Strange wind

[Randy]

The wind had a very interesting personality yesterday. We showed up at Cannon at about 1:30pm and it was just beginning to shift SE to South. Chris and Doug stayed the course with 6M while most were on 4.5-5M. The gusts were extreme and even when it was full on 4M gust, you could feel the oscillation in the sail... I don't think I've had my sail invert that much except for sailing offshore conditions with high rises obstructing the wind. In hang gliding we called this wind 'rodeo air'...very fickle, demanding full attention lest you get bucked off your board. The wind clocked slightly SW for about an hour and filled in to more of what Cannon perfection is...of course I had to sacrificially rig up to my 5M for this to happen...
Somehow, looking at the faces in the parking lot at the end of the day, this wind with a mind of its own had taken more of a toll on us in 4.5-6M sailing than the 4M winds of April 15.
Did the rest of you find the wind this way on other lakes, or was it just the angle of the fetch on Cannon?

[windbeso]

Hi
I and another person sailed Lake Winona, and we were sailing 6.5 sails. We would watch the water as the gust came, and had to be ready for them or get bucked off. The wind would go from 5 to 28 mph sometimes. And at times our sail would almost almost do a 360. We had some great rides though.
It was not the greatest for my back, but it was such a beautiful day out there I did not care.

[Jeff Gorton]

Randy, It's reassuring to here a veteran sailor like you describe yesterday's wind as strange. Most of us at Waconia rigged in the 4.5 to 5 range which worked fine for the short blasts of hot wind we got, but created a challenge for the remaining time. The mysterious thing to me is the feeling of having plenty of wind, but not being able to get going. I'd look around and the waves would be going every which way. Occasionally we'd get a good long blast that was worth the wait. I came to the conclusion, again, that enjoying these type of days is all about getting in the right frame of mind and just going with the wind. Sharing the days experience and a brew with friends while watching the sun set made a perfect end to a challenging day.

[Mike W]

Same deal at WBL. Those hot blasts Jeff describes take on a whole new meaning when felt through a kite. The first hour after the rain cleared delivered the most consitent wind. After that, it became very gusty and unstable. Still, a great 12m kite day all in all.

[Sid]

The water was a little weird at Cannon as well. The wind was gusty at times. But....I'll take 30 days like that this summer and call it one of the best windsurfing places around. I had a lot of fun.

[Chris Lock]

Definately the gusts from hell!!
Funny thing is I had a better day in the gusts than the steadier wind session of last week cuz I actully rigged my equipment correctly this time. Amazing what an inch of downhaul and a tweak of the mast track will do. The water was actually clear......err....ahh......I mean not florescent green, I didnt go over the handlebars hitting any dead carp, and I got to shed ten pounds by wearing a shorty, yeah baby.

[Portland Pete]

Diablo Wind is what I called it

Did a downwinder at Waconia Wed night and
by the time I made it out my 12M
wasnt enuff anymore
but had a great time exploring a new launch
(with 2 people and 2 cars)
I did a drift launch as the second person
to leave the beach
and didnt get any tangles
b/c I was able to lay out my
lines on about a 4ft wide swath
of shoreline free of sticks and rocks

Dennis was parading around the
landing on his 14M Fuel
Making it look easy
when JohnZ and I showed up
At the end when the wind evened out
and yes, a nice warm evening
and a great place to socialize and
watch a beautiful sunset.
Pete