Can't wait for winter

[PaulinVictoria]

I reckon the last 10 times I've taken the boat out, the promising looking wind has died within minutes of me leaving the harbour and left me flopping around in stinkpot wake. Last night was a case in point, 3:30pm - 12 knots of wind, forecast is to stay at that level until late that night. 3:45pm, make the decision to take the boat out after work, arrange it with a friend. 5:30pm, get to boat, still a good breeze. 6pm, get out of harbour, get the sails up. 6:15pm, flat calm. Again.
Bring on the winter and days of 15 knot winds.

[Faster]

It can be frustrating... that's for sure.

Ironically we've had one of the better sailing summers in years, mostly, I think, because the true summer weather didn't settle in til recently. The abnormal conditions provided some beautiful sailing days, even up in Desolation in July...

[Sublime]

I'd settle for more steady winds. I was on a beam reach and had to gybe...without turning my boat.

Also had a sail where it took me 3 hours or so to make it about 1-2 miles. Pulled down the sails, tied everything up, started the motor to come back in and started getting hit by waves. When they didn't stop like a normal powerboat wake, I looked around to see wtf was going on. Off in the distance, I see frequent white caps.
Forecast was for 8 knts that day.

A day forecasted for 10 knts ended up being a day I needed to throw a reef in.

One of the guys on my dock took his boat out rigged with his genoa. It was pretty light it seemed. While piddling around on my boat, I started getting hit with some decent gusts. He was still out when I left, so I didn't get to ask how it was out on the lake. At least you have room to read the water a bit I guess.

I need to learn this lake better. I've had it feel more windy at the marina than out on the lake as well as feel less windy at the marina than out on the lake. You don't get a good view of the water from the marina.

[jackdale]

Originally Posted by Sublime

I need to learn this lake better. I've had it feel more windy at the marina than out on the lake as well as feel less windy at the marina than out on the lake. You don't get a good view of the water from the marina.

Lake sailing is tough. You are much more subject to katabatic and anabatic winds than costal sailors.

[Sublime]

Originally Posted by jackdale

Lake sailing is tough. You are much more subject to katabatic and anabatic winds than costal sailors.

Hmph. Learned some new words today, thanks.

That makes sense though why the middle can be completely dead but near land you can get a gust that will nearly bury a rail.

[jrd22]

Originally Posted by PaulinVictoria

Bring on the winter and days of 15 knot winds.

15 knots during the winter is a calm day, did you mean 35?

[AdamLein]

Originally Posted by PaulinVictoria

Bring on the winter and days of 15 knot winds.

Count me in. I'm waiting.

[blt2ski]

Yeah, Sept is iffy around here! Last sunday started a race in 5'ish knots, saw 8 a few times, as we finished, the sound went flat the rest of the day! Hopefully FWB will not be a drifter and live up to the name in a few weeks!

marty

[AdamLein]

Originally Posted by blt2ski

Hopefully FWB will not be a drifter and live up to the name in a few weeks!

Firefighters Without Borders?
Friends with Benefits?

[SHNOOL]

Originally Posted by jackdale

Lake sailing is tough. You are much more subject to katabatic and anabatic winds than costal sailors.

2 points... yep learned 2 new words today too... Knew what caused them, didn't know what they were called.. we just called them thermals.