Are we there yet?

[jcollins]

Hello all,
The strangest thing happened this morning. I woke up to 40 degrees, sun shining, birds chirping. The snow is melting away and for the first time in months I'm not wearing a heavy coat. Is this a tease, a mirage, or is it time to crawl out of my winter hole and start thinking about spring?
Maryland has been spared any heavy snow this year compared to the rest of the east coast. I hope others are having a good weather day today.

John

[Russell]

I had the same feeling with a beautiful sunshiny day and temperatures in the 50's. Went to the marina to check on Silver Lining and took her out for a little run to clean the hull and prop. The water was flat as a pool table and no other boats to be seen. Just a beautiful day on the Chesapeake Bay. Can't wait for spring to come for real.

[johnmurray]

I went down to the storage compound to-day to plug in the shore power to bring my batteries back up. Only three and a half more months until launch day!
Then I went cross country skiing.
Cheers!

[jleonard]

I fixed my snowblower again on saturday during the freezing rain.

[zinbaad]

Yup, had the same feeling today with the sun shining I decided to take a nice ride down to Freeport Boat store to look around and dream a bit. Checked out all the shelves and new electronics available. Couldnt come home empty handed so I got my first pack of Marine toilet paper, lol and a new set of Canvass snap pliers to hold me over.. Next trip its time to pick up some bottom paint and get moving.. If only the damn 2 feet of snow would melt away so I can jump aboard, Count down time

[loubennett]

Only 40 days until Quest leaves the dock for the first time this year. At least that's the plan and it has worked the last two years. That's the good thing about leaving her in the water over the winter. Just open the intake seacock, start the engine, and go. If you're close to Annapolis and want to go for a ride let me know.

[Legacy]

Plastic comes off Legacy April 1. Probably going to head down and check her out today - - just to make sure she's ship shape and to make a punch list for Spring commissioning.

A little marital advice: When fighting ice dams (New Englanders know what they are) make sure you ask your bride which nylons to take before you grab some, cut them up, fill the legs with ice melt and heave them to the roof & ice-filed gutters. It's a mistake I'll only make once!

Rick

[Capt Paul]

OK,

Just t give you a little inspiration, we had an outstanding February weekend in the San Francisco Area.

I believe it was in the 70's in some places. Had my Grandson on board:

[Capt Paul]

Another Picture , coming up in the Estuary near Jack London Square in Oakland:

[DougSea]

A little marital advice: When fighting ice dams (New Englanders know what they are) make sure you ask your bride which nylons to take before you grab some, cut them up, fill the legs with ice melt and heave them to the roof & ice-filed gutters. It's a mistake I'll only make once!

Rick

I'm not familiar with this method...I use a 22oz hammer and curse a lot...

Please explain!

I'm sitting on the new boat, pretending she's in the water. My aching arms and back remind me that I used the warm weather on Sunday to attack the snow on the roof again. I figure if I'm prepared for the next Big Snow it just may skip us!

[jleonard]

If you google ice dams, or anything like that you'll find the nylon method. Fill with calcium chloride, tie off and lay on the roof vertically so the stocking lays down the roof and over the gutter just slightly. This is suposed to break up the snow/ice.
I assume you can then place the unit somewhere else and it will continue to break up the ice.
I am using the "natural plan"...eventually it will warm up and melt on it's own.

[jcollins]

Plastic comes off Legacy April 1. Probably going to head down and check her out today - - just to make sure she's ship shape and to make a punch list for Spring commissioning.

A little marital advice: When fighting ice dams (New Englanders know what they are) make sure you ask your bride which nylons to take before you grab some, cut them up, fill the legs with ice melt and heave them to the roof & ice-filed gutters. It's a mistake I'll only make once!

Rick

Sounds like my household. Try to do your best only to find out...wrong pantyhose!

[JackK]

A little marital advice: When fighting ice dams (New Englanders know what they are) make sure you ask your bride which nylons to take before you grab some, cut them up, fill the legs with ice melt and heave them to the roof & ice-filed gutters. It's a mistake I'll only make once!

Rick

I can attest to this method working well. Fill nylons with ice melt (not rock salt) and place over the ice dams. 12 - 15 hours later and I had a clear channel through over 8" of ice.

If I never have to pick up a shovel again it would be ok with me. One section of my roof has a change in pitch. It accumulated over 4' of snow. With 2" of rain on top, I had to do something before things got too heavy. Up on the roof with a shovel and 6 hours later she was cleared. Problem was I threw the snow on the driveway. I thought I could fire up the snow blower and clear it but the stuff was like cement on the ground. Had to shovel again to break it up enough to throw it.

This picture was taken at the first rest break with just the front cleared off.

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Then the main roof started to worry me. I climbed up there and thought 40' down to the backyard is really going to hurt. After slipping twice, I got off the roof. I found a couple of eager guys and sent them up to clear the roof.

Come on Spring !!
Jack

[RobS]

This winter's weather has generated quite the volume of claims for my independent property insurance adjusting business. Between frozen pipes, weight of ice/snow and ice damming.

Careful with the hammer method or you could end up with this

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This is when you know your gutters are securely hung

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Commercial metal trussed framed warehouse couldn't take the snow load

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Wood framed gable roof didn't fair too well either

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2nd Level wood deck, now a grade level wood deck

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Screen room not strong enough

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Fiberglass patio cover held for 25 years, but not this time

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Aluminum patio covers for the scrap yard

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All of these claims are getting paid, so don't risk life and limb clearing your roof, it just ain't worth it.

[tbnolin]

It's sad seeing the damage...no one has been hurt. We've had several barns collapsing up this way. One farm lost about 100 cows when one 400 foot barn collapsed last week. Several farm hands were in the barn just minutes before it came down finishing up their chores. A second 400 foot barn, same farm, collapsed three days later after receiving rain/freezing rain/snow ( and a powerful thunderstorm!). This time all the animals were out, for fear it was just a matter of time before it came down. A so called dry trend for the next few days...only flurries and light snow for the weekend. Come oooonnnnn Spring time!!!