[Paddlewise] Effects of wind

>As far as wind is concerned (another topic entirely), I can't imagine why a
>wind at your back is not easier from an effort, not handling, point of view
>than a wind in your face.

>Jerry

     Yesterday while I was paddling a local lake, the temperatures were in
the upper 80s to low 90s, with lots of haze and humidity.  I did a 5.5 mi.
(one way) run up lake and then back to my landing.  Over the last 1.5 miles
going up, the heat was almost too much.  I could see from the surface of
the water that there was a light breeze, but the air around me was
absolutely dead, suffocating, because I was going in the same direction
that the breeze was blowing.  As soon as I turned around and headed down
lake, the breeze was in my face and I stopped worrying about overheating.
In hot weather, with light airs, I prefer any direction other than
downwind.
     Three weeks ago, on a river in north Florida, I paddled while a
weather front was moving through the area.  Occasionally, when the river
and wind were aligned, I got hit by gusts of wind in the 20 to 25 mph
range.  On the upstream run, when that happened, I slowed to a crawl.  On
the downstream run, when the gusts hit, I simply coasted, using my body as
a sail.  However, I was on a fairly narrow river, so waves, other than boat
wakes, were never a problem.  The lack of waves simplified coping with the
wind.
     Two days earlier, I paddled open water under similar weather
conditions.  The chop varied from 6" to well over a foot. My upwind pull
was slow, but I made steady progress into wind and waves.  My two downwind
runs were separated by that long upwind pull.  The first downwind run was
fast because I was fresh and well able to handle any incipient broaches.
The second downwind run was much slower, even though conditions had not
worsened.  I was tired and had to pay careful attention to boat handling to
prevent broaches.  That second downwind run isn't one I want to repeat any
time soon.
     I believe the real key is not wind, per se, but the waves that the
wind generates.  On protected water, wind is not a major problem.  On open
water, wind generated waves quickly become a major factor.

Bob

--------------------------------------------------
Robert C. Perkins, Ph.D.
Associate Dean for Research and Planning
Methodist College, Fayetteville, NC 28311
910-630-7037     rperkins_at_methodist.edu


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