VANCOUVER ISLAND WINDTALK

Has anyone ever tried sailing at Horne Lake?? I had to eat a little humble pie with the turkey after being skeptical enough to leave all gear at home this weekend even though the relatives insisted they get frequent strong winds in the afternoon on the lake. Didn't even bring my trusty wind gauge but I would estimate 15-18 knots most of the afternoon.

Yep, summer when at a friends cabin for a week about 4 years ago. The afternoon the local non sailors will talk about is usually a westerly thermal in the summer, not as strong as Nitinat usually, tends to be gustier. Surprised if you would get one last weekend, maybe a clearing westerly? 5.8 was my biggest sail, could only get planing a couple of times during the week, slogged a lot (kinda fun anyway), 7.5 and a wide board would have hummed pretty consistently. Also got some strong SE then too. Really warm water. I've seen it at 20 kt quite a bit there when passing by, I'd think the fall could be great flatwater blasting.

I used to sail a laser 2 there at my parents cabin. It can get strong winds, 20knots, but is very very gusty on the southern part of the lake. Winds tend to slam down out of about 2 low passes at the southern end and does not blow consistently across the lake. Some areas have no wind. There might be more consistent winds that funnel down from the Horne Lake caves end before the bend in the lake by the power lines but whenever I sailed up there it wasn't that steady.

I once left their dock and did a planning broad reach in a big circle right across the lake and back to the dock without having to head upwind, tack or gybe. Strange winds.