New to Cheasapeake Bay - Wind?

[patrscoe]

Sailed most of my life on Lake Ontario and I'm new to sailing on the Chesapeake Bay.
Our season upnorth last only from end of May to late Sept, maybe Oct, depending weather and early snow.
We now live in Va and sailing out of the Bay near Deltaville. For the entire month of July and part of June, everytime we go out, there is very little wind, if any at all. Is this normal for this bay, and if so, how long does it last?
That really reduces your sailing season.

thanks
Patrick

[pdqaltair]

a. You now have a 12-month season. Spring and fall are best for cool temps and dependable wind.
b. We watch the forcasts a lot, looking for wind, not avoiding strorms!
c. Reaching chutes are great.

On the otherhand, it is unusual too have too darn much wind in the summer, except for passing squalls and the very rare huricane.

My blog, listed below, has a bunch of Chesapeake stuff on it. Enjoy!

[aa3jy]

Originally Posted by patrscoe

Sailed most of my life on Lake Ontario and I'm new to sailing on the Chesapeake Bay.
Our season upnorth last only from end of May to late Sept, maybe Oct, depending weather and early snow.
We now live in Va and sailing out of the Bay near Deltaville. For the entire month of July and part of June, everytime we go out, there is very little wind, if any at all. Is this normal for this bay, and if so, how long does it last?
That really reduces your sailing season.

thanks
Patrick

Welcome to the Chesapeake Bay summer doldrums. Usually July-Aug are down times..usually spent fixing,sanding and or painting thus getting ready for the fall season

[kd3pc]

Best sailing months by far....Sept thru Dec
and Apr-early June

July and August, projects and scuba for us...just too brutal out there weather/heat/humidity/flies wise

Welcome to the Bay area

[SVAuspicious]

Big sails for summer.

[WouldaShoulda]

Sunday 07/17/2011 the "wind" went from 3 to 18kts in 2 hours.

Feast or famine!!

September/Octobet/November are best, the rest I guess we just put up with!!

[ilikerust]

March, April, May, some of June, and September, October, November are your best sailing on the Bay. And during those times, you can get some absolutely fantastic sailing out there!

But July and August typically are very hot, humid and windless. No joy for a blowboater.

Where do you sail out of Deltaville? My boat currently is on the hard in Deltaville Boatyard, where she's been since January, but I'm hoping to get her back in the water before August. Don't know if I'm going to be able to get the work done that I need to, though, because it's supposed to be 100 degrees this weekend. If that's the case, I'll just bag it. It's already been too hot up there over the past couple weekends, when it was around 90.

[patrscoe]

Thanks.
So I guess it's normal for no or little wind in the summer months.
We still have not went on a three day cruise yet... (we purchsed her late Spring and launched her early Summer)
I'll look forward to this September to December.

[mgmhead]

Oh, you can do a three day cruise...just be prepared to motor. When you have a schedule and a destination the 'iron jenny' comes in handy.

[PalmettoSailor]

This season has been among the worst for wind. It seems like when there was any wind it was Mon-Fri and then back to the doldrums Sat-Sun.

Look on the bright side, at least down in D'ville you rarely get rocked by a powerboat compared to how often it happens mid bay.