The summer of 2009, Eve and I realized a little dream that first arose when we became downtown residents of Pittsburgh. We are surrounded by some of the most spectacular waterways in the world. Wouldn't it be fun to hop on a bike, pedal over to a small sailboat at the river's edge and launch into the water? What an extraordinary mix of downtown living and riversports?!

Starting that summer, that is what we have been doing. It proved to be harder than we thought to realize that little dream. But it was worth the effort. My little blog here reports what happened and what is happening.

I encourage everyone to think about sailing on the rivers. It is a very different experience from all other forms of boating. (See Why We Sail.)

Before you throw yourself in a sailboat onto the rivers, I do want to alert you that this is not something to be done lightly. The rivers can be risky places. You do need to know what to do if there's no wind, or too much wind, or if the wind becomes erratic, or when a barge looms, or if the current is too strong. (For that last one, the answer is simple. Stay out of the water!)

If you are an experienced sailor, or can make contact with one, there's no reason to shy away from the rivers. Just remember that what can go wrong will, so be prepared. If you want to hear more, email me at jdnorton@pitt.edu

After a few sails on the rivers, I'm now beginning to see what conditions are good for sailing:

-- My original strategy had been to dock the boat downstream of the Point and always sail upstream. That way, if the worst happens and the wind dies completely, I will drift home, even if slowly. And, for the very worst, I do carry a paddle, firmly tied to the deck. However for the many days with little current, the effect of the current is so small as to be negligible.

-- Sailboats work best when there is the greatest difference between the windspeed and water speed. Therefore the optimal winds run against the river current, if there is a current. Then you run before the wind to get upstream. To come back downstream, you tack into the wind, with the current aiding you. For the rivers around Pittsburgh, that means winds from the West and the North are best. Indeed If there is a noticeable current, I've decided not to sail unless I have them. If there's no current or only a very slight one, then any sustained wind is all that is needed.

For more on this, see What Does It Take to Beat the Current?

-- There are some big, fast moving things on the rivers that you do need to keep away from. (Barges!) Make a habit to scan for them constantly; they approach faster than you first expect; and know where the channels are that they move in. As long as there is wind, even a slight breeze, a sailboat is powered and can move. Don't sail on those few days when the air is calm. And do always carry a paddle if you the wind dies unexpectedly.

Where are the channels in which the barges navigate? See Navigation charts.

What clearance do I have under the bridges for my mast? Everywhere, there is at least 40 feet of clearance. That is ample for any sailboat likely to be sailed on the rivers. For sketches and measurements, see Navigation charts.

-- I keep a close eye on the river currents through the US Army Corps of Engineers' data, as presented on the US Geological Survey website. I like to see flows below 10,000 cubic feet per second on all the rivers. For wind speeds I like to see winds forecast over 8mph. 5 mph is a minimum since with that forecast, on the water, there will be awkward periods of calm.

Here are useful links for river currents and wind forecasts.

me sailing