Utah Windriders Association

First of all, thanks so much to those of you who responded to my inquiries regarding Strawberry Reservoir and also Utah Lake and the Great Salt Lake. I have another important question. I'm somewhat confused why the Great Salt Lake isn't more popular with the local Utah windsurfing community? I haven't lived in Utah for some time, and have done most of my windsurfing here in the Midwest. However, it would seem to me that based on physics and the geography of the Salt Lake, as well as the physics of wind and air movement to cause waves, and also based on weather patterns, that there is great potential for some AMAZING SWELL to develop on the Great Salt Lake that could rival many other top locations in the country. I would think it would be a blast to windsurf in these conditions on the Great Salt Lake. Am I correct in this assumption? What are the limiting factors for sailing on this huge lake? Is it the depth? Does the high salt factor pose significant wear and tear on equipment (I'm thinking particularly the fin box and mast base)? I don't think there is significant wear and tear because of the salt factor, however, I am still curious about other's experience. Or is it because of other factors that I don't know about.

Thanks again, and I look forward to hearing more on this, as the Great Salt Lake has been one of my windsurfing dream locations to go to!

- Arctic

4 simple answers IMHO

1-DEPTH

2-ACCESS

3-LACK of good wind

The lake is a factor in making some of the thermal wind we use.
But it is not always blowing as good on the lake as other preferred fresh water spots.

4-TOILET bowl factor.

(everything that has been dumped into the lake since
Brigham Young said "this is the place" is still there,
with no drainage)

Wwwwwith ttttthat ssssaid,-(twitch-twitch)

I have kited there (just 2 weeks ago)
and windsurfed (salt ponds)
but it is always my last option.

-Marty

ArcticWindsurf wrote:First of all, thanks so much to those of you who responded to my inquiries regarding Strawberry Reservoir and also Utah Lake and the Great Salt Lake. I have another important question. I'm somewhat confused why the Great Salt Lake isn't more popular with the local Utah windsurfing community?
- Arctic

Indeed a few years ago despite the high salinity, the GSL was still a great place to wavesail if the wind was there! The swell could get large and it was a lot of fun to slalom between peaks and breaking waves.

However it got much saltier these last few years as the water recessed and the access also became more difficult. The last time I went (3 years ago) there I was ready to cry from the salty mist created by the wind and the waves. It was completetly unbearable and I had to sail closing my eyes to go back to the marina.. that was a little sketchy.

I think if it goes full again it will be fun but until then I'd pass.

There were some pretty huge waves the few times I actually sailed there. It was epic in terms of swell if you could launch at the marina on the south end of the lake and if you went there right after a storm front passed through. The only problem is that you'd have to time it right as after a front comes through it blows great from the north for about an hour or two then it shuts down. The salinity in the water is a thing to experience though. It stings the eyes quite badly, and if you fall and it goes into your sinus system then you suffer shock the equivalent of getting the wind knocked out of you. It would usually take a good 30 seconds to a minute after falling in the first time before I could even get a breath due to the system locking up in rejection of foreign brine shrimp and salt where it dosn't belong. AS for the south winds here. It's a terrible place for south winds becaus most of the placed you can launch are right behind the mountain range that resides along the west side of the valley. It causes terrible rotor and gustiness that make it near impossible to sail. I haven't been there in a couple of years but it's an experience everyone should try once. If you never do it again no one that has will ever ask why.

BWD