Family Sailing on the Great Salt Lake
A relaxed family sailing trip on the Great Salt Lake turns into a calm and beautiful day on the water. Light wind, smooth sailing, and simple family fun
We finally got the family back out sailing on the Great Salt Lake today—it’s been too long. Since we had dinner plans with my parents later, we decided to get an early start and make the most of a calm October morning on the water.
The wind forecast didn’t look great. All the sailing apps were showing one or two knots out of the west—barely enough to ripple the surface. But as any sailor knows, even a light wind day on the Great Salt Lake can turn into an adventure, so we went for it.
Getting Ready to Sail the Great Salt Lake
As we drove toward the marina, we saw about eight boats heading out together—a rare sight for this lake. Usually, it’s quiet out there, so seeing a whole fleet was exciting. Looked like the local racers were setting up for a light-wind regatta.
This October has been the wettest on record here in Utah, and we were a little nervous about what we’d find inside the boat. Luckily, everything was bone dry. We checked in on our neighbors’ boats too, letting them know theirs looked great and watertight.
On deck, we rigged the hank-on jib, got the outboard running, and stowed the mainsail cover. Warren helped cast off the bow line while Nikki handled the stern, and soon we were easing out of the slip.
Navigating the Marina and Shallow Water
The marina’s currently being dredged, which makes getting in and out a bit tricky. Technically, it’s closed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., but word around the docks is that if you radio the dredge crew, they’ll often let you squeeze through. We called in, got clearance, and made our way toward open water.
It was nice to see the area where we’d run aground a few weeks back had been cleared. The depth sounder showed a comfortable five feet, though we still spotted a few shallow patches just outside the mouth of the marina.
Once clear of the channel, we followed the PVC poles marking the route. Not totally sure if we were supposed to stay inside or outside of them, but sticking between them worked fine. The tour boat behind us did the same thing, so we figured we’d guessed right.
A Surprising Breeze for a Family Sail
After rounding the last buoy, I throttled up and felt the tiller kick slightly as we slid through a soft silt hump—no damage done, just a reminder that Great Salt Lake sailing can still have surprises even on calm days.
When we hit deeper water, we dropped the keel, raised the jib and main, and shut down the outboard. Warren took the tiller while Nikki and I finished trimming the sails. To our surprise, the wind had filled in nicely—steady around seven knots from the east.
For a day that was supposed to be flat calm, it turned into decent family sailing weather. The water was fairly calm, the air warm, and the boat moved easily at two and a half to three knots.
The kids were content—phones in hand—while Mark, who wasn’t feeling great, stretched out in the V-berth. Warren hung out on deck, and Nikki and I traded off on sail adjustments as the wind shifted. Our old rudder still needs constant attention, so steering takes a bit of focus, but that’s part of the charm (and the project list).
Various images of everyone relaxing while we sail along.
Turning Back Toward the Marina
After about two and a half hours of peaceful sailing, GPS showed we were about two hours from the deep-water buoys, so we turned back. The return trip was slower, around one and a half knots at first, but the breeze picked up again and we cruised back at three.
As we approached the marina, the race boats were flying their spinnakers, their bright colors catching the sun. It was a beautiful sight—those big sails glowing against the calm water. Someday I’d love to have one of my own, but for now, they’ll stay on the wish list.
We dropped sails, started the outboard, and glided back toward shore. We touched bottom again at the same shallow spot, but hopefully the dredging will take care of that soon. After a quick radio call to the dredge crew, we got the all-clear to come in.
Wrapping Up a Great Family Sailing Day
Packing up was fast, though the kids groaned about hauling gear up the steep gangway. Once everything was stowed, we headed up to my mom’s for dinner—tired, sun-warmed, and happy to have spent another quiet, memorable day sailing the Great Salt Lake together.
