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How Important Is The Weather


LondonGuy

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We are not fair weather boaters by any means. Rain doesnt bother us (love being tucked up all cosy and listening to the rain on the roof)  but we always check the forecast, especially for wind strength and direction, thats the one thing we are not keen on.  We didnt want to get caught out at Ludham bridge the other week so went through early before anyone was moving and before the wind got stronger.  In the event of strong winds we think ahead about where and how we are going to moor and plan whether we are likely to be pushed away or pinned to the bank etc and if bad, we just don't move. 

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Just now, Cheesey69 said:

Too hot is a game changer. 

Bang on with that one, if it's cold you can use heating or put on a jumper but too hot and all you can do is wilt and whinge about it, sleeping in cold is just a hot water bottle or second duvet, too hot and your not sleeping.

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We have boated in all weathers over the years. Rain really doesn't bother us in the slightest nor the cold, you can get wrapped up warm and stick the heating on.

 

Having a small, lightweight boat it is the wind that is the worst weather for us. But we are stupid enough to head out in that as well.

 

We are out on the boat for a couple of weeks as of tomorrow evening and will be packing clothing for all eventualities. We love boating at this time of year but the weather can be a proper mixed bag so we go prepared for anything.

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When it rains and you put the heating/kettle on to keep warm, depending on the design of the boat you can get the inside windows misting up. Only some of the very latest hire boats have demisters like cars, so take something to de mist with you. If the screen is a long way forward from the steering position, then one of those log handled ones you can buy for cars is useful.

The wind can also create small waves on the water. Some boat designs, particularly 'low wash hulls' experience a phenomena known as hull slap on the bow of the boat. If that's where you bed is, then it can result in a sleepless night.  If that's the case, then think about where you moor, or if side on which way round you moor. 

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For the first trip, poor weather can be a bit of a downer, but only if you let it be so. Any holiday in this country suffers from that.

If you were staying in an hotel or a bed & breakfast what would you be doing while it rained? On a boat, well, you are on a boat and that's part of the holiday. It can be cosy sitting in a cabin, heating on and listening to the rain.

As years go by and if your cruising holidays go on, the weather becomes a lesser part of the holiday and just being on the boat becomes the greater part. This may explain some of the answers you are getting thus far.

The important thing is to be prepared for any weather that might occur when you are going.

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40 minutes ago, RS2021 said:

When it rains and you put the heating/kettle on to keep warm, depending on the design of the boat you can get the inside windows misting up. Only some of the very latest hire boats have demisters like cars, so take something to de mist with you. If the screen is a long way forward from the steering position, then one of those log handled ones you can buy for cars is useful.

The wind can also create small waves on the water. Some boat designs, particularly 'low wash hulls' experience a phenomena known as hull slap on the bow of the boat. If that's where you bed is, then it can result in a sleepless night.  If that's the case, then think about where you moor, or if side on which way round you moor. 

We find that the water lapping on the hull sends us to sleep!

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I enjoy the varied weather conditions boating can throw at you. One of my most memorable voyages was racing a thunderstorm to find a mooring for the night. Watching the lightening flash across the marshes as the wind picked up and the rain began. Remember to put the fishing rods away when the lightening occurs and keep off the decks when it's overhead.

Food and clothing are uppermost in my mind when it comes to 'foul weather'.  The means to make plenty of hot soups and stews in the galley. A good supply of tea and coffee and the essential rum to lace it with.

Appropriate clothing that is easy to dry in the boat and a supply of coins for the launderette at Wroxham should we get caught in a deluge. There's a reason you see quite a few of the 'old hands' wearing shorts or lightweight trousers in the rain...they don't take as much drying as jeans and other heavyweight materials. Same goes for 'jumpers' or 'tops', I favour fleeces and fleece 'hoodies'. I also take waterproof over trousers and a kagool with me and a change of footwear. Boots for walking the dogs and two paits of deck shoes for onboard the boat. One pair for on deck and one pair for in the cabin.

For me, the most essential preparation for foul weather...make sure my tobacco, papers and filter tips are safe and dry in a waterproof tin. Storms, volcanic eruption and other freak weather and geological anomalies pale into insignificance to a Force Eight Timbo sans smoke and a coffee!

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If you happen to own a karcher window vac or similar the make boating in damp weather much easier as you can use inside steering positions and clear the misting easily as you go, I've seen many a hirer sitting on the top steering position in the pi55ing rain because the inside helm is well and truly misted up, <smug git mode> always cheering sitting in my saloon with the eberspacher blowing at the screen and wipers on a good intermittant setting.  </smug git mode> :default_biggrin:

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25 minutes ago, Smoggy said:

If you happen to own a karcher window vac or similar the make boating in damp weather much easier as you can use inside steering positions and clear the misting easily as you go, I've seen many a hirer sitting on the top steering position in the pi55ing rain because the inside helm is well and truly misted up, <smug git mode> always cheering sitting in my saloon with the eberspacher blowing at the screen and wipers on a good intermittant setting.  </smug git mode> :default_biggrin:

I know we shouldn't but we always feel smug when we are out in the rain on the river here snug, wamr and dry under the canvas and we pass narrowboaters gimacing against the wind and rain stood on the back of their boats at the tiller :default_laugh:

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44 minutes ago, stumpy said:

For us the only game changer is temperature - we moor in the services basin at Broadsedge which seems to be the first to freeze over!

We are lucky on that score. Our mooring is one of the last to freeze over in the marina and the first to thaw.

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