Understanding Wave & Wind Reports

propane

propane

Well-Known Member
Looking for some feedback on wind & wave reports. More so when is it to windy or wavy to be out fishing. I started to get a feel for this last season but have forgotten. I should add out on the great lakes

My ride is a 18ft. Tiller

I'm I close to say 15knot would be a very challenging to troll around, if so what would be the max ??

Wave would be around half meter or ????

Again Thanks Everyone
 
This is a very interesting question with many variables.

I watch a site called http://www.windfinder.com/forecast/pt_burwell
It gives hourly predictions and direction changes. I find it quite accurate. Waves 1 meter or less and winds under 15kts are my guidelines but that is in a 23' boat. It all depends on wind direction, boat size, experience and comfort.

Check out wind finder though it is a great site

Be safe, good luck

BD
 
Depends upon where you are boating in erie... example wind from south 15 kn boating in inner bay... relates to a good chop. Same wind from south boating in Burwell/Bruce, The wind comes across the open water ends up being about 2-3 ft waves at burwell/bruce from south. Take the same wind and go North of shore at Burwell... you can do perching along the provincial park shore line. Take that same wind and it comes from Detroit way... Bruwell/Bruce could see 2-3ft and inner bay would be fine at port rowan and a mess at turkey point...not sure if this helps
 
This how I interpret wind, if I see whitecaps I go golfing or cut the grass. Don't complicate things @dirtbike. If you get to the lake and see whitecaps don't put the boat in the water. Get the marine reports from Environment Canada website, google it and select eastern section Lake Erie, when it says 1 meter waves take my advice and stay home.
 
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@Big Dave says it all. Save the Wind Finder site on your smart phone/IPhone. Its all about your comfort zone as things can change fast. @Big Dave knows when its time to cancel a charter and not jeopordizing the safety of his clients.

@WhatsthePoint when there are white caps, thats the time I call my buddies to go boating in their go-fast boats. Thats pure excitment at 75+ m.p.h.
 
Yo Dirt Biker; For Long Point Bay this is the best site same deal as Big Dave's site for Burwell but a forecast for the light house/ weather station @ Long Point. It gives an accurate forecast of the conditions you can expect on Das Bay. It shows wind direction change very well and so you get it. I've used it everyday 5 or 6 years and compared it to my flag pole and it's real good. It doesn't require joining anything like that other wind site. Don't go out on the Bay with out it.
http://www.windfinder.com/forecast/long_point_lake_erie
 
Here's one I use which I personally find more accurate than Wind Finder especially on extended forecasts. I used Wind Finder for years receiving many surprises when I got to the lake and then used Sailflow exclusively all last year and I honestly can't remember missing on the forecast even once. When I get up in the morning I still always check the Port Stanley marine weather buoy as it tells me the exact conditions at the moment 12 miles offshore where I'm actually headed. Between the two I'm good to go because this old guy doesn't like getting pounded by waves anymore.

http://www.sailflow.com/en-us/Search/ViewResults.aspx#42.312,-81.122,9,2
 
I think I got this now, 15kts or less, wave 1m or less , if more get the motorcycle out.
If the winds are from the North,, fish the North shore of Erie, if from the south fish the south sore of Huron this would be better boating on winder days.
 
This is from Env. Can. Marine weather site that you can get to from the weather section here.
http://weather.gc.ca/marine/weather...ry_e.html?mapID=11&siteID=07503&stationID=WPS
It's a summary of conditions at all the buoys( not reporting yet) and land stations on south Great Lakes. Click on the station you want and it shows last 24 hours so you can check to see how close the model you use is. For Long Point it's.
http://weather.gc.ca/marine/weather...ry_e.html?mapID=11&siteID=07503&stationID=WPS
I've been told that the shape of the Point bends the wind there and can give distorted direction.
Booth's has a weather station. It' pretty good although it's direction is off right now. It says 65 Deg. and the wind is 270 Deg.
http://www.weatherlink.com/user/booths/index.php?view=summary&headers=1
Bird Studies Canada has a station just west of Port Rowan
http://www.bsc-eoc.org/about/index.jsp?targetpg=bscweather
 
Windfinder is amazing in it's accuracy. I run a 20 footer and will hit the deep water frequently with riggers and boards etc. You will more often come home in much worse weather than you go out in so I have a 10 knot rule and keep a weather eye!
 
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