A Test

waterdog · December 12, 2008, 09:41:19 AM

All right. I have the steaks, lasagna, garlic bread. There's rum, red and white wine. Ipod - check. Extra gloves, long underwear - check. Water tank is full. Diesel is full. And I remembered the poker chips. So we are good to go.

Now the weather forecast says storm warning on Howe sound with winds to 50 kts and a gale warning on the Straight of Georgia with winds to 40 kts The flurries should end this afternoon before the wind picks up.

Clearly this a test.

Remind me again. Is this a test of courage? Or a test of intelligence?

Braxton · December 12, 2008, 11:26:31 AM

I think at a certain point (about 40 knots or so) intelligence and courage become inversely proportional to each other.

If you're being tested on courage drink the rum, of course this will lower your score if you're being tested for intelligence.

The problem is that the grading is on a pass/fail basis and the penalty for failure is pretty extreme.

waterdog · December 12, 2008, 11:49:05 AM

I see.

I think how this works is if I fail the intelligence test, then it becomes a test of courage. If I drink the alcohol first and then try to take any of the tests I should at least wear a PFD so that they are not still looking for the body over Christmas.

I guess it's looking like a poker party at the dock tonight.

The winner of the poker test generally fails the rum courage test. So it's important to figure out whether or not it is preferable to wake up with a pocket full of cash or a hangover before beginning the process...

Ken Juul · December 12, 2008, 01:36:36 PM

You west coast owners brag about being able to sail year round.....don't be a wimp.

That said, the courageous thing to do is admit mother nature won, the intellegent thing to do is serve your opponents the rum

Braxton · December 12, 2008, 02:08:02 PM

Your decision should probably turn on the quality of the rum and the quality of your opponents. If both are low I would opt for the sober route, if they're both high I would start drinking. At least you'll enjoy yourself as you loose your money.

Ron Hill · December 12, 2008, 06:51:49 PM

It seems to me that with that kind of WX forcast it's time to stay tied at the dock, warm up the rum and settle in for a nice steak later.
That way you pass the test - of longevity.

Craig Illman · December 13, 2008, 06:49:25 PM

Steve - It was blowing about 30kts at 11am on Friday at my slip. I didn't even want to hang around to do another coat on my varnish project. I decided to bring some galley doors and drawers home to refinish in the garage instead. Too much wiggling and clanking in the marina for my tastes. I also didn't want to encounter any snow on the drive back down to Seattle, traffic is bad enough without that variable included in the mix.

Mexico is sounding pretty good right now.

Craig

Stu Jackson · December 13, 2008, 07:06:57 PM

A good snug anchorge in this kind of weather is worth its weight in...you pick it.

Hawk · December 14, 2008, 10:36:06 AM

Steve, I'll meet you off Pt. Atkinson in a hour...............oh wait a sec, is that 4 inches of snow outside? That's not supposed to happen...its balmy west coast Vancouver, right?
Memo to equipment list...add snow scraper.

waterdog · December 14, 2008, 04:14:06 PM

Hey, I was there. Where were you?

We stayed at the dock Friday night. Drank the rum, but filled my wallet. Saturday we hung a right into Howe Sound. There was a storm warning, but I don't think we actually felt anything over 40 knots. A 45 minute run took 2 hours. But they had more rum on Bowen Island.

At Pam Rocks this morning: Winds northly outflow 47 kts gusting 58 kts. The forecast for Howe Sound was 50 to 60 knots easing to 40 to 50 knots near noon. So we waited until noon until we left. And we had a few gusts that were maybe 20 knots. A bit of surfing. Spectacular day. Forecasts are only forecasts.

Back at the slip all the boats have six inches of snow and the channel is starting to freeze up. What's with that?

waterdog · December 14, 2008, 04:25:11 PM

A few pics...

Ron Hill · December 14, 2008, 06:02:16 PM

Steve : There's an old aviator saying : There are old pilots and there are bold pilots, but there are NO old bold pilots!!
Have fun, as I've got a wall full of medals and don't need any more!!

waterdog · December 14, 2008, 09:44:01 PM

Well Ron, it sounds impressive, but I didn't explain the conditions 10 miles in the other direction: "Jericho - winds calm, sea rippled." So we just dabbled in the entrance to the fjord with the arctic outlflow winds. So if things went badly wrong motoring into 40 knot winds, say a rudder failure, or engine failure, I would have been blown out the end into relatively benign conditions. Not very many places on earth you can play around in a storm warning and not be in harm's way.

I have no desire to be bold or die young. Just increasing my comfort level in more rigorous conditions...

Hawk · December 15, 2008, 09:32:40 PM

Nice photo of a snowy approach to Fisherman's Cove...I was half kidding and there you were out there...excellent. A little different than the thread on snow covers, though. West coast Canada doesn't sound so bad.
I'm on "G" dock at T-Bird, and WVYC, by the way.
Tom

waterdog · December 15, 2008, 09:56:58 PM

Tom,

We should start a C34 fleet. I think there are ten boats in Thunderbird alone. I'm on B dock with at least 4 other C34s.

It was absolutely gorgeous coming into Fisherman's on Sunday. We had no snow in Snug, but it was brilliant coming into West Van to see all the boats covered in snow in filtered sunlight with the cove starting to freeze up near the stream.

Now I'm not so sure what was a better upgrade, the diesel heater or the cockpit shower. Maybe I'm allowed a winter favourite and a summer favourite...