In article . com, Joe
wrote:

Here it is easy to run a beam reach back and forth across the lake. Not
much distance and not much of a task.

I live at the western end of a bay that opens onto a channel running
more or less N-S. Winds are W to SW a lot of the time. The days when I
have a nice 10-15 knot northerly, *and* the tide is in, *and* I'm not
in the office or far away from home, are rare.

Plenty of southerlies but taking a 12' dinghy out into the Channel in
25 knots gusting 35+ with wind bullets spinning off the hills is a bit
too interesting for comfort. Doug is right tho, it improves your
reaction time nicely.

Once I get my barn finished I'll get onto the next project - a lot
bigger boat *and* the time to use it seriously. Meanwhile, plenty OPB's
to play on.

PDW