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Frenchman's Bay Overview
The launch to the bay is sandy with small pebbles and no real hazards, except for boats coming in and out through the channel. Rigging is mostly done on the parking lot between the cars or on small patches of dune grass. There are no vendors on the beach, but there are several restaurants five minutes away when you drive back to Bayly Street.
The prevailing winds are westerlies, sailed mostly in the bay due to its protection. Sailing on the lake becomes favourable when the wind becomes more south or east. These winds blow cross-shore or onshore and create good swells when the winds hold consistent for any period of time. The water in the bay warms up fairly quickly and reaches a comfortable 20 deg C in summer months. The lake can reach the same temperature, but it takes a lot longer. Temperatures on the lake vary quite a bit, depending on the wind, and range between 10 -15 deg C. Offshore winds drop the water temperature, while onshore winds do the opposite. Since these conditions vary, it is a good idea to bring all your suits.
Sandy launch with plenty of parking.
Protected sailing in the bay during prevailing westerly winds.
Lake sailing best in south or east winds.
Watch for boats in the channel when sailing the bay.
Go to Swan's Marina on the east side of the bay if you require some quick repairs or hardware.
WATCH OUT! Unfortunately, there is a fair amount of "foot-slicing" debris on the bottom. Wear booties, and walk gingerly when going out in the shallows.
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