When sailing in light winds, the strength and direction of the tide can both help and hinder us. Understanding and adapting to the currents in an area like our Guppy Pond is a skill to master when racing American 18s.

The already shallow waters of Sarasota Bay become even shallower during low tide. This can expose sandbars and other underwater hazards, increasing the risk of running aground.

Be aware of the tide schedule to avoid getting stuck.

In addition to knowing about high and low tide times, it is also important to understand the concepts of ebb, flood and slack. The “Tides Near Me” app provides information about current flow and forecasts for New Pass, and many other waterways in our area.

Hyperlocal weather conditions around the Sailing Squadron can mean that we have great sailing conditions despite a big picture weather forecast that looks miserable.  

For this reason, we like to make a last minute “call it at the dock” launch decision while looking at the local forecasts.  We will cancel racing if we see lightning moving towards the Sailing Squadron. We use the My Lightning App to monitor storms on sailing days.