I'm wondering why there isn't much activity on this forum. Is it the heat? I've only been out once in July and it was like sailing in a humid hot house. The lake is pretty much empty every day except for the occasional water skier and that only lasts for 5 minutes. Lots of storms as well with super gusty winds day after day. Both my boats are idle. My TV is taking up the slack.
I've been out about the same, though I'm used to the heat. Interestingly enough it was 92 today, while the rest of the country baked at 100+. The forum does go through dry patches from time to time Herschel.
This year I decided to keep track. So far I have only been able to get out about twice a week. I gotta agree though, the weather hasn't helped. The rainy season began in March and only just now quit. We haven't had too much hot weather, but the wind has been sketchy. It has been blowing like stink, or barely blowing at all. Fortunately I have discovered that my canoe really likes the blowing like stink days. I'm going to have to make a new sail. I have nearly destroyed the one I have and have decided that it is just about the right size for a proper sail when fully reefed. Because this small sail max's out the mast I have, I will also have to make new sticks.Â
Since it seems that summer has arrived, I plan to take full advantage of it. For example, I am packing for a three or four day cruise on Lake Vermillion today. I did a cruise there last year, but my body was compromised a bit so I didn't get too ambitious. This year I plan to sail and row a lot more and explore much more of the lake. Vermillion is a great Weekender lake. It is large enough to take a few days sailing without backtracking and small enough to be protected waters, except for one open part.Â
I was out in 90 degree heat day before yesterday though. The sailing was nice, but boy I was wasted when I got home. The sun beat the hell out of me, and I ended up drinking almost two litres of water in the three hours I was out. I think I am going to have to get used to sailing with the bimini up on my CP 16 on those hot days. If it isn't blowing too hard, my umbrella works quite well on my Weekender though. I have to save one hand to hold it, but holding the sheet and tiller in one hand works for that.Â
Let's hope the rest of the summer is good sailing.
Al
I've found that it's not too hot to sail in the summer, which is usually brutal down here, but is too hot to do epoxy work in anything but indoor, well insulated or A/C'd spaces. In really hot weather, I usually sail a fast puddle jumper, so I can get wet, maybe even plan a capsize, for a quick swim to cool off. The swim is quick, because I have to right a boat that might want to tuttle or down flood, but more importantly, before the gators figure out I'm available for lunch.
You'll often find I'm making posts late at night. This is because on jobs that are in the yard, that can't in the shop, I'll work in the cool of the evening, so between chasing epoxy drips, I'll make a comment online. Over the years, I've discovered that epoxy work is mostly waiting. It might take a 1/2 hour to setup for the epoxy run, lay down some masking, gather tools, etc., then maybe another 1/2 hour to actually apply the goo. After clean up, which usually doesn't take long, I'll sit around waiting for drips and runs to appear, so I can catch them, before they become something I'll cuss about the following day. This takes hours and saves a ton of work later. Literally sitting around watching goo dry, trimming fabric, scraping off drips, etc. I put A/C in the shop for this reason, so I could have a normal life when the sun was up. I say this after midnight, catching drips on a transom core replacement, that's too big to back into the shop, so . . . My reward will be I can scoot along at 12 - 14 MPH in the dinghy tomorrow (okay later today), knowing the transom core is ready for finishing, because I stayed up and caught all the drips tonight.
I noticed the timing of your posts and figured that's what was going on. I try not to do any epoxy work in the summer if I can get away with it. I much prefer to do it in the winter when I can control the temp in my shop. Ditto for painting. However, I just long boarded my lapstrake canoe and sprayed a coat on it from rattle cans in anticipation of our local show. Best finish I have done yet. The wife said it looked like a production glass boat. Not quite, but now I don't want to scratch it anymore. The great thing about it was it only took a few hours to do, and the eighty degree day was actually a big help.
I took Duckie to Port Aransas last fall and ended up sleeping in the boat each night of the show. It was 92 with a twenty mph wind 24 hours a day there. I thought I was going to die. No ac and a norseman, make for real misery. The show was fun and all, but when I topped the hill heading into Duluth and felt that cold wind off Lake Superior, I finally felt some relief. Howard Rice told me that it is 92 in Micronesia every day of the year and that I should come and visit. Now that I know, the south Pacific is a place that I will avoid at all costs.Â
Speaking of cold winds, it looks like the cruise to Vermillion is off for now. A Canadian high settled in and the wind predictions are for 0 to 2 mph for the next 4 days. Sometimes being a sailor if just plain frustrating. Duckie is already packed and hooked to the truck, so maybe I'll look for some wind and go there if it isn't a two day drive.Â
Ahhh summer.
Al
83 degrees at 0630 with high humidity don't make for pleasant fun for me. We spent the morning at the marina looking over the boats for sale and in three hours dehydration was already setting in. Last time I was out I felt like I was sitting in an oven, no wind and after a couple of hours I gave up. I've stared looking at bimini's however having one up would preclude sailing. I'm not adverse to just fishing and watching wildlife but not while sitting in the direct sun. I usually take 6 bottles of water of which three are frozen when I leave. I end up drinking them all and have zero energy by the time I load the boat for the trip home. This July is the hottest on record in SC since the 1930's. Even the water temps are in the high 80's. I'm getting older and take medication that has a stay out of the sun warning. Not any different than riding a motorcycle for fun. At some point it just gets too hot to be enjoyable.
It's 11:00 pm and 83 degrees here in sunny Florida. When you first move here, it take a while to adjust to the summer months. the older I get the longer this take each season. It's more than just water, particularly if you work outside. I laid block and ran some 4" drainage pipe today and I'm not a young man. Compared to the fall, winter and spring, things go alot slower from July through the end of September down here. Pacing yourself is key, keeping hydrated of course, but what you drink is more important. Most drink water or Gatorade kind of drinks. Beleive it or not you can OD on just water and Gatorade can do funny things to your innards. A pure water routine can strip electrolytes and calcium. Most "sports drinks" are just junk and sugar, that can make you ill in the heat. One trick that seems counter intuitive is a hot drink. Tea or coffee are common. I'm a coffee guy, it's a lot better for you than you realize. The hot liquid will permit you to produce more sweat, which is good.
Work in spurts, say 15 minutes then a break, a drink, some shade, then back to it. Light colored shirts seem obvious, but your pants and shoes also can benefit from this trick. Pour water on your hat and let evaporative cooling do its magic. Once you learn how to work in the heat, things get a lot easier. The retaining wall I was making today is for doctor friend of mine. She glared at me as I ate a fist full of cooked bacon, suggesting this wasn't wise, so I reminded her of what it was, lots of protein and salt, just what I need on day like this (mid 90's). Pretzels are another favorite in the heat. Eat light and often, just like drinking.
As far as sailing in the heat, pick a tack that gets you in the shade of the sail, this is good for a 10 degree cool down. In spite of what you think, you'll be cooler in lightweight pants instead of shorts. Wear a wide brim hat. Sip a drink every 10 - 15 minutes. Cool, not cold drinks are easier on your body. Take vitamins, maybe salt tablets if you need to. Figure out what your body needs and tolerates. If I drink Gatorade, I'll be run down and ill by the end of a day. In fact, this is the gauge I use to figure out what my body needs. If whatever you've been drinking/eating leaves you drained, tired and generally spent after being in the heat, change it up. Switch drinks, change foods, clothing, etc. If you pace yourself, stay hydrated and return the nutrients that get depleted, when in the heat, you will feel much better and with some exposure, you do get use to it. Lastly, don't go in and out of cool/warm environments. It takes a long time for the body to adjust to big temperature swings, so accept the shade and stay outside, while gulping down a drink, instead of going inside with the A/C. The A/C does feel nice, but you tire much more quickly, compaired to letting your body adjust to the heat and cool off with shade and drinks.
One thing that I find that helps a little is, I'll take my hat and soak it in the lake and then put it on and let it drip as I paddle/sail.
There is another hot week ahead and I finally made up my mind to get out there no matter what.