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Camping in cold weather is not for those who are terrified of the cold! It can also be challenging but with the proper sleeping gear and clothing, camping in cold weather can be an exciting experience.

Packing the Correct Clothing

Clothing is most important when camping in cold weather - without the proper clothing the camping experience can be extremely poor or at worst life-threatening.

The most essential pieces of clothing to pack before going to your camp includes thermal long underwar, thermal or wool socks, ski jackets, heavy warm coats, insulated gloves, wool hats, thick turtleneck sweaters and sweat pants. Jeans are not suggested.

Layering your clothing is also a good idea when camping in cold weather, so an abundance of extra clothing should be brought with you, a good example might be long and short sleeved shirts, fleece jackets, long pants, wool scarves and extra socks. Clothing should not be skin tight when layering as loose fitting clothing can trap warm air and keep the body warmer.

Shoes and Boots

All shoes that are worn when camping should be insulated and waterproof and it is an excellent idea to avoid wearing tennis shoes or trainers because they will not provide much protection from the outdoor conditions.

Hiking boots, or rubber boots worn over shoes are a helpful option. Trousers should always be tucked inside the boots and for added protection duct tape can be taped around the trousers and the top of boots to keep out the cold and snow.

Type of Tent and Bedding to Use

The best type of tent to use at campsites in the winter is one that is designed for all weather conditions and that can be used in any seasons. The tent should be waterproof. The inside of the tent should be kept dry and with warmers.

When camping in cold weather the type of bedding is also important. If you are sleeping on the ground there should be at least two layers between the sleeping bag and the ground or an insulated padding should be used underneath the sleeping bag. To provide added warmth the sleeping bag should be fleeced-lined and a wool blanket can be used inside the sleeping bag.

It is also important to keep the head warm when camping in the cold, so it;s recommended that a hat should be worn while sleeping. Also wool socks and thermal underwear should be worn when going to bed.

Camping at in cold weather is not for everyone but for individuals who are up to the challenge and who include the proper clothing and gear, camping in the cold can be an enjoyable experience.

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Writer Clinton J Veasey talks about how to get the right carp tackle

A lot of people enjoy fishing trips each and every year and it’s not surprising given that fishing is such a popular hobby and sport. One of the most important purchases for this hobby is your tackle. There are a range of options available online as well as in stores throughout the UK.

First things first, if you’re interested in buying carp tackle, you’ll have a few things to think about. You’ll have to consider a budget because knowing how much to spend is important. It’s quite easy to work this out as long as you do your research.

Head over to your favourite search engine and search for products that you are interested in. Have a pen and paper with you and make a note of the prices as you look around. Once you have a list of prices you should easily be able to work out a reasonable and realistic budget.

Make sure that you have a pen and paper with you and make a note of the deals you see as you browse the web. You should also consider quality while you’re browsing because you want to ensure that the products you buy aren’t low quality and that they’ll last a few years at least.

It can be quite tempting to opt for the lowest prices but keep quality in mind. You may also want to consider heading into your local fishing store to see what they have on offer. However, only do this once you’ve got a good idea of what’s available online.

Buying online will give you access to a much larger range of products and usually the prices are better as well. Just make sure that you prioritise buying online because it’s so much easier to get good deals when compared with shopping on the high street.

Overall, as long as you do your research, buying carp tackle should be easy. It’s simple to find offers online but you’ll have to ensure that you keep your wits about you and look out for deals that could be too good to be true. Keep a pen and paper with you when you’re browsing online so that you can make a note of the offer that you like the look of.

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Going coastal? You have abundant choices in boats
Because coastal-cruising sailors are most often sailing on tight schedules, using their boats for only a day or two or, at most, a week or two at a time, the first thing they need to consider when choosing a new boat is its speed. Not that this is the only criterion, but the faster the boat, the larger your cruising ground. On a coast where harbors and anchorages are few and far between, a slow, heavy vessel will not prove much fun. Unless you live in an area where places to pull in are only a few miles apart, it is wise to look for something that can average at least 5 knots under both sail and power if it’s a smaller vessel — say, 32 feet and under — and at least 6 to 7 knots if it’s a larger vessel. Usually this means you’ll be favoring a lighter boat with a fin keel and spade rudder over a heavier boat with a fuller underbody.

Because coastal-cruising boats are not as likely to be caught out in bad weather for extended periods, their construction need not meet offshore standards. Any of the popular mass-produced boats currently on the market should be more than adequate in terms of strength. Because coastal boats do tend to spend a lot of time tied up to docks, you may wish to focus on amenities. A substantial AC shore-power system is usually a critical item and will go a long way toward making your boat as comfortable as your home, allowing you to enjoy microwaves, hair driers, air conditioning, televisions, and other luxuries without installing such impedimenta as generators, huge battery banks, and inverters. Nor do you need big tanks. Capacities of as little as 20 gallons of fuel and 50 of water, given a mid-size boat between 30 and 40 feet, should be adequate in most cases.

Otherwise, what constitutes a well-equipped coastal cruiser varies by location. A boat based in colder, more northern waters will get a lot more use if it has a sheltered cockpit and a good heater on board. Likewise, a boat in the sunny south will need good ventilation and a good bimini to keep its crew happy. The same goes for the sail inventory. If light winds predominate, you will need a big genoa, probably a spinnaker or drifter, and a lightweight main. If your cruising ground sees a lot of heavy air, you’ll need smaller, tougher sails. In all cases, you’ll want a roller-reefing headsail with a sunstrip (so you can leave it bent on when the boat is idle) and a mainsail cover that is easy to put on and remove. The faster you can get under way, the more you will use the boat. Charles J. Doane

Performance cruisers

I’ve already urged you to favor faster boats over slower boats when shopping for a coastal cruiser. Here’s an even more radical suggestion: How about getting a boat that’s really, really fast? For a certain sort of sailor, particularly one who likes to both race and cruise, the temptation to favor speed above all else will be irresistible. If you are one of these, you’ll need to keep a few things in mind.

Lesson number one: You can’t have it all. There is a decided trend among many production-boat builders these days to enlarge a boat’s accommodations at the expense of its performance potential. There are still several boats that favor the performance end of the spectrum, but that almost always means sacrificing accommodation space. The extreme examples here are the smaller coastal trimarans and catamarans on the market. These boats are a total blast to sail and can easily top 10 knots under sail, but the living space and amenities down below are definitely minimal — though multihulls do have lots of deck space to play on. Faster boats (at least when it comes to monohulls) also tend to be deeper boats. This will limit your ability to explore shoal-draft cruising grounds.

Lesson number two: Fast is more expensive. Performance boats are often built of high-tech lightweight materials; their rigs and sail inventories are also more sophisticated. Many now sport retractable bowsprits that facilitate the setting of large asymmetric spinnakers. All this costs money. Such boats also tend to demand more maintenance. If speed is what most thrills you, you’ll need to spend more time fairing the bottom and keeping it clean, overhauling winches, and so on.

Lesson number three: If you want to race as well as cruise, be sure to do some research. Simply getting the fastest boat you can afford may not be the best way to find the best action. Check to see which types of boats are most commonly raced in your area so you can be sure of finding some interesting competition.

Rex - offshore sailing school, RYA sailing courses, Day skipper training, coastal skipper training

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