WOW! What weather! Exciting sailing too!!!

CaptainScott · Post by **CaptainScott** » Tue Nov 23, 2010 11:37 am

Diane and I Left Friday on the boat for Edmonds. Nice sunny 40 degree day. Saturday we woke up to a gale. It blew a gale all day and was quite cold. Unfortunately for us Edmonds guest dock is NOT very well protected from the surge. Sunday we headed back towards Everett in 30 degrees and 8 kts. We were overtaken by a squall from the southwest and ended up in a snowy whiteout. We had to use radar and GPS to keep track of ourselves and any other boats. The white out did not last more than 40 minutes. As we arrived in Everett the sun was back out! What an exciting weekend! LOL!

Yesterday it snowed all day! Only lightly but about 4 inches! Today is is sunny and 19 degrees at my house!

Saturday we notice this sailboat with all her flags flying. What unnecessary stress on the rig in gale force winds! Check the angle of heal by looking at her mast!

The waves had no trouble breaking over the breakwater!

Destiny with all her way oversized fenders and I still felt it was not enough. Look at the stern two white fenders compared to the black one. The white are STANDARD for my boat! The wind was blowing so hard I actually feared we'd POP the large fenders! The were squashed flat on the port side!

Sunday, On the way home, a snow cell parks on top of us!

The snow thickens. Looking over the bow of Destiny we can see NOTHING! The starboard lifeline actually starts to dissappear!

Our radar keeps us 1/4 mile off shore and the alarms are set if a boat or a ferry wants to cross our path!

WOW!
What a weekend we had! Hear in Seattle where the weather is normally quite mild! As I type this it is 19 degrees and sunny! Sheesh!

Scott

John K · Post by **John K** » Tue Nov 23, 2010 11:56 am

Hey, down here on the bayou, none of that weather would be considered mild.

Looks like a wild weekend!

Chrysler20%26 · Post by **Chrysler20%26** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 4:18 am

Great Post, love the photos.

Capt. Bondo · Post by **Capt. Bondo** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 6:33 am

You can put up with a lot when you have a nice cockpit inclosure like you do.
The water here is starting to harden up

soon we will be driving on our sailing grounds

sharps4590 · Post by **sharps4590** » Thu Nov 25, 2010 3:56 am

Wow Scott!!! For an inland sailor yours is quite a story! I thoroughly enjoyed it and the photos....thanks!

Vic

Alanhod · Post by **Alanhod** » Thu Nov 25, 2010 12:56 pm

Wow, you went out in that snow and blow we had last weekend,

Very nice! I personally spent the weekend inside warm and dry, only dreaming of sailing. Man, a white out, with only radar and a GPS. That is impressive, great story and photos.

Thanks
Alan

CaptainScott · Post by **CaptainScott** » Sun Nov 28, 2010 10:50 am

Capt. Bondo wrote:You can put up with a lot when you have a nice cockpit inclosure like you do.

EXACTLY!!!

The enclosed cockpit is one of the very first things we did to Destiny when we bought her. Unless you are a racer or sail in warm weather all the time I highly recommend it! It is like an extra room on the boat. During the hardest of the blow Saturday, people were walking around the docks in heavy coats, bundled up tightly, scarves, gloves, spray hitting us from the breakers, I was sitting in the cockpit in a t-shirt and jeans playing my classical guitar. We get scoffed at by "real" sailors for having such a contraption on our otherwise sleek boat. However they also scoff at our roller furling. They happily sail freezing their nards off in thousands of dollars in foul weather gear on a cold rainy day claiming to be "real" sailors. I sail the same days and likely even more days from the safety and comfort of my enclosed cockpit! Best of all? My BRIDE comes with me! LOL!

In the summer all the canvas comes off except the dodger and bimini.
The bimini folds up to the back for the warm days and plops right back into place when it rains.

For those interested we found what are like giant metal close pins. I used bicyicle hooks hanging from the ceiling of my shed that the cloths pins hang on. I then use the cloths pins to grasp and hang the canvas for longer term storage. If you roll the windows as suggested they get perminant folds in them and look wavey. By hanging them flat they keep their shape and look nice over many years of use!!

Scott

Bhacurly · Post by **Bhacurly** » Sun Nov 28, 2010 11:17 am

I love it!

Pam looked at your picts and goes Woooah!

We may be "real sailors" in our storm gear, but I would love to have a nice enclosure in that kinda weather! Will be looking at one for the project boat for sure. I think it extends your seasonal sailing and does increase the comfort, thus safety factor. Geeze just a windbreak coming from the bow would be nice on the cold days!

And having been in Destiny's I can attest to the room and comfort. The wind break and windows letting sun in makes a cozy place to hang out!