How late in the season do you sail?

So many variables but key to the equation are safety and comfort. I think sailing with others around is a very good idea, I think keeping warm is a very good idea. I will sail today at 75 degrees because I will sit on my wings to keep dry. Also the water is warmer than the air at this time of year whereas in the spring the water is COLD and the wing perch becomes important again. I hope to sail a couple of times in Oct and get back in the water in April.

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Frank, sailing '02 Getaway in Wichita KS. Lake Cheney
(Hobie 17 RIP, storm of '05)

Man, after reading the posts from the northern sailors I'm just glad I live in Florida. In north FL we start the season in mid- February and usually clean her up and put her to bed in late November. Last Thanksgiving we put on our wetsuits and headed into a N'oreastern that continued to build. Water temp was only about 65 degrees but with the wind chill, it can work on you after an hour or two. Anyway, we had a blast and hit some fairly high speeds (19-20 mph) basically surfed the boat home on some 4-5 foot swells. We would actually overtake some waves with my brother and nephew trapped out. Gave them something to talk about for a while. A great Thanksgiving ride to wrap up the season.

North Florida and you put her to bed in November? Just teasing...

But here in South Carolina we (me and my friend who also owns a cat) sail year around. With most sailing in fall and winter, because there is not much wind during summer in Upstate.

I must admit I don't see many sailors on the water in December (if any at all), but hey, I saw windsurfers on Lake Hartwell last February!

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Yuri
Hobie 16
Laser Vago

Localizer, my nephew is looking for a used hobie to sail on Lake Hartwell. He says Hartwell's a great lake and he fishes there. But after I took him surfing on the H-16 during the N'oreastern in Florida he was hooked. If you run across a good H16 in N. GA of SC please let me know. He's in college and can't spent too much.

PS: My wife said to not buy her a wetsuit last winter so I didn't. But last February, I just took her into a dive store to look at some dive stuff for me and wouldn't you know...she saw a really cute wetsuit that happened to fit perfectly. Now perhaps we will sail 11 months this year.

Sure, will keep my eyes open for a used H16, although I can't say they are popping everywhere here.

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Yuri
Hobie 16
Laser Vago

I sail year-round here in Redwood City (south SF Bay area). I do my best to get out weekly. BUT, mid winter, it is too lonely to go out into the Bay, so I stay in the port and hope for over 20 knots to see what I am made of.

This year I am going to upgrade my wetsuit for winter sailing: the two options I am considering cost about the same (around $500-600) one of which is a dry suit, the other is a composite neoprene with a metallic (Ti) layer, a wind barrier and a gel like interior surface.

The H17 is an athletic activity when the wind is blowing, so 3mm neoprene is fine for most temperatures. But when the wind slows, so do you; sitting there in neoprene, the water evaporating from the suit, you get a surprisingly strong refrigeration effect. Hypothermia is minutes, not hours, away. The high tech composite neoprene seems like a good solution (I keep a wind breaker in my crash bag, which helps, but is not good for swimming - bags water.)

I have no drysuit experience, but have heard that if it leaks and a sleeve or leg fills with water you can't swim, which is dangerous. And maintenance and donning are a bit of a pain. I also wonder if persperation or a minor leak will reduce a drysuit's thermal protection.

I just heard the Redwood City launch ramp will be closed from Oct 1 to Dec 1, Bummer!

Peace,

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Dan Peake
2003 H17SE
2005 FX1