Lake Sailors

[Bob in Va]

Lake water levels

At Smith Mt. Lake in Va we watch the water level pretty closely because the water becomes quite thin in some spots when the lake is down. The lake provides hydro-electric power, and the amount of water let through the dam or pumped back up into the lake can vary, depending on demand as well as on the previous year's rain/snow falls. The greatest impact is probably felt by trailerable sailboats, especially those drawing two or more feet, because when the water is down in the lake, most ramps don't extend far enough out to launch/recover. Last year I had to wait to pull my E23 until the water came back up after a few snowfalls. Even when the water is down, the bottom is relatively soft in most places, and because my centerboard angles back, it can absorb some contact with the bottom, but it still hurts to feel that tell-tale thump that means I wasn't paying close enough attention. When I build a new board for the boat it will have a kevlar strip molded into the lower part of the leading edge to give a little more protection from such instances. It's a little too cold to sail here now (20s) but late March will see warmer breezes and some pre racing season practice. Until then, the winter projects list dictates my sailing activities.

 

[Startacker]

Land Locked

A quick reply to not only being land locked but watching lake levels. Lake Mead has dropped almost 80' in the last couple of years and where we used to sail before is now a huge rock sticking out of the water. We still have plenty of places to sail but night sailing takes on a whole new adventure in our Ericson 30.

John & Candi
"Gypsy Woman"

 

[rssailor]

Lake Mead

How is the sailing at lake Mead? Are there good ramps for launching a fix keeled sail boat? Wow eighty feet down is a lot of lake surface area lost. Does the lake come up in the spring with snow run-off? Folsom lake varies about sixty feet or so per year. The marina basin goes out of the water usually during the winter and all of the boats in the marina have to come out of the water and are stored on their trailers during the winter. Ryan

 

[mdgann]

Lake Sailor

The world's saltiest sailors sail the Great Salt Lake of Utah. I am an Ericson 23 owner and sail from the Antelope Island marina. The only other marina on the lake is at the South end of the lake with a Yacht club that started in 1877. The lake is cut in half by a railroad causeway, but we can still sail about 45 miles in a straight line. Without the causeway the lake is about 90 miles from North to South and averages about 25 miles across. Great sailing as the power boaters and skiiers are afraid of the salt. No fish for the fisherman either. Right now it is too shallow for putting in at the Antelope Island marina as we have experienced about 6 years of serious drought. This year looks like the end of it though and I plan on putting back in in April or May.

 

[pyroray]

Landlocked E-27

E-27 Inland Empire Sailor. My home port is Bayview, ID on beautiful Lake Pend Orielle (pronounced: Pondaray). The lake is about 30 miles north & south and maybe 8 miles east west at the northern end. A few bays on the south end and Islands on the north end. The lake is like a wide fjiord.
I'm a fair weather sailor but love to go check on the boat when the snow is still on the mountains, which come right down to the water. All other lakes in the area freeze, I've never seen this one froze up. Probably due to the depth in excess of 800 feet in the bay and deeper in the main body of the lake.
There are mountain goats that come down the cliffs to water with their young in the spring. I've seen bear swim across the lake and then virtually run up an almost vertical slope (the guy following way to close in the fishing boat thought he could stick close and help in case the bear got in trouble). Got a good laugh out of that guy.
There are no skiers, an occasional jet ski, and the fishing boats are usually on the shore line. Once around Cape Horn and heading north the mountains obscures the weather and sometimes you can be in for a surprise storm. I have two sets of reef points and have used each. Sometime I've just dropped the sails and ran.
People say lake sailors can sail anywhere, that is an especially true statement about lake P.O. I've had the wind bend me over and turn me 270 degrees before I could right her. Almost lost the wife off the bow, good thing she's quick with her hands and knew what the lifelines were for. That is the worst mishap in my 15 years sailing here.
Races are scheduled for the spring and the fall for a reason. The summers are hot and surface water temps can get up in the 70's. But in the fall when the Elk start to bugle and the mountains turn white it's just way to cold.
This is the most beautiful inland sailing I've experienced. It's the only inland sailing I've experienced. The Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands on the Straits of Juan De Fuca are my salt water sailing favorites. But thats for another post.

 

[Seth]

Nice post. I don't know how large you group is, but I would be happy to come and give a seminar on sails, sailing, boat handling, or a variety of topics that may be of interest...
If you think there may be some interest, please give me a call and we can talk some more!

Cheers!

Seth 312-735-6360

 

[funster]

Beautiful Stockton Lake near Stockton, Missouri on our pretty little '79 e25+.

 

[rssailor]

E 25+ on Stockton Lake

How do you like your boat? Is the lake good for sailing? Do you have a trailer for the boat? I have a 79 hull the same as yours and it is outboard model with lots of modifications. I race it every once in awhile out here and trailer it some. Ryan

 

[funster]

We have had the boat for two years and love it. We moved up from a Venture 2-22, so our 25+ is a large yacht by comparison. It is the perfect size for our family (two kids 5 and 3 with one on the way), although I would like to modify the stbd berth to convert to a double. A previous owner added an E-34 bimini top which helps on those hot Missouri summer days.

The previous owner had a trailer that he only used for hauling, and we did not buy it (it would be nice to have the flexibility of going to different lakes, but we trailer-sailed for fifteen years and are tired of it). Stockton Lake is clean, clear lake. It is also relatively wide (about two miles in the main channel) and has good wind all year except for July and early August when the summer highs set in the wind drops off. April-May and Sept.-Oct are the best months, IMO. Water temps right now are about 75 deg. F.

You asked if it is a good lake for sailing - The answer is yes. We have sailed on most of the lakes in the area, and Stockton is head and shoulders above the rest. Does it compete with coastal sailing - no way, but when I jump in for a swim, I get out and towel off feeling clean - that's hard to beat.

Our yacht club has about two events per month with a turn out of around 15 boats, on average, from May through early October. We have the Leukemia Cup every other year and an annual Governor's Cup in September. Also (don't laugh) we have a 50 mile "long-distance" classic in early October.

Our 25+ has the thumper Volvo (7.5 hp) with sail drive. We love this little engine, and so far it has returned the love.

We race our boat and have been fairly competitive in our "rookies" class, but still have a lot to learn. There is a Catalina 25 that kicks our butt, but we are competitive against a Jenneau 27. We blame it on the shoal draft keel, but I am sure it has something to do with our lack of knowledge in the areas of sail trim and race tactics. But hey, we are having fun and learning.

The big mods to the boat (other than the bimini) have been the replacement of the original stove with a non-pressurized alcohol stove, and addition of a roller furling 135% headsail and shore power. If you do not have a bimini and want to add one, I would not recommend the E-34 bimini that we have. Its better than nothing, but is not user friendly for ingress and egress to and from the cockpit. I saw a better set-up last weekend on an E26 or E27 that has a two foot long bimini at the stern (with back stay going through it) and a forward 4 foot bimini at the front og the cockpit covering the cabin hatchway.

Sorry for the long post. I just haven't found anyone to share E25+ stories with.

Happy Sailing!

 

[Art Mullinax]

Lake Keowee, S.C.

I to am a land locked sailor. Has it's good points and better points (no bad points when I'm on the boat). We tried salt water at Hilton Head but things started to rust and corrode that had never rusted or corroded. No matter how much we washed the sails, they started to fall apart. Had all kinds of funny looking creatures attach themselves to the hull. Painfully learned during a haulout that when he moved the bottom paint roller in one direction that was one coat, when he immediately moved it back over the same area it was 2 coats. During our discussion concerning number of coats the local constable arrived and determined I should pay the man and leave!
Our lake is a series of mountain valleys that were backed up for a power plant. The water is fresh and clean. We can take a bucket shower in skinny dip cove. Washing the deck down with fresh water is a snap. Couple of times a year I scrub the slim off the hull. Don't have to worry about getting in the water and becoming part of the food chain. BUT!
When I'm down on the coast and I see a set of sails off in the distance going to some far away place, it makes me sit and ponder the true happiness in life...
Art,