Shin kicking

[trebor]

Hi, after racing saturday, I think winter dinghy racing should be included with eccentric sports like Shin kicking, Lawn mower racing and Cheese rolling, after first race and thoroughly frozen, I went out to race in 2nd race, after passing Skipper dinghy, I realised I could not remember the course, I slowed down to allow Skipper to catch up and asked where to next, he promptly replied "you have written course on top of your dagger board" "oh right, good idea", I then accellorated away from Skipper threw boat round buoy frozen fingers loosing tiller, almost going overboard, I finished race and then could not work out how to get back to jetty, when I got back, I was patting ground croaking "thank God dry land", here is a short video of above incident http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUjsoqdl5uY I do not think I have ever been so cold.

[Ed]

Ha, takes me back.

we once had a race on Bristol Harbour where the ice was so thick, that only the Wayfarer (there was only one in race) could break through it. Every time anyone else tried to pass the waf, the ice would slow them down to a grinding halt. The only thing you could do was follow behind the Waf and run into the ice if you got in danger of getting too close.

I remember the main problem I had was that the sheets kept icing up in the blocks. You had to keep working them or they froze solid.

Never again....I am far to old for that stuff now.

eib

[PeterV]

Do we learn as we get older? I remember an Easter Finn open meeting at Maylandsea where it was windy and snowing. I capsized at the gybe mark because I fell over as I slipped in the snow on the cockpit floor.
Years later I capsized the Lark with the spinnaker up in a snow squall at the Hoo Freezer! When it isn't too windy though I love the way the snow shows all the air flow across the sail!

[Obscured by clouds]

was down on the beach walking the dog last Friday. It was around 0*C with a keen northeasterly taking the windchill down to at least -4*C.

the Oppies were out in force, having whale of a time, whilst a motley collection of parents stood ashore and shivered.

I did'nt linger long. Even the dog was glad to be back in the car.

[GAVinT]

I remember when at Grimsby Nav' College three of us used to go down to the docks and take out one of the small fleet of GP14, down there used mainly for seamanship training purposes. However we spent our leisure times, such as it was away from studies or the old bull at our Hostel, which was referred to as "The Ship" and run like a naval one (from the 18th century). There were also clinker whalers that were rowed and sailed just to underline that aspect.
On one Saturday the covers on the GPs were weighted down with snow, but whilst I don't think there was ice to be broken in the dock/cut area however, we did get becalmed and some ruff yoofs' decided to bombard us with snowballs, from the safety of the shore. Trouble was we only had what landed on the dinghy to return fire, but it was good clean fun.
The coldest place I went to when graduated to somewhat bigger craft, was Novorrossiysk, a Russian oil terminal port on the black sea, albeit the Italian coast wasn't that hot in the winter, either, and straight from Syria or the Lebanon, which was boiling hot. It was several degrees lower than Britain ever gets, on that Russian coast, so I have huge admiration for those Sailors on those war time Russian Convoys, as well as the (Bomber Command Boys)and albeit very late in the day who have at last had commeretive medals struck up, according to tonight's news, minted in Wales I believe.

[neil]

Novorossiysk - spent some time working at their Naval Training College on a research exchange. It was cold and bleak, but not as cold as Moscow (-21)

[trebor]

The cold sneaks up on you and your thinking processes disappear, I have not capsized yet, I have this pleasure to come, I should think your day would be over then.
Ed, the cold was affecting the ropes they were very stiff.
The water froze a couple of weeks ago, the safety boat went out and broke the ice, the ice then drifted up to jetty and built up to about a foot thick, the wind was not strong enough to push boats out to the clear water, fortunately the ice thawed later.

[GAVinT]

Novorossiysk - spent some time working at their Naval Training College on a research exchange. It was cold and bleak, but not as cold as Moscow (-21)

small world, that was in 1970, and I was very proud to have aquired a CCCP stamp in my seamanship record book and passport, as not too many folk had been there back then. It was actually my first deep sea trip, on the 56,000 ton BP Tanker British Hussar, appropriate?

[solentgal]

When I was teaching many years ago, we used to sail most of the year.....but one december I got soooo cold after a week sitting in the bottom of a Wayfarer teaching, that I was seriously ill for a week afterwards.......the rule now for me is that the sun must be shining, and wind no more than about a 3 in winter months......it is a year ago tomorrow (28/2) that I had a lovely gentle sail in the harbour, well wrapped up....it was beautiful, and was able to video on my phone......so much wildlife to see, as I was the only boat in sight!

[Rupert]

I've had some great winter sails - just this sunday, got so engrossed in a battle with a Laser when sailing the Lightning that it wasn't until I got to the shore that I realized gust how painfully cold my hands were.

Never was that bright...

[Michael Brigg]

This seems appropriate...



http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... years.html

[trebor]

Hand "hot aches" terrible, probably only beaten by stubbing toes in the dark.

[Bill-Conner]

As Michael implies this medal is 68 years late but it serves to put any self inflicted minor discomforts into perspective! For myself it has to be warm these days!

[Rupert]

Quite agree - the Arctic Convoys were not at all like sailing round a small lake...

And the medals are shamefully long in coming, especially if you consider that Sir Ben gets a knighthood for playing in a dinghy on a summer's day.

[SoggyBadger]

especially if you consider that Sir Ben gets a knighthood for playing in a dinghy on a summer's day.

Come on, be fair. It was a particularly wet summer.