# Wind



## surfingyaker

Hi all

What does everybody a safe wind speed to go out in. I am new to the sport and when it comes to speed in knots i have no idea (should probs learn).
I have a fairly stable yak (viking tempo) but of cousre this doesnt make it the fast yak if i get in trouble. I am not planning on going far offshore.... I will be paddling about a KM to a island and then paddling around that and back again.

Lochy


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## simond11

I can only speak for Clovelly, here in the Eastern suburbs of Sydney. Seabreeze today at 1300 was giving 13Kn WSW winds and a 2.0 mtr swell. When I went down to have a look, although the water looked terrific, the rock monster would have had a field day with anyone foolish enough to go out. The swell was coming from the SE and waves were crashing all over the Gordon's Bay ramp. Not pretty.
I would say that for here, anything under 12Kn with a .5-1mtr swell, and a W wind would be pretty much ideal conditions. Any wind or waves that are coming from the South are a NO NO!
Cheers

Simon
Prowler 15


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## Davey G

wind direction is the critical issue. Here in Sydney it can be blowing hard from the West or South west (winter winds) and the first km or 2 out from the beach will be like a millpond due to protection from the shore. Offshore winds flatten out the ocean, onshore winds make it lumpy.

Ideally if its windy and you still want to go out you want to be paddling into the wind on the way to your fishing spot and with the wind behind you on the way back. It becomes dangerous when paddling back in from a long trip and you start running out of energy. At least with the wind behind you you can drift back in the direction of home if you start getting tired.


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## Peril

I had a tempo double and it was a pig in wind and chop. While it was safe in the sense that it wasn't going to tip over or tip anyone out, it was hard to keep on track and chop would slow it down considerably. Make sure you have enough water and energy food because you'll have a tough paddle home if you get caught out in wind and chop. You'll find your own ability but I'd begin with thinking that 15kt is the maximum you can handle


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## ArWeTherYet

Hi Lochy
Set Sea Breeze on your favorites http://www.seabreeze.com.au/maps/qld.asp Study it, always check it before you go out. 
Its not 100% accurate but its usually not too bad. 
Red arrows ( less than 10kts) is OK. Yellow arrows (10-20kts) is more for the experienced yakker and you need to know your capabilities before you go out in these conditions. Green arrows (20kts plus) is bloody dangerous and you should not intentionally go out in those conditions.

In the end its up to yourself to work out what the yak and you can handle, so it will pay not to go too far out till then.


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## simond11

In reply to Paul's observation regarding Seabreeze, you can actually change it to suit your needs as a fisherman. Seabreeze was originally set up for surfers and windsurfers, so when the arrows show Green it means it's ideal conditions if you are a windsurfer, but not a fisherman. You can change the colour of the arrows accordingly. As Paul says, it's not perfct but it's still very good and usually gets it right.
Cheers

Simon
Prowler 15


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## DGax65

Wind is one of those things that you really need to watch before going out. Start small and don't get too ambitious until you get accustomed to the wind. Try to keep it under 10kts until you are comfortable with your paddling skills. The wind can be deceptive and you don't want to get caught off guard. Wind frequently builds over the course of the day. Rapid heating of the land can lead to strong offshore winds in the afternoon. Landmass shadowing can cause deceptively low winds in close and much higher winds offshore. Also, watch for wind direction shifts. Always check the wind forecasts before paddling and watch for signs of building wind (white caps, dust) when on the water. Use a real-time wind station near your fishing site if available. Talk to local fishermen and sailors to learn the local wind patterns.

You can equip your kayak to handle the wind better. A rudder is invaluable in a crosswind. With a rudder you will be able to counter the wind without changing your paddle stroke. A narrow blade touring-style paddle offers less wind resistance. Feathering the blades will allow you to paddle in windy conditions with less resistance. Limit topside wind-loading by stowing rods, landing nets and other equipment in the hull. Smaller crates/esky's will also create less of a sail area. A drift sock/drogue/sea anchor can be a lifesaver if a strong offshore prevents you from getting back to shore. You can deploy the drogue, sit out the wind without getting blown half way to New Zealand, and then paddle ashore when the wind dies down at night. In very strong winds you might want to consider tethering yourself to the kayak. The combination of strong gusts and choppy conditions can flip your kayak. It is unlikely that you would be able to swim fast enough to catch up to an unloaded kayak drifting in high winds.


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## bugalugs

Just don't ever let the bravado get the better of you. If you look at the water and think "Should I or Shouldn't I" then it's a good time to pull the pin. If your not confident in the conditions, come back another day when things are better. You could go out 100 times when conditions are too good , but it will only take one day that turns out worse than you think and it can get dangerous. And a kilometer can be very far indeed in rough water. It's a case of start small and work your way up.


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## mantabay

1knt = 1.85 km per hour so 10 knts = 18.5 kms h this makes it easier to get your head round it if your not used to knots.

Always use the wind to your advantage when ever possible,if your determined to go out when it's windy which is possible on sheltered water, paddle into the wind on the way out and it'll blow you back home later.

If your totally new to it and are keen to see how your Yak behaves in a bit of wind paddle out against the wind when it's onshore so if you screw up it'll blow you back in.

Most of all play it very safe especially if out on the ocean until you have gained experience.


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## petanquedon

Paddling with the wind behind you is obviously easier.

The economists suggest if you are faced with uncertainty you need to have a conservative plan.

How fast and far you can paddle against a strong wind depends on many things.


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## sunshiner

Hi Lochy

That's all good advice but here's a bit more. Have some means of contacting your local Volunteer Coastguard in the event that you are unable to make headway against the wind and are being blown offshore. I carry a waterproof VHF radio which is ideal for that purpose but a mobile phone (not one that needs to be unfolded to use), *in a waterproof bag*, may do the trick. If you do take a mobile phone, put the Coastguard contact number in memory. I preface the GC entry in my Contacts with "AA" -- that puts it at the top of the list. Yep, I usually carry the phone as well as the radio.


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## cruiser

i wish i had seen this post before i went out on sat arvo,the forecast was 20 knot north winds and it wasnt far off the mark when i got to my fav beach ,all the signs said dont go out there, strong winds, big sets comeing in, strong outgoing tide and not a boat to be seen for quids ,still i rekoned the plan was just to go out about 150 m and catch some kg whiting yeah right it was like being in giant size washing machine ,the wind had all intensions of pushing me to tassie at a great rate of knots against a good swell and it wasnt nice i can tell you, after 10 mins or so i headed back in and the fun part came ,well it wasnt fun then but i was glad to hit the beach, i waited for a bit of calm between sets and gunned it for the beach but paddling into gusty winds i started to realize i was going no where fast it didnt take long before a wave caught me and flipped us over ass over tit ,luckily i was in waist deep water and there was no great damage done apart from a lot of pride and a bit of lost gear .the morale of this tale is take good heed of the conditions,dont be a dickhead like me and push it to the limit, above all be safe and enjoy your self out there ,cheers cruiser


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## yankatthebay

15-20 knot wind is pretty normal around here when we have rainy weather for a while. So I figure when I get a sunny day that I can go out in I will take whatever comes. I always check the forecast for direction changes after I went against the wind a while back, then turned around to head home with a nice wind on my back only to find the wind had switched around 180deg so I had to paddle into it again (almost had to land at a different location and walk back to get the car).


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