Hot Weather, Age and Boating

[LuvBoating]

Primarily wondering about people who are "up there in age" (60 plus) and would have to launch/retrieve their boat in fairly hot weather (90 plus w/humidity).........I have read that it is not recommended at all! Five or so years ago, wife and I may not have even give it a second thought about going out in the kind of heat in eastern Colorado/Denver metro. But, there summer heat is much different than here in northeastern Florida/Jax. And, even five more years of age can slow a couple down some in boating, right? Things that could (would?) stop us from going out now are high wind, rain/storm predictions, tide and the HEAT!
But, now, if the boat is in dry storage and no launching/retrieving to do, that could be a different thing and if the boat is a full-contained cabin cruiser with a/c, that could also be a different thing.
So, has "age" and "heat" slowed up, or even stopped, your boating for now? Here in Jax, we still have plenty of the "boating season" left, so no too much to worry about.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Hot Weather, Age and Boating

I'm not 60 quite yet....but with us it's situational.

When we got our first boat 30 years ago, we went heck or high water. We went boating just to go. Fast-forward 20 years, the novelty of boating has worn off. We bought a 30-acre ?resort? home. Wooded home site, in-ground pool, a pond, horses, etc. so we tend to stay home and enjoy the pleasures of the "The Hill" rather than travel on hot days.

We still boat. I fish 60-70 days a year, but most boating is done on pleasurable day and most is destination boating or fishing. When its ?hot? it?s pool time by choice, not health, at least for now.

 

[JimS123]

Re: Hot Weather, Age and Boating

I've been a boatman for 55 years, and yes I'm over 60. When the day comes that I can't go boating, just shoot me. Haven't you seen the TV commercial where the guy says "60 is the new 40"?

I have an all roller trailer. I can hitch it on the car with no effort at all. I use a powerwinch to retreive the boat. My whole rig is set up for ease of operation and the ramp is 2 blocks away from the house. The only "issue" is that my dedicated towcar does not have air conditioning.

Carrying the groceries and cases of beer from the trunk of the car into the kitchen is more work than taking the boat out.

The other day it was 95 here with 90 humidity. My pool water temp was 89. Hardly a refreshing way to spend the evening. Wanna know what we did? The wife and I took the jetski out, cause its always cooler on the water. We packed dinner and ate on the riverbank under a shade tree.

If you're a boatman you'll find a way. If the novelty has worn off, then you are just a person that owns a boat. "Age" per se', is never a problem. If your health is an issue, its never too late to begin a healthier lifestyle. Eat right, love long and drink lots of beer!

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Hot Weather, Age and Boating

jim has it right. rollers and power winch. even the ancient egyptians knew that.

there are some boats that are just too big, practically, for daily launch/retrieve. If it's too much to handle, soend the money for a slip, or downsize. Once you get old, no sense pounding a square peg into a round hole.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Hot Weather, Age and Boating

Boating in the early mornings, evenings, and at night beats the heat. You also have a lot more peace and quiet at night!

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: Hot Weather, Age and Boating

Boating in the early mornings, evenings, and at night beats the heat. You also have a lot more peace and quiet at night!

In the water by 6 am, out by 10-10:30 am. No use frying like an egg when the fish are taking a nap anyway....

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Hot Weather, Age and Boating

I boat every day I can. when I lived in Florida, it was every weekend, and a few week days. Here in WI, its every weekend from April thru November. on really hot days, the breeze from a mild cruise is very soothing. usually swimming when the weather is over 95.

In florida, every ramp I used was so steep that all I had to do was walk the boat to the trailer, and maybe pull it up an inch. most ramps that I use allow floating on/off without any problem. Boating is meant to be relaxing, why make it work by launching where you have to fight the trailer.

 

[LuvBoating]

Re: Hot Weather, Age and Boating

Well, I let the wife sleep in this AM and she was very appreciative of it. It was 95 by 11AM at the launch and the tide was exactly in our favor either. So, better off not going out. Some older folks can handle the heat much better some others........guess we are in the "some others" catagory! We thought about that old saying, "better safe than sorry". We're not "wimps", but our health/safety is much more important to us now (at this age and older) than it was years ago.
I guess one answer to my topic could be "whatever makes you feel comfortable"! We don't go out in the evening/night, just not us. We DO love our boat and getting it out on the water, but (IMO) older folks have to be much more smarter about "when to/when not to" than younger folks.
Heck, when we've been at the Jax Landing, I've looked to see the age bracket of boater's tied up there and the younger WAY outnumber the 60 plus ones!

 

[LuvBoating]

Re: Hot Weather, Age and Boating

When we lived in the Denver, CO metro area and went to Chatfield Reservior, there were times we'd be at the launching area at 8:30AM and in the "No Wake" area by 9AM for fishing. We haven't fished here in Jax yet and the only time we've been out on the water real early was to watch the hot air balloons go up during the annual hot air balloon festival we went to in Colorado. Then we were on the water at 6AM.

In the water by 6 am, out by 10-10:30 am. No use frying like an egg when the fish are taking a nap anyway....

 

[LuvBoating]

Re: Hot Weather, Age and Boating

Doesn't that depend on the size of the boat? We have a 20' cuddy cabin with a rather deep hull. I sure couldn't do what your talking about with our boat! However, our boat does float off of our trailer awfully nice.

I boat every day I can. when I lived in Florida, it was every weekend, and a few week days. Here in WI, its every weekend from April thru November. on really hot days, the breeze from a mild cruise is very soothing. usually swimming when the weather is over 95.

In florida, every ramp I used was so steep that all I had to do was walk the boat to the trailer, and maybe pull it up an inch. most ramps that I use allow floating on/off without any problem. Boating is meant to be relaxing, why make it work by launching where you have to fight the trailer.

 

[JoLin]

Re: Hot Weather, Age and Boating

If you're a boatman you'll find a way. If the novelty has worn off, then you are just a person that owns a boat. "Age" per se', is never a problem. If your health is an issue, its never too late to begin a healthier lifestyle. Eat right, love long and drink lots of beer!

Unless you're of an age and physical condition that makes it dangerous to be outside in extreme heat and humidity. I've adopted a healthier lifestyle, but it's too late to make any difference in the long run. Sooo, I'd consider those comments to be a tad unfair. I'm happy for you that your health has held up, but not everybody is in that 'same boat.' I'm 58, btw, love boating, go out every chance I get. The past 2 days, however, have found me at home- I'm not interested in landing in the hospital again for the sake of a few hours outdoors.

My .02

 

[JimS123]

Re: Hot Weather, Age and Boating

If you have severe arthritis, diabetes, heart disease or some other dibilitating disease, certainly you need to be careful. But to say "people who are "up there in age" (60 plus) and would have to launch/retrieve their boat in fairly hot weather (90 plus w/humidity).........I have read that it is not recommended" that just ain't so.

Its always cooler on the water, and if you feel faint from the heat, just jump in. Works for me - I spend my $ on the boat, could never justify air conditioning for the house, so staying home locked up watching TV in the heat is not an option.

It all comes down to what your health is and what your desires are. My one Grandpa wouldn't leave the house after he turned 90. The last 5 years were not happy ones. My other Grandpa died at 86, but he enjoyed life every day.

Once again, not to offend anybody in ill health, but if you're OK I wouldn't want to die of old age in a nursing home, but rather die a few years younger saying "yeeehaaa" as I clip a wave in my jetski!

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Hot Weather, Age and Boating

I don't know about the rest of the "old guys" here, but this "old guy" has no problem getting up at 3 am... and I don't need an alarm clock either.

If I want to enjoy an evening on the water I don't have a problem napping during the heat of the day either.

There are quite a few ways to beat the heat in summer... much easier than trying to beat the cold in the winter, but I boat then too.

If you're just a "fair weather" boater you'll just have to bite the bullet and let the boat rest. If you get the urge bad enough you'll figure something out.

 

[LuvBoating]

Re: Hot Weather, Age and Boating

Ok, now that I've sort of "stirred up something here", but not meaning to, I'm really wondering how many of you have a SO (wife, girlfriend) and the lady doesn't want to get up really early or go out into the heat......what happens? I think it's one thing for men to be "bold/strong" in some things they do, but not so much with the ladies. Dealing with our boat, my wife is as much a part of anything dealing with the boat as I am. If she is sick, too tired or whatever and don't want to take the boat out, it don't go out period! She doesn't like HIGH heat anymore than I do and she has to help with the launching/retrieving and cleaning of it. We ALWAYS clean out the drive with (muffs) and wash down the boat at storage when we get back. All we have where we are is brackish waters and pure salt water, so the cleaning has to be done! Now, doing any of this in really hot weather is not fun!
If any of you want to go out in sizzling heat, that is YOUR choice, but please don't tell us we're not real boaters if we chose not to! We do love our boat and boating!

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Hot Weather, Age and Boating

That's one of the really nice thing about cell phones these days. If were plan to go boating and she doesn't want to get up early, I go ahead and go and then she drives to the launch when she gets ready and I pick her up.

My wife is a fair weather boater like you and your wife, she won't go when it's too hot or too cold... but she never says a word about when I want to go. It works out well for us that way.

Having a top you can put up on the boat in the summer like a bimini or similar is a real blessing. It feels almost like air conditioning with the top up and cruising around the lake.

I wonder we used to do when there wasn't any air conditioning?

 

[LuvBoating]

Re: Hot Weather, Age and Boating

Looking up the meaning of "fair weather boater", yes, I have to admit that we are! Wind speed, weather forecast (rain/t-storms/high heat) will dictate whether or not we take our boat out. Of course, living in a coastal area of Florida, the Tide will also dictate the same way. And, since I can't launch our 20' "deep hull" cuddy myself, wife has to be there! We have a binimi top that helps with the sun, but the high heat is still there. I guess we are just going to have to get up earlier than usual and get the boat out there and get back before the heat really kicks in here. We have taken our boat out in the later part of March when the temp at noon was 80, which means the temp when we were launching was around 75. Boating in 75 to 85 degrees, we can handle (most of the time anyway).

That's one of the really nice thing about cell phones these days. If were plan to go boating and she doesn't want to get up early, I go ahead and go and then she drives to the launch when she gets ready and I pick her up.

My wife is a fair weather boater like you and your wife, she won't go when it's too hot or too cold... but she never says a word about when I want to go. It works out well for us that way.

Having a top you can put up on the boat in the summer like a bimini or similar is a real blessing. It feels almost like air conditioning with the top up and cruising around the lake.

I wonder we used to do when there wasn't any air conditioning?

 

[dingbat]

Re: Hot Weather, Age and Boating

Ok, now that I've sort of "stirred up something here", but not meaning to, I'm really wondering how many of you have a SO (wife, girlfriend) and the lady doesn't want to get up really early or go out into the heat......what happens? I think it's one thing for men to be "bold/strong" in some things they do, but not so much with the ladies. Dealing with our boat, my wife is as much a part of anything dealing with the boat as I am. If she is sick, too tired or whatever and don't want to take the boat out, it don't go out period! She doesn't like HIGH heat anymore than I do and she has to help with the launching/retrieving and cleaning of it. We ALWAYS clean out the drive with (muffs) and wash down the boat at storage when we get back. All we have where we are is brackish waters and pure salt water, so the cleaning has to be done! Now, doing any of this in really hot weather is not fun!
If any of you want to go out in sizzling heat, that is YOUR choice, but please don't tell us we're not real boaters if we chose not to! We do love our boat and boating!

Ah, do not worry about it. I spend over 1,000 hours a year on the water as a competitive Striper angler and fishing guide and I called a ?boat owner?. I does not matter that the tournament season runs November- April and that we fish in snowstorms, small craft warning, and on days it was so cold that saltwater was freezing on the decks. If you have better things to do than be out on the water on a day with 131 heat index, you?re a boat owner.

Doubt I?ll see them at the Striper Shootout in Virginia Beach the first week in January. It?s a ?boat owners? only tournament

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Hot Weather, Age and Boating

If you own a boat, you're more than likely considered a "boat owner".

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Hot Weather, Age and Boating

Luvboating, the simple solution to your problem is to move away from the tropics, and come up here to the Chesapeake Bay, where we enjoy great boating weather almost year round. Except yesterday. 102*

PS I went out anyway

 

[Water logged]

Re: Hot Weather, Age and Boating

I think putting an age number in the question is a little off base. I am 71 years old and have no problem going out in the heat whether it is to go boating, or working on my 2 acre lawn. Loading and unloading my 24 ft pontoon is no strain whatsoever. The question isn't age, but condition. I will admit getting up before 7:30 or 8:00 is a problem, but that's been the same for 71 years.

Glenn