Back to the main site

What is the max wind speed you would take your benni out in?

A

afrey

New Member
Messages
1
Reaction score
1
Im in north texas on lake lewisville and its pretty much always windy. We have a new 2023 22 LSNPAPG that we'd love to get some time on, but today the winds are 20+mph. I had a really hard time getting it back in the slip when it was 15+mph a couple weeks ago. Was thinking maybe just puttin around the marina and some sheltered arms on the east side might be ok, but wondering if y'all have an actual no-go speed that you'd just tell your wife its just too dangerous.
 
I keep an eye on that 15mph +/- range as well. At 15mph annd more it can be a real challenge on our big lake, and being on the main body of it. It typically becomes “not worth it” to me personally at that point.
 
afrey said:
Im in north texas on lake lewisville and its pretty much always windy. We have a new 2023 22 LSNPAPG that we'd love to get some time on, but today the winds are 20+mph. I had a really hard time getting it back in the slip when it was 15+mph a couple weeks ago. Was thinking maybe just puttin around the marina and some sheltered arms on the east side might be ok, but wondering if y'all have an actual no-go speed that you'd just tell your wife its just too dangerous.
Click to expand...

Hello neighbor, we are east of you by Lake Lavon and go to Lake Lewisville quite often, Texoma too. This time of year the winds can be pretty unpredictable, or maybe it's the forecasters. 20+mph winds are uncomfortable, even on a 30' toon, and we don't go out unless we have to. In the teens we will go out and find a cove out of the winds an just anchor an relax. When picking a cove or planning the day I will check how the winds are expected to change direction. I've heard many people say 1 mph/boat foot. Just go with what you are comfortable with but start out with the less windy days. It's not just the wind you have to deal with, it's also the waves created by the wind. And yes these lakes can get a 5' wave from time to time and when the the lake is choppy it can be a bear to get back to your marina or the ramp. We were on Lake Ray Hubbard a few years ago when that unexpected tornado dropped the roof of the bank at the intersection of 205 and 78. That was an interesting day to say the least. If you get caught in unexpected winds stow your bimini's for the least impact by the winds. As you can see the toons are more easiy impacted by winds that the current. Learn to cross the waves between 45 and 90 degrees. Use the throttle and motor tilts to try and not stuff the nose into the next wave. And if you need protection from a storm, wind/rain clear shower currtains are easy to store and after use just throw them away and get a new set to store if they are needed.

To answer your question, our no-go wind forecast is when the winds are in the 20's. It's more of what is uncomfortable to be in before saying it's too dangerous. Being out on the toon's is supposed to be relaxing and enjoyable. If the weather is expected to be nice and you get caught into something dangerous then find the closest protected cove and anchor with plenty of anchor rode out, 10:1, and or beach the boat and prepare to hunker down to wait out the storm. As you already know they can easily pop up without warning around here. And don't be afraid to have everyone on your boat put on life jackets. Better to have them on and not need depend on them than to not have them on and wish you had them on. Use your boat in weather you are comfortable in. For days that the weather isn't comfortable in work on those honey-do lists items. We all have them.
 
Pleasure boating, I would agree with most. 15mph max. We boat on Wildfowl / Saginaw Bay are pretty big bodies of water. We're on Sand Point which run East West near the tip of the thumb. So a South wind, we'll fight a couple miles of chop to get to the north side of the point and calm water. North Wind, we stay on the south side of the point in Wildfowl bay for calm water. We pick out days. East and west wind big winds, its golf time as both sides are nasty.

When it comes to October / November duck hunting, we run usually no matter what unless its blowing 25ish. Nothing fancy but a 24 foot pontoon boat blind.

This was one of those days were the bay was full of ducks and probably 5 or 6 pontoon blinds were out fighting the chop. But it was most definitely worth it with a great limit of birds. I think my body was still rocking and swaying when I went to bed that night :)
 

Attachments

  • Saginaw Bay Duck Hunting 1.jpg
    Saginaw Bay Duck Hunting 1.jpg
    133.1 KB · Views: 14
going into a lift with a 15+ tail wind is max, going into a lift with a headwind of 20+ max, going to a dock 25kts
 
I have a boat lift on my lake so if the wind is blowing so hard that it looks like I'll bang up my boat trying to dock in lift I wont go out. One exception to that, if the wind is supposed to die down later in the day by the time I dock I will go out. The actual wind speed on the lake doesn't bother me one bit, just makes the waves bigger. My last boat had the ESP package so it wasn't a problem at all. This new one has the SPS+ so I'll have to find out the hard way what I can get away with :)
 
We have learned that it can be a nice calm sunny day one second and the next you're are fighting the white caps trying to get back home! When we kept our boat on a lift our double Bimini's acted like a sail and just blew us all over trying to get back on the lift! We would just park it on the side dock secure it on all 4 corners and come back after dinner or the next day to put the boat away!
 
17 mph. That was when the lake was 40 minutes away.

Now that we have a place on a lake, that number will Shirley go down as opportunity and convenience overtakes the sheer desire to be on the water no matter how windy it is.

Thanks Todd!! Still got your old prop. Still launches my boat out of the water like the Dallas in Red October. Still mint condition.

And stop calling me Shirley...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top