be prepared

Posted By: Rick from Amazon
Date: 6/13/07 7:30p.m.

Report: outside forum guidelines

In Response To: Could you elaborate? (Jay Levy - Indianapolis, IN 5.2 #35)

Jay, The lake turns around the beginning of July meaning the bottom water comes to the top and it is cold (50 to 55). It lasts for a week then gets back to 68 70 degrees. The average wind speed for Lake Ontario is about 12. But if the wind blows for three or four days out of the west the waves can build even if the wind only is around 12 to 15. The tough part of racing on Lake Onatario is you only have one shore for sighting against so using your compass is critical in picking up shifts. One thing to check for also is sail past bouys permanent or racing and look for wakes coming from the bouys. The Lake is flowing west most of the time and sometimes can have a current that is 1 to 2 knots. It never lasts long as in days. But always look for that so you can judge how much you need to sail past the mark and not be carried back into them. This is more critical in light wind races. In 10 mph winds or more you will not notice the current at all. If you get winds up to 20 or more the waves build fast and if the direction stays the same you can get 4 to 6 footers in a couple of hours. Their fequency is closer than ocean waves. But sailing is those conditions is a thrill. If you go to the NOAA web site you can get weather bouys that are in Lake Ontario that give deep water temperature wind speed and wave height. Pick the bouy closest to your sailing location and you get a good idea of what your going to face. When your sailing down wind and a nice wave picks up your stern and surges you ahead it is a thrill. It makes sailing in anything else boring. Enjoy the sailing! Rick