I've never really gone frostbiting before, but that all changed last Saturday.
Forecast/Observations: At about 3°C and wind blowing stank from NE, it looked like I might not be out on the water for too long.
Focus: Last sail of the season (closing day in a week) so I'm just going to have fun.
Having researched cold-weather sailing, I came prepared with the following:
- normal boots (I didn't have any neoprene socks, but could have used them
- 7mm wetsuit (lower and upper)
- my trusty red base-layer under the wet suit
- knit hat
- gloves
- windbreaker over PFD
which turned out to be enough for the hour or so we were out. Full gloves rather than those with fingers cut off are recommended for next time
Went out with Mike T and Ken S in Lasers. As I was wearing my 7mm wetsuit, I couldn't move particularly well (especially with the upper on). But at least I was warm (yay touque!). As a first for me, the boat blew off the dolly while I was launching (I had the centreboard in the cockpit, which was snagging the mainsheet, which meant the main was sheeted in).
Lesson learned - make sure main is free when launching, especially in high wind
Was going on a close reach (no close-hauled) to Quebec shore, and blasting along. I actually had trouble sheeting in all the way (which meant I had trouble putting the vang on). I should probably have headed up and applied the kicker, but just dealt with the weather helm instead.
The wind seemed constant across the river, but the waves were definitely bigger and more chaotic on the Ontario side. Thus, I'd typically go up to Quebec, tack, head on a broad reach to Ontario. I was practicing getting "into" the groove of the waves, but capsized several times on gusts (I didn't have an angle-limiting knot in my mainsheet, so a few times the main went past 90).
Three or four swims later and I called it on account of cold. Back at the club, the hail started to fall while I was de-rigging - wish I had a camera. I had a nice 12 year old scotch waiting for us, which helped to warm the toes.
