sunday is looking good.

We could use your ice here in central Texas as well. Our lakes aren't as bad as some, but still low and once we get into the heat of summer, I suspect they will start to drop more. Haven't gotten out sailing this spring yet, getting boat ready for Tx200, but soon.

John

Our club's first barn date (get club and personal boats out of winter storage) is next Saturday. I can't wait. I am planning a trailer refurb that hopefully will go quick, before I dry moor the boat at the lake for the summer. I can sail my sunfish or a club Flying Scot in the meantime.

Baysailer wrote:As I look out the window the lake is still frozen. In fact the ice isn't even starting it's shifting floes yet and its April. Still the sun is shining so that puts me into the mindset that I should start getting my DS ready. I am already ready, work has been a bear, winter has been a bear and I'm sure I'm not alone. I'm sure everyone in the north east at least is tired of looking through catalogs and online reading all there is and some books too. We are ready, ready to sail.

Fred DS#1351

Fred, I am so completely there with you on being "ready"!

We had are really remarkable weekend two weeks ago, and probably half of our snow cover melted off (and it was formidable!).
A few days later, another 12 inches of snow came down just to dampen the spirits, but it is late enough in the spring that, although it refuses to give up, winter knows it's now a losing battle. On Wednesday I went out to our cabin (45 min away) and the lake was still pretty solid, but a great deal of ground snow was gone.



Yesterday (Friday) my wife and I drove up and all of the ground snow is gone and about 10-15 ft of water was now showing around the edges of the ice mass. Overnight the wind kicked up (big) and this morning there are huge cracks in the ice (the flows you talked about) we we're getting close.



So I decided it was time to start getting the boat ready...

I've not done a thing over the winter so I have a bunch of cleanup things to do from my list of winter project chores, so when I'm done, hopefully the ice will be out, the docks will be in, and I'll be ready for the water!

Com'on ice... Melt! Melt! Melt!

Yep, I'm totally ready to embrace springtime. The Big Lake up in New Hampshire had 30 inches of ice in places at the end of March, so ice out is going to be late this year. Though the ocean temperature here is only 40° I was on a salt pond this weekend and it's already warmed up to tolerable. I hope Roger got his Sunday sail on Webster Lake! It was a beautiful day.

I swear, today it felt like Florida (warm and humid). The thing is, it was only 65° and 45% humidity. It's all relative to a cold dry winter.

Ironically, even with all the ice, especially up north, I didn't get much ice boating in this year. Mostly do to too much snow.

I did get out sailing on Saturday, a perfect day with warm temperatures and great wind. Weather not looking good for next weekend.