[Rhodes22-list] The dangers of lake sailing

[John Lock]

We've had several good sailing days lately and I got lots of 
practice.  For the most part it's going well,  except for upwind, 
which I suspect is always a challenge.

But just as I was getting cocky, the weather teaches me a good lesson 
(which is: not to get cocky).  I had pretty much decided lake sailing 
is fairly tame and your biggest threats are storms and boat 
traffic.  Then I learned otherwise...

The scenario sets up like this - the wind was coming out of the 
south, straight up the lake channel.  I've made it a habit lately of 
starting my journeys to windward so, once I get tired or frustrated 
(whichever comes first), I have an easy downwind run back home.

So, I head south,  tacking back and forth across the relatively 
narrow lake.  It's probably less than half a mile across at this 
point and I'm making about 3 knots, so it takes 10-15 minutes between 
tacks.  But the wind isn't steady and occasionally dies away to 
nothing.  So I sit and wait a few minutes and eventually it comes back.

Now, picure this - I'm on a starboard tack approaching the shore and 
the wind dies.  I glide to a halt about 200 feet from shore.  No 
wind, no steerage.  Then the wind comes back, but it has shifted to 
WSW, right on our beam.  The boat doesn't want to accelerate at this 
point because the sails were set for a close haul.  So, we're just 
getting blown sideways, and still no steerage.

It becomes very clear, very quickly that if something isn't done 
pronto we're going to get blown aground onto the approaching 
shoreline.  The best thing I could think of was to quickly release 
the main, putting the force of the wind on the jib only, which starts 
to pivot us around to leeward.  Once we got far enough around, I 
could jibe, reset the main, and get steerage back.  'Course we're 
going in the opposite direction, but at least I have some control again.

Whew!  That was close, but a good experience.  Looking back, I could 
have tried putting the motor down, starting it and extricating 
ourselves that way.  But it seems that would take too long and, if 
the motor balked at all, I'd be screwed.  So, I think I made the 
right decision.

I don't think there is any cure for this, it's part of inland lake 
sailing.  Stay alert when approaching the shore, even if the wind is 
light or non-existent.  Things can change quickly, forcing immediate 
action, even when things appear calm.

There is a corollary to this story - stay alert when approaching a 
lee shore as well!  The problem waiting there is the wind shadow 
created by the terrain and whatever is on it.  Get too close and 
you'll find yourself captured there with no way out.  The key I found 
here is watching the water surface.  You can see roughly where the 
wind no longer bothers the surface as you approach that shore.  So, 
tack and come about before you reach that point.

Obviously, more research is required ;-)

Cheers!

John Lock
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s/v Pandion - '79 Rhodes 22
Lake Sinclair, GA
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