As the year draws to a close and your pride and joy comes out of the water for a winter maintenance period. Although I am not so sure that working on your boat in the yard when it's uncomfortable, cold, wet and the days are short is a better option
than working on your boat perhaps late April and early June when it's warmer, better weather and offering the opportunity to take advantage of the longer days to get probably double the work done in a day.
As we enter the 1st day of meteorological winter, humidity and big temperature fluctuations will be the order of most days, I am sure you will if not already done so be winterising your boat and whilst I am mindful that the cost of fuel is still quite high, don't forget to keep your fuel tanks topped off to minimise the possibility of condensation in your tanks. I appreciate there will be some out there who will argue that it doesn't happen, my opinion is that the physics of the process of how moisture is created in partially full tanks can't be argued with - it's a personal choice borne over many years of seeing, hearing and rescuing those who had engine issues that when investigated came back to water in their fuel which had led to injector failure or worse. The choice is of course entirely up to you.
For those of you staying active on the water, and utilising the vast amount of money your pride and joy soaks up to best advantage, this time of year offers some great opportunities.
Things to consider.
Plan shorter sails in sheltered waters, look for high pressure weather systems that offer settled conditions much like those we are experiencing at the moment and for the next 10 days or so thanks to the big Polar Continental High Pressure that is keeping the Atlantic low pressure systems at bay. Be mindful that when the sun goes down so does the temperature - aim to be back alongside and ready to be tucked up in your favourite hostelry next to the log fire by then or very soon after. Always plan for the worst while being mindful of your least hardy crew member.
The sun does shine in the winter. It is much lower in the sky, which not only means you’ll be squinting to find that buoy unless you pack sunglasses, but your eyes can suffer more UV damage in winter than summer. A good pair of sailing sunglasses is as important as your sunscreen, hat, and gloves; keep them fixed to your head with a floating safety strap. keep a pair onboard, so I can never be without them.
Keeping warm, it is really hard to stay warm whilst on deck on the very cold days unless of course you are on a cruiser with a lovely warm cabin! for those of us sailing, on open boats, RIBs etc. - shorter passages - dress for the weather and its forecast. Changes in weather conditions in winter can be a tad more challenging than in the summer. Modern technical clothing is very efficient but can be extremely expensive. There are some base layer items that can be found in military surplus stores that are very good at keeping you warm - I found a great wooly bear as an example (although if you are on anything but a short passage where going to the loo isn't something you would normally consider, they may be a bit more of a challenge than you would want to face). Merino wool items are great if your budget will go that far, insulating gilets will help keep you warm without adding too many bulky layers (I managed to find a battery powered heated one for less than £20 in a well known middle isle store that has served me very well whilst on and under the water). Keep your legs and feet warm, consider waterproof socks if your footwear is not quite as waterproof as it once was but is so comfortable you can't consider replacing it just yet. Don't forget waterproof and insulated gloves and hats, a snood or if no snood a towel wrapped around your neck under your waterproof jacket will do the trick - keeping your neck, head and hands warm will make a big difference to your time on the water.
If conditions do take a turn for the worst and sanctuary is not a quick journey, consider rotating your crew between tasks making sure you include yourself in the rotations - try for around 15 - 20 minutes on each rotation being mindful of seasickness. If on a yacht with a cabin option make sure the time below is spent getting warm. Hot drinks are a good morale booster.
With the local waters clearing of the summer boaters and becoming a little quieter, are there some navigation challenges you would like to address? Finding pinnacles using just a compass and echo sounder makes an outing with a purpose a rewarding event - providing of course you find it!
Navigating along depth contours, buoy hopping - this time of year is often fraught with fog.
If you have a faster boat, perhaps some high speed navigation could be the order of the day.
Does your pilotage need a bit of a boost?
It may be that there is a cove or beach you might want to practice anchoring and setting up your nav aids for anchor watch while you have your picnic.
For those of you with access to good tidal flows such as the Bristol Channel, how about a trip from Bristol to Cardiff and return using the tide to best effect, perhaps a lunch beckons.
How is your passage planning? Is it paying lip service to the concept or a bit more? Now is a good time to visit it and see if what you are doing is as good as it could be.
Have you mastered your radar, can you use the VRM to do hazard avoidance?
It may be that you might want to take advantage of the early sunsets and venture on your first dusk/night passage. I can also recommend a sunrise passage. As a navigator, I used to do a standing morning watch (that way I could do morning stars with ease), the photographic opportunities were awesome and are highly recommended.
For new entries to winter transits don't forget keep them short, and take your camera - there are some stunning sunrise and sunset opportunities to be had, I could go on but I think the message is there. Most of all have a great time, wear your lifejacket and stay safe.