I pretty much check both the marine forecast and weather forecast daily. I'm in my third year as a boat owner which is why I watch so keenly. I tend to stay away from big weather days. My only experience (as a boat owner) of anything I would consider bad or rough, was a short trip I did along the Juna De Fuca, coming from Pedder bay to Victoria Harbour during a Gale Force wind warning as forecast by Environment Canada (See Beaufort Scale List on Environment Canada's website HERE). I was a little sketched out at the beginning, because the winds were howling pretty good in the bay. I spoke to one of the dock hands who had gone out to the mouth of the bay check the waters in the skiff. He said it was blowing good out there, some white caps were forming but the wind was a north east wind, sending the waves in the direction of Victoria Harbour. He said if I stuck closer to the shoreline, that I could just surf the waves as I drive and it shouldn't be much of an issue. In the end, he was right. A bit of crashing and bashing around, but not so much that I was concerned.
This got me to thinking about the wind warning itself. I've been out in a 'Strong Wind Advisory'. and again, nothing I couldn't handle. I started to think that these wind warnings are a bit more for sailboats, than cruisers or power boats....or at least, the 'Strong Wind and Gale Wind' advisories. Now, don't get me wrong. I understand that there are other factors to think about before heading out (wind direction, tides, kind of boat you're using, etc) but I've never really had a discussion with a boater about how they approach marine wind weather before heading out, so I thought I'd ask. What are your limits? What is too uncomfortable to you?
This got me to thinking about the wind warning itself. I've been out in a 'Strong Wind Advisory'. and again, nothing I couldn't handle. I started to think that these wind warnings are a bit more for sailboats, than cruisers or power boats....or at least, the 'Strong Wind and Gale Wind' advisories. Now, don't get me wrong. I understand that there are other factors to think about before heading out (wind direction, tides, kind of boat you're using, etc) but I've never really had a discussion with a boater about how they approach marine wind weather before heading out, so I thought I'd ask. What are your limits? What is too uncomfortable to you?
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