We decided to tackle the topic of shore effects on lakes after seeing examples on Lake Okoboji and running across a great video from the Wayzata (MN) Yacht Club, featuring Gordy Bowers discussing the Winds of Minnetonka. As we’ll show,…

When I was starting out racing on our tiny lake, a mentor told me to look for more wind near the shore in light air. This appeared to be true frequently, but as with many rules of thumb in sailing,…

Sailors commonly talk about the sea breeze. This leaves lake sailors feeling left out. So, we asked Chelsea Carlson, of Sea Tactics, to educate us on the lake breeze. A professional meteorologist, Chelsea provides sailors with weather forecasting, online courses,…

We’ve all heard advice on how to use clouds as part of your race strategy. Most of what I’ve heard has been vague – “sail towards the clouds” – and wasn’t backed by a good explanation. So, it was refreshing…

At SailZing, we’re all about finding better ways to communicate complex concepts so you can become a better sailor. We’ve been reluctant to tackle wind strategy, because every resource we reviewed seemed to be too dense even for us theory…

Shiny streaks, or “wind lanes” appear between the darker areas. These  indicate the direction of the approaching wind with absolute accuracy. Frank Bethwaite in High Performance Sailing, Section 5.4 This statement in Bethwaite’s authoritative book peaked my interest. What sailor wouldn’t…