@string said:
When the boat immediately starts going backwards when you stop paddling.
I had that happen while I was still paddling forward.
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@Rookie said:
@string said:
When the boat immediately starts going backwards when you stop paddling.I had that happen while I was still paddling forward.
I have also, and Iāll never intentionally paddle in that kind of wind again.
@string said:
When the boat immediately starts going backwards when you stop paddling.
Definitely donāt want thatāto much w*rk.
Tired getting out today. Even by 10AM we were having gust close to 20 MPH, with sustained winds right about our max of 7ish,
Only been out 3 times starting in June. because of wind, rain and health
Looks like Wed/Thurs are our next chances.
@Yooper16 said:
Tired getting out today. Even by 10AM we were having gust close to 20 MPH, with sustained winds right about our max of 7ish,
Another possibility is paddling late in the afternoon when the winds lighten or die. Sunset paddle. 
I always go by the adage ā Iād rather be on shore wishing I was paddling rather than paddling and wishing I was on shoreā
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@Peter-CA said:
we usually start the day calm, and winds build around lunch through afternoon. So to avoid some winds, we paddle in the mornings.
This.
I agree with a few others that 10mph is about my comfort limit, 15mph is too much for me. There are a few ways to figure out what the wind speed is. One is a good weather app, like Morecast, that shows the wind speed throughout the day, both steady and gusts. Another is to look at a nearby flag. If the flag is out straight, the wind is at least 15. Of course, there is also the water. If there are whitecaps it is probably too windy. But be sure to look beyond the launch point. If it is protected, the wind may be higher further out.
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I finally got my SOT* out onto Lake Erie yesterday, via the Grand River. I put in at the Grand River Landing, which is somewhere between 1 1/2 and 2 miles from the lake. I suppose the measurement is ambiguous because of the breakwater.
Anyway, NWS gave a windspeed of 9mph out of the north, and I think that felt about right. Wind was steady the whole time I was out.
It was a bit like work getting out past the end of the breakwater, but I felt like that was less because of the wind and more because of the waves. The boat doesnāt weathercock at all, but it does get driven off course by side winds quite a bit.
Anyway, it was fun getting out in the busy stuffāI even hit a patch of āfunny waterā out in the middle of the harborāwaves and swells coming predictably from straight ahead, and then this largish wave smacks me square in the side. Testing my sense of humor, perhaps, or my reflexes. I got another reflex test when I went to stick my paddle in the water and there wasnāt any; a reminder to adjust cadence to conditions. All good, though, and the boat stayed surprisingly dry.
Odd thing; going back with the wind behind me, it almost felt as if I was working harder ā¦ and now Iām thinking I might want to start saving up for a sleeker boat. After all, you can always go slower, in any boat.
- Perception Tribe 11.5
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Still havenāt gotten out yet. The wind kph has been OKā4 to 7ish but weāve been very gusty most parts of each day. Or like right now starting to get clouds filling from the SW.
Even though we donāt really get out and away from ācivilizationā when we go-- there is an extra degree of calmness that our little leisurely drift provides.
Maybe tomorrow.
@Yooper16 said:
Still havenāt gotten out yet. The wind kph has been OKā4 to 7ish but weāve been very gusty most parts of each day. Or like right now starting to get clouds filling from the SW.Even though we donāt really get out and away from ācivilizationā when we go-- there is an extra degree of calmness that our little leisurely drift provides.
Maybe tomorrow.
Sorry to hear that. It was really lovely on the water yesterday. Winds were same as you noted and while there were some gusts, they werenāt sustained and felt great in the sun and heat. At least the humidity was low.
4-7 kph? That is barely a wisp! Go out early amā¦ before ten usually works well. two pm is a horrid time for wind usually.
I gauge wind by the pines swaying ā¦ When they start to top sway I stay off!
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My SOT* is the most wind proof boat Iāve ever owned. And Iāve owned a few. Iām about done with my light weight phase , Carribean 140 and a Skimmer Both are fine boats but solidly in the recreational type.
My Tarpon 160* has handled everything I care to paddle in including 20+ winds and confused surf.
Iām back to figuring out how to load and unload the beast without further damaging my wreck of a body.
We just have to get off our arses and get at it. My Skylark is fine in the wind and water, or at least fine for what we do. And of course---- we donāt want to have to work to hard at it.!
About 8 miles away, in Soo Ontario, there is a wind farm of 125 turbines, sitting on the ridge line pointing into Whitefish Bay. They are in the planning stage to double its size.
With the ridge line to the north and the higher elevations to the south, we are in somewhat of a tunnel. Weather has been beautiful tho.
In the summer set your paddle to end by noon.
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Did finally get out todayā down to a small park outside of Barbeau in the Munuscong Bay wildlife sanctuary area. Nice and peaceful.
@Overstreet said:
In the summer set your paddle to end by noon.
I agree about getting out in the morning. Thatās also the best time of day when we work on this reno. Need more morning hours and less afternoon hours in our day.
35 mph was my limit. Hard to turn but Iām better now. Tough tough paddle small breaking chop.
When you unstrap the boat from the roof rack, and the wind takes it and tumbles it down the parking lot, itās a good sign itās too windy!! Sometimes a very light boat is not such a good ideaā¦
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Easy visual., whitecaps form around 12.5 knots. Which converts to about 14.4 mph. Interestingly when it gets into the healthy 20ās, you start to see waves getting knocked down.
With Jim and I paddling together we would have a big breakfast and be out in the early afternoon higher speed offshore breezes. Paddling alone I go out by 8 or 8:30am if I can fueled by a banana and a granola bar in my PFD pocket. Or around 5pm when wind cuts down again.
Wind itself is less of an issue than how long you have enuff oomph left to handle a problem, like do a self-rescue if needed. I am getting older and slower and that is less time.
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It might depend on where you paddle. In my case, the wave size doesnāt always have to do with wind. Some of the big ships, tug boats and other powered craft make bigger waves than most of the wind. Yesterday the river was as flat as Iāve ever seen it, but some of the waves I dealt with were enough to get your attention.
Most of the big ships make nice big swells, but once in awhile one comes along and causes waves that are just inexplicable. One such ship came up the river a few years ago that made a very steep wave that was so thin at the top that it would not support any boat. I thought it would be fun to surf the wave, but when the wave set arrived I knew it wasnāt going to work the way I thought. I ended up heading straight into it and since I wasnāt wearing my skirt, I got some water in the cockpit. Later I found out a whole bunch of boats got swamped from that ship.
How much wind is too much? The one time I remember that I headed for shore to get off the water was when a very ominous cloud came up and I knew things were about to get wild. I was right and was glad to be on shore where all I had to do was hang onto the boat to keep it from being blown away.