VANCOUVER ISLAND WINDTALK

I'm looking for advice on exposure suit for windsurfing Nitnat this summer. What's the water/air temp? I heard you need to wear a life jacket to windsurf in certain places in Canada, is this true? is this enforced at Nitnat? Hope not. I'm moving to the island and I'm hoping on spending some time out at the lake, hope to meet some of you there. Any other advice is welcome.
Cheers!

A 3/2 steamer should be fine most of the summer. Lots of beefy guys seem to manage in a shorty most days - especially if they keep dry on most gybes. The water is quite warm even now, and gets progressively warmer through early August. The air is often in the high 20s - but especially when there is coastal fog drifting in and a 30 kt breeze on a good day, the air can feel still feel chilly. I sailed - or rather, did many complicated waterstarts - for a couple of years in an ancient (20 yr old) 3 mill farmer john with a 3 mill separate jacket, that was barely warm enough. Last summer I bought a 5/3 steamer with hood I used in the at Nitinat. When I felt a bit hot, it was easy (or unavoidable) to cool off in the lake. So I think the 5/3 is not too hot, and can be used through the great fall/winter/spring sailing around Victoria, or up-Island. Expect to see you at the beach!

WindNut wrote:I'm looking for advice on exposure suit for windsurfing Nitnat this summer. What's the water/air temp? I heard you need to wear a life jacket to windsurf in certain places in Canada, is this true? is this enforced at Nitnat? Hope not. I'm moving to the island and I'm hoping on spending some time out at the lake, hope to meet some of you there. Any other advice is welcome.
Cheers!

In the early spring I wear my 5/4 but come July and August I wear a shorty or even just a rash guard and a pair of shorts. It really just depends on how much you want to fall in. As for life jackets, technically you are required to have one with you at all times. In my 20 years of sailing I've never seen this enforced. About 10% of the windsurfing population around here wear one and most of these are beginners.

a nice inbetween is the impact vest, while not approved as a life preserver, they do provide floatation and are less bulky that a full on life vest. Nice to have some sort of backup you know. As for enforcement, as I used to be involved with the nitinaht emergency services, life vest have been a topic of disscussion on a number of occasions, most recently since the death of "wolf". I do not believe that they is enough manpower or resources available to ever enforce such a law at nitinaht, but will say I have seen (as a member of the emergency services) a number if incidents where having a life vest has been very benificial. nuff said

Thanks alot for the info guys! I got the gear packed, the apartment rented, all the other stuff is sold or gone, and I'm ready to roll west. Can't wait. Thanks again.
Stoked,
Maui