How much is too much?

I sail on a big deep lake which sometimes has big wind as well. I don't worry about going out in 17 to 20 knot winds but it's when I see the 20+ that I start to wonder, how much is too much? I have the knowledge that if something bad happens to me or the cat, that my family is watching from the cottage shore and have the seadoo ready to go. What's the highest wind you'll sail in comfortably?

I’ve been sailing recently in 20 to 26 knot winds. I sail on a small-ish lake where the winds are inconsistent and change direction/swirl a bit.

I am still learning this boat, but find I really have to hold it back to keep from capsizing. Not that capsizing is necessarily a bad thing depending on your perspective. I push it a bit more each time I go out, but it still feels like I’m on the edge of disaster at any moment, especially when I get a sudden wind direction change. A word of caution too, downwind in winds that speed really feels unstable, at least to me. Jibing is an adventure.

I don’t really have a finite answer to your question, but the point I guess I’m making is that it depends on your skill level and to some degree your willingness to take risk.

Where I live the fall winds are excellent so I am getting better each time out and learning to take it closer to the edge.

If I had someone to watch over me with a Seadoo in wait, I’d probably push harder, but I’m generally out by myself with a small chance for help if I get myself in a situation.

Let us know how it turns out…

It depends on alot of things

1. How well can you handle the boat? The wave is pretty small so alot of times you can just power the boat around a little compared to some of the bigger boats.

2. Can you right it? If so, then anything that is still fun and not more work than fun, should be fine.

3. How cold is the water, I will go out in bigger winds in the summer than in the late fall.

4. If you have someone watching you, which you do so you should be okay through the 20's if you feel comfortable.

When I first got my 14, 15mph seemed like alot, then it got to where I wasn't happy on it until it was blowing 25. Then I got a bigger boat and once again was a light wind sailor. Now I have figured out how to tune my sail well enough and depower the boat that I can sail my 5.2 alone in anything up to 25 happily, but i do leave the jib on the beach at about 20.

Also like the other guy said downwind can be hairy in big wind. That is the only angle where I feel like I might pitchpoll on my 5.2 and since the wave has the mast located so far forward I could see that being a problem.

_________________
Nacra 5.2 "Elsies"
Hobie 14T, "Blazin" I guess I am keeping her!

Ask the distinguisted old gentleman, Matt Miller.

A few years ago now, a group of experienced (read old, 20+ years of racing/sailing cats and other performance boats) were in San Diego on Mission Bay. It was blowing 25 knots with big gust coming through. My Hobie 20 was rigged but sitting on the grass at Mission Bay Yacht Club because an experienced sailor knows that even in sheltered Mission Bay, sometimes it is best to leave the big boats on the beach, besides, we had a Wave to thrash about.

First I went out and at 275 lbs worked the wave. I slam tacked next to the beach, power jibed, flew a hull, and stuffed the bow further than I thought was recoverable. Then Lyle Lundberg did the same to hoots and hollers from the beach. Then Matt did the same but wanted to out do us two amateurs. He was going to stand up and ride the bow stuff like a surfboard. Unfortunately, he was blasted by a puff coming off the beach before he saw any ripples on the water. Bam, he was thrown clear of the boat and all we saw from the beach 50 yards away was the hole in the water where he dissapeared. When he surfaced, he looked shocked, and then saw Lyle and me falling to the ground laughing hysterically.

I love the opportunity to tell this story. Happy b-day Matt.

Now, each of us was experienced, wearing a life jacket, and surounded by other boats and sailing in an enclosed bay. Use judgement and when in doubt, leave the boat on the beach and fly a kite or something.