Ballad Exchange

Home Blog Photos Video Calendar Market Links

Winter Sailing, Northern Chesapeake Bay, January 7,8,9, 2011

Jan 11, '11 10:28 AM
by Joseph for everyone

Slideshow

Short weekend sail.

winter sailing Jan 1.JPG

winter sailing Jan 2.JPG

winter sailing Jan 2011 3.JPG

winter sailing Jan 2011 4.JPG
2 Comments

Prev: Ballad transom ladder
Next: Pacific Seacraft rudder design

6 CommentsChronological Reverse Threaded

markryan1981 wrote on Jan 11, '11

Great pictures, makes me wish I were there with you... sort of... hope you had plenty of layers on!

jtighe wrote on Jan 11, '11

Lots of layers, hot tea, and a woodburning heater. We were never cold for a minute -- not even after being dowsed with freezing spray.

jespermilling wrote on Jan 12, '11

Beautiful, awesome, respect! Nice to see you are enjoying your boat in the wintertime too. Must have been just so nice! We did something similar a few years back, a three day trip in the wintertime, it was great! But your trip looks like it was even colder. The lady in yellow is still smiling though! Way to go! Would love to hear a few more details.

jtighe wrote on Jan 12, '11

Hi Jesper. It was three days of fine sailing, about -5C and the wind was force 4 to 6. I had the main reefed to the spreaders and flew the #1 jib. Average speed was 5 kts. My father is the guy in red, and I'm the guy in yellow, but many people say I look like my mother, so it's okay that you thought me a lady. I've been called worse.

lieseger wrote on Jan 23, '11

Hi Joseph,
agree with Jesper :) looks strange for a european summer cruising skipper, but it must have some special attractions, because I heared also from a german guy, that he has done this.
Good Wind !
PS: I would be really interested in a short story about your trip and i.e. what heating have you installed, any problems with ice in the water? In case that is possible, I would like to post the short story (also in german translated at www.ballad.de - pls contact if you are interested....via Liese att trave-forum.de

jtighe wrote on Jan 26, '11

Hi Liese,

The wind is fantastic in the winter -- often gale force. The Ballad is a great gale boat. In terms of heat, I have a woodburning heater -- a Dickinson Newport. It keeps the boat a toasty 80F. Ice is rarely much of a problem. My marina is situated is in a creek that receives the outflow of a power plant, so the water almost never freezes. I have easy access to the bigger water of the bay. There is hardly ever any serious ice out there; it's broken up by wave action and ends up mostly as slush. The worst ice I've encountered is after spending the night at anchor in a beautiful little cove and finding myself frozen in the following morning! But the Ballad makes a great ice-breaker.

I'll have to follow up with more details later, maybe some pictures. I'll be in touch.

Add a Comment

albinballad

Ballad Exchange

Join this Group!

Report Abuse