Last sail of the year?

[Graham W]

We were out on Lake Bala on a fine chilly Tuesday, with NW winds up to F3.  The only other sailing boat on the lake was a Mirror.  He had never previously made it to the other end and this time he succeeded.  There were loads of wintering ducks, geese and swans along the shores and lots of fish showed up on the fishfinder between 10 and 20m.  They hardly ever register in the summer so I don't know where they all come from.

Water management of the lake is now on its winter regime, which means that water levels are kept artificially low as a buffer against rainstorms causing flooding further down the Dee.  It was quite low on Tuesday at 1.2m but it is now 1.0m, so the public slipway is all but unusable as the launch area will be too shallow.

Anybody else out there in the frozen wastes of the UK still sailing? I heard a rumour that the Rutland contingent were considering ice-breaking mods to their boats. 

[Peter Cockerton]

Graham

Funny you should mention "The Rutland Contingent" as part of it is planning an outing tomorrow.

Andy is hopefully collecting his main sail after "his man" has recut it to try and reduce the leech flutter, my mizzen is having a tear repaired after my incident with the 180 degree rotation of the mizzen sail and then the main boom colliding into it on the gybe.

So Fladen survival suit for me and i guess dry suit for Andy, two hip flasks and the promise of homemade steak and kidney pie with all the trimmings in the Wheatsheaf after washed down with the speciality cider they dispense.

Peter Cockerton

[Andy Dingle]

Defeated by a total lack of wind, annoying as got my sail back and wanted to try it out. Trying again for next week.

Drysuit? It's still only November. Am conditioning my bulky bod ready for Sail Caledonia by still sailing in tee shirt and shorts followed by a total immersion in the 'oggin..  very bracing as they say on my bit of the coast..

[Guy Rossey]

Hopefully not the last sail but .... Here a picture of the Lake of Thau (Sète ) last week...(not today) !

[Julian Swindell]

I'm not sure the south of France counts in this thread! Its cold here in the Cotswolds

[david]

Southern California also probably does not count!  November is a great month for sailing out here as most of the fair weather power boater stay in dock. Just some hard core fishermen out now. Here's a pic from Sunday.

[Michael Rogers]

Graham, keeping the idea of a possible winter sail at Bala (weather allowing, of course) at the back of my mind, either at the end to this year (Boxing Day outing, anyone?) or the early beginning of next, I picked up on your comments about the water level in the lake.

I haven't used the public slipway there yet. Could you enlarge on 'too shallow'? I don't know how much depth you big-boat-boys need minimum. Would my little cockleshell float off the slipway? What's the ground like around or beyond the slip itself?

Michael

[Graham W]

Michael,

As long as the top of the drop-off of the public slipway is still covered, there's just enough water to launch my BayRaider. Extending a long way beyond it is a level area of mud and silt with scattered rocks. I reckon that I need at least 12" of depth to be on the safe side and being light and nimble, you probably only need half of that.

When I was there the other day, the slipway drop-off was covered (just) and the reading on this site was 1.2m http://www.riverlevels.info/dee-bala-community-dee-bridge  It's now heading back below 1.0m and the drop-off must surely be exposed.  You can also see on this webcam that there is exposed lakebed in the foreground that should normally be covered http://www.balawatersports.com/index.php/about-us/bala-lake-webcam

If I'm going out in the winter, I wait until there has been a lot of rain the day(s) before, check the weather forecast, water level gauge and webcam and fetch my thermals. It can sometimes go too far the other way and flood the slipway completely!

[Michael Rogers]

Thanks, Graham. I must be one of the most ill-informed people around. How on earth do you track down these websites packed with relevant information?! I would have no idea. Anyway I now know what to do before thinking of setting out!

Michael

[david]

November 30th. This could be my last sail of the year due to work commitments. Still, a great sail to end the year.

David.

[david]

OK. This will be my final sail for this year. I was able to get out for a few hours Saturday, 21/12/13.  Great sail out of Oceanside, California. Wind a steady 9mph with gusts to 20mph. No ballast or reef. Just about on the edge of this. If the wind filled in I was going to reef. Swells were at 6 feet with the sets coming at 11 second intervals. Great surfing waves. A little rough, as you can see. I still have yet to ship any water in the BayRaider! I did have a situation where I was a little late spilling the wind while crossing the downside of a wave, went over pretty well but still no water. Got to love these Bayraiders.

Nice video of the sail.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9r5YPckLtQ

[Guy Rossey]

I went sailing last week-end, one of the last times probably this year, just beautiful! Again ! When beaching back home some passer-by greeted me with admirative words about the boat. And this is now why I wanted to post this note as a consideration close to the end of the season : year-in year-out whenever I go out and there is someone ashore watching, I will get congratulations and admiration for the boat, her shape, her design.  I reply to them that sailing her just confirms this statement fully. This boat is a real pleasure, Matt! And people seem to see this...
___________________
Guy
Catchando Bay (BR#48)

[Royboy]

Hope to be out in the BRe on Sunday at Carsington, and intend to go at least once more before the end on November - when the boat will be stored indors for 3 months as usual - to keep the worst of the weather away, time for little jobs too - all part of the most enjoyable experience of messing about with boats.

[Andy Dingle]

'Equinox' is now at Rutland Water for sea trials over the winter - I'm aiming to get in at least three days sailing a month until end of March to make the fee's worthwhile, which should be achievable I reckon.

If anyone who is within reasonable driving distance fancies keeping their hand in over the dark cold months then give me a shout.
Peter C and I will be glad of the company - as long as you are willing to put the 'world to rights' about wives, mistresses, work, politics or whatever you want to get off your chest, then you are very welcome. Not football of course, that goes without saying...

Can usually promise a pint of Rosies Pig and a FB short crust pie in front of a roaring log fire in the pub after..?


Andy
Baycruiser 23 No. 25 'Equinox'

[david]

A perfect day sailing on Sunday.