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Dear Rochester Area Windsurfer:
I have always wondered if anyone managed to windsurf north from Rochester to Canada.
According to this video (see link below), it seems like it is feasible if you are conditioned and motivated and if you can sort out the legalities:
Skip to 1:17:20 in the video, and a 5 minute piece on two people who sailed 70km (45 miles) across the Baltic from communist East Germany (i.e., DDR) to Denmark presents itself:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_282GyZWBM&t=1642s,
And do not forget to use my Rochester area launch finder at:
http://windsurfresource.com/rochester.htm
Windsurf Resource
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Locally, I’m the only “long distance” windsurfer I know of. Have sailed 35-40 miles of course sailing on the St Lawrence, and gone ~5 miles upwind of Geneva on Seneca (on both S and on W winds). You have to be a little sick to want to do it!
In the ’90s, I did hear of sailing to Canada from Hamburg, or somewhere near there.
It’s not for the faint of heart, particularly when the wind drops (I once had to pump my IMCO 8 miles in a dead calm…it was that or suffer the indignity of getting a tow). I would very, very strongly recommend a high performance longboard for any such endeavors – you’ll be much more likely to get where you want to go, and will have something big and floaty if things go badly.
Crossing Lake Ontario is a very, very, very formidable notion. I’ve done it on a 30′ ketch in a full gale, and it’s a really long, long way. I am sure it can be done, but because it’s all one tack the sailor would pay an extreme price.
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Might be smarter (safer, anyway) to have a support boat, but I’m more of a mind to do such things in a self-sufficient mode. Adds to the challenge, though compared to the early NY settlers there’s far fewer predators to worry about so it’s mostly about being able to handle the unpredictability of being exposed to the elements (and being careful to not have breakdowns you can’t overcome). Still, not being prepared or sufficiently skilled, one could get oneself in a heap of trouble…not as much as in mountaineering or solo ocean voyages, say, but enough to add some edginess to the adventure. I mean, why would Alex Honnold use ropes and a partner to climb El Capitan when he could free climb it (what an amazing feat!)? Crossing Ontario on a board, any board, would get quite an applause from me. But crossing it solo…now that would really win my everlasting admiration.
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You guys have heard of Arnaud de Rosnay non?
Clearly Geoff has, from his history in the sport.
Chris…..maybe not….he’s kinda like Arnaud…sailing lake Ontario in December in strong off shore winds on 1980’s gear………in the 2000’s. Kinda like Leland Van Lew from Along Cam Polly. A base jumping Crocodile wrestling, Motocross racing, shark diving, snake wrangling crazy son of a B.
Arnaud:
https://www.outsideonline.com/1930996/swept-away-windsurfer-disappears-sea
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Oh, yes, de Rosnay. It must be said that his “boards” were more like a sea kayak, with space for gear and food and stuff. But, boy, he really was out there. Crossing Ontario would have been nothing for him. Notable that he had nothing but old-style sails…quite formidable achievements his various crossings.
And, of course, there was the TAWR – transatlantic windsurfing race. Now that had really good pro sailors, but they sailed on teams in relay fashion and (I believe) only sailed in daytime. There was a ship that had a heliport and inflatables to assist the riders, but on one or two days there were really big seas (18 feet-ish)…and in the ocean it can really blow. Plus, with 4 guys on a team, you don’t get that much rest and I’m sure it was extremely fatiguing.
https://www.surfertoday.com/windsurfing/9132-transatlantic-windsurf-race-celebrates-15th-anniversary
No surprise that they didn’t do it again!
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