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"Christmas at Sea"
- Thread starter Loren Beach
- Start date
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- Tags
- christmas at sea
Tom Metzger
Sustaining Partner
Loren, et al - The boat is sold, but I still wish all of you still out there the best for the coming year. Covid be damned.
Bepi
E27 Roxanne
Buon Natale!
Light snow on the groundl here last week. So it's time to bump this thread again.
I just winterized our engine's heat exchanger, and brought the jib home until spring. Extra dock lines are in place.
Hope you all stay warm and get your "winter projects" moved along.
Merry Christmas!
I just winterized our engine's heat exchanger, and brought the jib home until spring. Extra dock lines are in place.
Hope you all stay warm and get your "winter projects" moved along.
Merry Christmas!
Bump...
No snow on the ground yet here, and (mostly) dry and cold weather predicted for another week.
Boat is winterized tho, and all my house faucets are covered/insulated. Local mountain peak and higher ridges have turned white, and ski areas are open. Outside lights and displays are glowing at night in our neighborhood.
This seems like the right moment to thaw out this Thread for another season. I have much to be thankful for with good friends, local and Ericson folk, all 'round the world.
No snow on the ground yet here, and (mostly) dry and cold weather predicted for another week.
Boat is winterized tho, and all my house faucets are covered/insulated. Local mountain peak and higher ridges have turned white, and ski areas are open. Outside lights and displays are glowing at night in our neighborhood.
This seems like the right moment to thaw out this Thread for another season. I have much to be thankful for with good friends, local and Ericson folk, all 'round the world.
It is cool now here, and from time to time during winter the temperature at night on the coast will drop to 45F. A typical day is 65 in winter, but a desert wind can mean 80F once or twice. The sailing is fine, although very light wind as usual everywhere in winter, between fronts. It will rain (we hope), and perhaps the annual fall of 15" will be exceeded again. Snow is already a few feet deep in the Sierras, five hours away, and ski-able at local resorts a 90-minute drive.
So we are at it all year, although most boats sit quietly in their slips and club racing is on hiatus until the spring. Quite a change from the East, where frozen tarpaulins are my memory, and snow in cockpits later solidified by icy rain.
Yet seasons rebel. UV beats upon a boat here 12 months a year, and sails under sail covers age and mildew, and although not winterized, engines must be run from time to time, and the boat prepared for predicted winter storms. The endless season therefore is endless attention, with a reward of use mostly potential, and infrequently realized.
There is something to be said for hauling a yacht for the winter and moving on to other diversions, or at least romantic dreams of summer before a fire, a sort of hibernation, or effortless civilized anticipation.
Here we are yesterday. And today I will go to clean up the mess, and remind myself to touch up the varnish on the deck rails, that year-round nagging consideration which if ignored means taking them back to the wood.
Tracy's work team
So we are at it all year, although most boats sit quietly in their slips and club racing is on hiatus until the spring. Quite a change from the East, where frozen tarpaulins are my memory, and snow in cockpits later solidified by icy rain.
Yet seasons rebel. UV beats upon a boat here 12 months a year, and sails under sail covers age and mildew, and although not winterized, engines must be run from time to time, and the boat prepared for predicted winter storms. The endless season therefore is endless attention, with a reward of use mostly potential, and infrequently realized.
There is something to be said for hauling a yacht for the winter and moving on to other diversions, or at least romantic dreams of summer before a fire, a sort of hibernation, or effortless civilized anticipation.
Here we are yesterday. And today I will go to clean up the mess, and remind myself to touch up the varnish on the deck rails, that year-round nagging consideration which if ignored means taking them back to the wood.
Tracy's work team
Last edited:
Frank Langer
1984 Ericson 30+, Nanaimo, BC
Being able to sail year round on the BC coast is good to keep everything moving on our boat, and better to keep me moving too, at my age.
Although winter storms can be nasty, and fog is annoying, a beautiful sunny day sailing in December or January always makes me smile. And anchorages are mostly empty, and marinas don't require a reservation if we decide we need a restaurant or pub.
Frank
Although winter storms can be nasty, and fog is annoying, a beautiful sunny day sailing in December or January always makes me smile. And anchorages are mostly empty, and marinas don't require a reservation if we decide we need a restaurant or pub.
Frank
AdventurousAnton
Member II
Here's my take on "Twas the night before Xmas" for everyone:
'Twas the night before Saturnalia on our boat in SF Bay, not a creature was stirring, not even a ray; the fenders were hung by the gunwales with care, In hopes that King Neptune soon would be there;
The crew were nestled all snug in their berths, While visions of calm seas danced in their heads; and I in my foulies, and cap pulled down tight, Had just settled down for a long anchor watch night,
When out on the water there arose such a splash, I sprang to the cockpit to check for a crash. Away to the bow I flew like a flash, Threw open the hatch and looked up the mast.
The moon on the breast of the now-churning sea gave lustre to waves that were rising with glee, When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, But a magical skiff, and eight mighty orcas near,
With a grizzled old captain, so lively yet calm, I knew in a moment it must be Neptune's charm. More rapid than dolphins his orcas they came, And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:
"Now, SPLASHER! now, FLIPPER! now, ECHO and WAVE! On, DANCER! on, DIVER! on SURGE and RAVE! To the top of the swells! To the top of the spray! Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
As whitecaps before the wild hurricane fly, when they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky; so up to the coachroof the orcas they flew, with the skiff full of treasures, and Neptune too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the deck the swishing and swooshing of each flapping fin. As I drew in my head, and was turning around, Through the companionway Neptune came with a bound.
He was dressed all in seaweed, from his head to his foot, and his clothes were all tarnished with saltwater and soot; a bundle of treasures he had flung on his back, and he looked like a diver just opening his pack.
His eyes—how they twinkled! like phosphorescent light! His beard was like coral, his skin deep-sea white! His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, and the beard on his chin was as white as sea foam;
An old weathered pipe he held tight in his teeth, and the smoke, it encircled his head like a wreath; he had a broad face and a round barnacled belly that shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly.
He was crusty and salted, a right jolly old fish, and I laughed when I saw him, despite my own wish; a wink of his eye and a twist of his head soon let know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, and filled all the lockers; then turned with a jerk, and laying his finger aside of his nose, and giving a nod, through the hatch up he rose;
He sprang to his skiff, to his team gave a whistle, and away they all swam like the down of a thistle. But I heard him exclaim, as he dove out of sight— "Happy Saturnalia to all, and to all a calm night!"
'Twas the night before Saturnalia on our boat in SF Bay, not a creature was stirring, not even a ray; the fenders were hung by the gunwales with care, In hopes that King Neptune soon would be there;
The crew were nestled all snug in their berths, While visions of calm seas danced in their heads; and I in my foulies, and cap pulled down tight, Had just settled down for a long anchor watch night,
When out on the water there arose such a splash, I sprang to the cockpit to check for a crash. Away to the bow I flew like a flash, Threw open the hatch and looked up the mast.
The moon on the breast of the now-churning sea gave lustre to waves that were rising with glee, When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, But a magical skiff, and eight mighty orcas near,
With a grizzled old captain, so lively yet calm, I knew in a moment it must be Neptune's charm. More rapid than dolphins his orcas they came, And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:
"Now, SPLASHER! now, FLIPPER! now, ECHO and WAVE! On, DANCER! on, DIVER! on SURGE and RAVE! To the top of the swells! To the top of the spray! Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
As whitecaps before the wild hurricane fly, when they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky; so up to the coachroof the orcas they flew, with the skiff full of treasures, and Neptune too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the deck the swishing and swooshing of each flapping fin. As I drew in my head, and was turning around, Through the companionway Neptune came with a bound.
He was dressed all in seaweed, from his head to his foot, and his clothes were all tarnished with saltwater and soot; a bundle of treasures he had flung on his back, and he looked like a diver just opening his pack.
His eyes—how they twinkled! like phosphorescent light! His beard was like coral, his skin deep-sea white! His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, and the beard on his chin was as white as sea foam;
An old weathered pipe he held tight in his teeth, and the smoke, it encircled his head like a wreath; he had a broad face and a round barnacled belly that shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly.
He was crusty and salted, a right jolly old fish, and I laughed when I saw him, despite my own wish; a wink of his eye and a twist of his head soon let know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, and filled all the lockers; then turned with a jerk, and laying his finger aside of his nose, and giving a nod, through the hatch up he rose;
He sprang to his skiff, to his team gave a whistle, and away they all swam like the down of a thistle. But I heard him exclaim, as he dove out of sight— "Happy Saturnalia to all, and to all a calm night!"
What a wonderful community we are, I am so happy that I discovered the Ericson Yachts site many years ago.
From here just outside Boston Mass. to all you out there in Ericson land. Happy Holidays.
Note: The December virtual meeting will be posted this weekend for December 20th, 7:00 PM EST (1900).
Mark "Souleman" Soule
From here just outside Boston Mass. to all you out there in Ericson land. Happy Holidays.
Note: The December virtual meeting will be posted this weekend for December 20th, 7:00 PM EST (1900).
Mark "Souleman" Soule
Prairie Schooner
Jeff & Donna, E35-3 purchased 7/21
@Christian Williams - Your wonderful anecdote about the New England farmer responding to the possibility of farming year round in California is something that's stuck in my mind. Especially consoling as I'm closing the boat up for the winter.
Best of the season to all!
Best of the season to all!
Bolo
Contributing Partner
Vesper is sitting out the winter in the slip again this winter and she's all winterized. I found that there is less of a chance of the boat freezing up in the water than on the hard up in the parking lot. Still, I didn't skimp on the anti-freeze this year and a good thing too. The cold snap this week has gone way south. Where I live, near Hershey, PA, we experienced first hand last night a wind chill of 8 degrees when we met another couple for dinner in town. The wind was blowing about 30 knots at least and we got a little bit of snow too. I'm already dreaming of commissioning the boat again come April 1st. It's gonna be a long winter. 
AdventurousAnton
Member II
67º F here in Alameda (SF Bay) with a light breeze. I do not miss East Coast winters while living aboard. We had two back-to-back Jan/Feb (2009/2010) winters on Hilton Head Island...with SNOW...when I had my Soverel 36.
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