Mid-West Winter Sailing?

[Decatur]

Hello everyone!   I live in central Illinois, and was wondering if anyone sails in the Mid-west during the Winter months?   I am also a motorcyclist and can often find a day or two each month to ride a bit even in January and February.  Anyone out their have experience sailing in the Winter weather?  I'm old, but I am courageous and plan on trying it this Winter.  My Winter plan is to sail and ride as much as I can for as long as I can!!    Best Regards to All   Tim

[Bob23]

Tim:
   You certainly have your priorities straight!
Bob23

[relamb]

I presume you can sail until you get stuck in the ice.  The local sailing club has a race the Saturday after thanksgiving here in central Indiana and I've sailed that weekend a few times, but never later.   A couple of years ago when there was the drought, several of us could not get our boats to the ramp due to low water.
I had to leave my CP23 in the water all winter, it was stuck in about 4" of ice.  Did not hurt the boat one bit.  Drain the water tank and make sure the bilge is dry.

[relamb]

I think if it came down to a choice, I'd rather sail in a snow or ice storm than ride a motorcycle in one!

[Decatur]

Rick....You are funny!!!....Yes I do have a snow plow that I have attached to my motorcycle for the Winter months.   Perhaps I could harden-up the hull of my 16 with a few inches of steel and turn it into an ice breaker! lol   Thanks... I enjoyed the replies. Tim

[Winded]

I'm from Central Illinois also.  I've sailed late into the season but not all winter.  One year I was on Evergreen Lake and I saw the McLean County trucks coming over the hill.  I wondered what it was they were doing there, turns out they were there to take in the docks for the season!  That signaled the end of my season.  I agree, you do have your priorities straight!

Fred

[Vipersdad]

Do people sail Kentucky Lake in the winter?

[sailen69]

Decatur,

 I would guess that the wind never stops blowing across the flat lands of central Illinois.  Especially in the cooler months when all the corn has been harvested leaving nothing to break the cold winds.  I live in southern Illinois, about an hour and a half South of Carlyle Lake, forty five minutes West of Rend Lake, and two hours North of Kentucky Lake.

 I still ride a motorcycle through the year as long as there is no snow or ice.  The fun factor starts to drop out when it gets below 30 for me.  Sure, good gear to keep warm helps but so would a good warm garage to keep my bike, and boats, stored and have a place to work on them.  In my younger days a motorcycle was my only transportation year round.  I also enjoyed camping year round.  

 When I first got my CP-16, I would sail through the winter unless the ice would shut me out at the lake or the roads where messy with winter slop and salt.  I have a pair of waders I put on at the boat ramp to get the boat on the trailer.  I know which ramps at the different lakes have docks in all year and which docks get pulled.  Yes I have sailed in the snow a few times.  It started snowing while I was out on the lake.  I must say it was a cool experience and it made me question a few things at the same time.  Just like riding the motorcycle, stay warm and dry.  I would dress warmly with layers and put a rain suit over the top to cut the wind and stay dry.  Some of my big concerns with sailing in the cold months are the idea that if something went wrong; the situation could turn extremely bad due to things you don't have to deal with other times of the year.  I usually would be by myself.  Not many people get the same kind of enjoyment from that experience.  Not many, if any other boaters are out on the water if you needed assistance.  You know that if you go overboard, your odds of getting to shore are most likely nun.

 At this time I sail up to Thanksgiving before I pack things away for the winter.  The biggest reasons I put the hold on my sailing season around here is that I don't like getting things all wet and not having a nice warm garage to store the boats, to clean, dry and store things after a trip.  I don't like the idea of water finding its way into places and doing the whole freeze and thaw cycle over the winter.  After the time changes and daylight gets short, I spend a lot of those weekends with kids or working on projects I should have gotten done in the summer.  

 I have been lucky to have grown up with access to a family cabin on Kentucky Lake, about three and a half miles up streem from the dam.  I spend a lot of time down there when I can.  I have enjoyed spending every other weekend down there from Christmas through the start of my sailing season.  It is peaceful and quite.  A fireplace, guitar, great view, a good book, some food and a drink or two....   In the winter months I only see a few local fishermen and the barge traffic on the lake.  Most of the summertime people pull there boats after Labor Day or by Columbus Day.  The lake slowly drops from mid summer and goes down to what they call winter pool.  The summertime sailors have put there boats in storage and the big boats should stay in the main channels, so I almost never see a sail out in the winter on Kentucky Lake.  It seams to me that spring comes about two weeks sooner and fall lasts two or three weeks longer down there but it gets just as cold in the winter.

 Decatur, you are not too far form Carlyle Lake.  There are a handful of us around and some or all of us will sail almost any time.  I am sure you would like sailing the lake regardless.  Come down for the CLR next year and come down anytime!

P.S.  That last bit goes out to everyone too!

Keep us posted of your adventures,

Rich

[kickingbug1]

   sailed carlyle yesterday and it was just perfect.  when the boat heeled past 20 degrees she said "what do i do?". i replied just dont jump overboard. it was big time fun. not too many days like that left i bet

[rogerschwake]

  They are predicting a mild winter this year so I'm hoping to not put the boat up till late November or my be early December here in Iowa. If the temp gets above 40 and there are ramps that are useable you just might see me out sailing. There already starting to pull the docks and the rest rooms are locked have been locked for a couple weeks. I just get out my hat, gloves, jacket and boots for a day sail. Have scraped frost off the decks and seen snow fall will out on the water and always made it home safe. Year ago out sailing in the fall I saw something different on the lake sailed in that direction and finally recognised it as a duck blind. Tacked over and headed the other direction before I was in range. Hope to never do that again. Keep those trailer sailors ready to go until the snows at least 6'' deep.

  ROGER

[captrank]

Ice boating is popular in Door County on the Green Bay side. Conditions must be right but when they are it is quite a rush to sail on skates.

[rogerschwake]

Went for my last sail of the season yesterday here in Iowa. It was 42 degrees, cloudy and a slight mist falling. We have as much as 10 inches of snow forcast for tomorrow so hope to put the boat in the garage before that snow starts. Had two friends come with me on that last sail, all had a good time and a good laugh afterwards. I came home, parked the boat and sat in the hot tub for 30 minutes to warm up. Hoping for a early spring but not till I get a few projects done.

[Patrick]

Hello everyone!   I live in central Illinois, and was wondering if anyone sails in the Mid-west during the Winter months?   I am also a motorcyclist and can often find a day or two each month to ride a bit even in January and February.  Anyone out their have experience sailing in the Winter weather?  I'm old, but I am courageous and plan on trying it this Winter.  My Winter plan is to sail and ride as much as I can for as long as I can!!    Best Regards to All   Tim

Tim,

We just move the boat to Florida!  That's where we get in our winter sailing.

[Okawbow]

Hello everyone!   I live in central Illinois, and was wondering if anyone sails in the Mid-west during the Winter months?   I am also a motorcyclist and can often find a day or two each month to ride a bit even in January and February.  Anyone out their have experience sailing in the Winter weather?  I'm old, but I am courageous and plan on trying it this Winter.  My Winter plan is to sail and ride as much as I can for as long as I can!!    Best Regards to All   Tim

Hi all
I live near Carlyle lake and I'm always up for sailing.
I'm looking to buy a Compac 16 so I can trailer and set up the boat by myself.

I currently have 3 larger sailboats that I need to sell, because I just can't afford
To keep them a a marina any longer.

I'd love to see first hand how a 16 sails with 2 adults on board, if anyone comes
To Carlyle lake and wants someone along for the day. Hopefully, we will get a few mild days this winter.

Chuck

[kickingbug1]

    chuck, when the weather breaks one of our gang can surly accomadate  you, in fact mattman (who posts here) has a beautiful 16 for sale (new doyle sails and newer outboard). you can always catch a ride with me if you dont mind sailing on a catalina 18.  as for the clr----get a boat (any kind) and join us in july.