Now I have a new way to measure rainfall-
not in inches, but in time: How long will it take me to bail a dory before I can row it?
Dory full of rainwater after a few days of stormy fall weather here in Gloucester, MA.....
...and after half an hour of steady bailing.
UPDATE: December 10, 2014
After another few days of rain, I had company this morning when I went to the docks to see about bailing...Alex, a fellow member of the Gloucester International Dory Racing Committee, brought his hand pump.
I prefer hand-bailing with a sturdy re-used plastic bottle.
Bailing, bailing, gone!
and another update: February, 2015: A new way to measure SNOWFALL!
6-8 inches of slush-water under the snow
Since the dories are kept in the water year-round, the snow and slush has to be removed as well as the rainwater, so that they will be ready to row on a good winter day.