Would you sail?
Would you go out?
- Thread starter Nene
- Start date
Would you sail?
sailcraftri
Well-Known Member
There's water, there's wind, why not?
beldar boathead
Married to Primat Boathead
Unless there is a great white lurking in the vicinity, I don't know why you wouldn't go out.
The video shows hardly any whitecaps on a wide body of water. My estimate of the wind strength would be around 10 mph.
But watch out for those fiberglass-eating sharks that beldar mentioned
But watch out for those fiberglass-eating sharks that beldar mentioned
CW Spook
New Member
Looks like fine sailing to me.
L&VW
Well-Known Member
Pressing F5, I was able to view your video several times. While the close-in winds seem tame enough, there appears to be gusts further out—consistent with 12-17—that would give me pause. 
As a "senior sailor", my first question would be:
"How cold is the water"?
As a "senior sailor", my first question would be:"How cold is the water"?
Gregory Matous
Member
Video never gives a good impression of weather conditions. But some things I might consider:
1) Is the wind onshore or offshore?
2) How much chop is there?
If the wind is offshore, and there is a lot of chop, I might hesitate because it can be hard to claw your way upwind when overpowered.
3) What is the situation with the launch/recovery site?
If the site is rocky or otherwise hazardous, i might reconsider, because you can be pinned when launching or have a stressful time getting out or returning.
4) How comfortable am I in doing a righting manouver in those conditions?
I did some sailboat rental in a place near Seattle last month, and they make you do a righting manouver before renting. And if the wind increases 5 knots, you have to come in and do it again. I was slightly insulted at the time, but afterwards I saw the value of it. Its not just that you are able to right the boat, but you know the stability limits so you are less likely to capsize.
A go/no go decision is not just a safety decsion, it is more about comfort level. But the Sunfish does a pretty good job of being controllable in higher winds.
1) Is the wind onshore or offshore?
2) How much chop is there?
If the wind is offshore, and there is a lot of chop, I might hesitate because it can be hard to claw your way upwind when overpowered.
3) What is the situation with the launch/recovery site?
If the site is rocky or otherwise hazardous, i might reconsider, because you can be pinned when launching or have a stressful time getting out or returning.
4) How comfortable am I in doing a righting manouver in those conditions?
I did some sailboat rental in a place near Seattle last month, and they make you do a righting manouver before renting. And if the wind increases 5 knots, you have to come in and do it again. I was slightly insulted at the time, but afterwards I saw the value of it. Its not just that you are able to right the boat, but you know the stability limits so you are less likely to capsize.
A go/no go decision is not just a safety decsion, it is more about comfort level. But the Sunfish does a pretty good job of being controllable in higher winds.
Kevin Mc
Active Member
My first thought when I watched the video was "no, there's hardly any wind."
Okay, I had a similar day today, a bit windier (17mph). I put on my kahunes and went on out. It was a nail biter, with 1.5 foot waves. I made shorter runs out and back to stay in closer, so lots of tacking. It was a lot of fun but it was stressful. I was comfortable handling the boat, though. Was thankful for the suggestion of sitting towards the back to get the bow up. I guess I just need to build some confidence. Will make myself go out more often.
Kevin Mc
Active Member
With the right combination of wind and waves you can have the thrill of surfing a wave. Of course, this comes with the risk of burying the bow under the wave ahead! I've had a couple of occasions where the bow went deep enough I started to wonder if the boat would capsize, pitch-pole, or a combination of both.