won’t lie and say that I’m ready to welcome in winter. It’s actually quite the opposite. I often find myself wondering why prime summer months such as July and August seem to fly by so quickly, yet January and February in the dead of winter always drag on. I love summer boating season like a fat man loves Sara Lee and I currently find myself in denial that my season is really over. There are probably better ways of coping with this but one way I’ve proven doesn’t work is flipping through photos on my phone of my family and me boating this past summer. If you’re trying to fight your own pre-winter blues you might want to stay off your phone. Just saying.
I understand the need and the importance of winterizing boats, but it still feels very unnatural to me. It’s like admitting defeat and letting Old Man Winter know he’s won as we sadly walk away from our vessels for several months with no plans to return until the weather turns nice once again. And yes, I know there is an obvious solution to this problem, but unfortunately I’m not in a financial position to extend my boating season and instead I “choose” to embrace the Great Lakes winters.
With boats in our region now on the hard, or more commonly referred to as on land and in storage, the next few months will most likely drag like an unwanted drift sock. The cold breeze roaring off our lakes this time of year will do everything in its power to break my spirits, but in the end it will be the unforgiving snow that will eventually do it.
If you happen to visit the Toronto Boat Show you’ll be treated to a massive on-water display. It’s refreshing to see water that is not frozen at this show, but unless I end up putting a deposit down on a new boat, the good vibes I receive from attending will most likely last slightly longer than my over-priced hot dog.
I envy those who journey the Great Loop each fall and are able to migrate south for the winter. Not sure about you, but I’d be willing to ditch the snow shovel and trade it in for sunshine and palm trees this winter if given the chance. That is, just as long as I was back in time to experience the full Great Lakes boating season.
With year-round boating clearly the preferred option if time and resources allow, what do you do to pass the winter months if you’re not able to head south? Hawaiian vacation? Snowmobiling in the UP? Restoration projects in the shop to update and get your boat ready in time for the post thaw? I would love to get some tips and suggestions on how to survive when your boat is on the hard. Go to our Facebook page and join in on the conversation. We’d love to hear what ideas you might have for enduring our long winter months in the Great Lakes as we anticipate the arrival of the next boating season.