I have sailed Carlyle but not Rend Lake. Has anyone sailed Rend Lake? It is almost as big as Carlyle, thinking maybe Rend can offer some untapped fun. Doesn't seem that anyone from down south joins our forum. Are they trying to keep it a secret?

Damn! The secret is out! I'm not an expert on Rend but have sailed it a half dozen times or so. Best way to describe it is "Carlyle-light". On average probably not as windy and certainly not as big on the windy days. However it is a nice place to sail. The big difference is the causeway that cuts the lake in half, knocking down swell size from any south or north winds. On a northerly you can sail on the south side of the causeway in relatively flat conditions, and vice versa on a south wind. Depending on lake levels most people launch near the harbor on the southeast side of the causeway. If you have a floater board, and the wind is right you can sail under the causeway to the other half of the lake. There's plenty of camping and the lake is fairly scenic. It's worth a trip to explore. Here are a couple of pics when it was blowing 40+

Thanks! I will have to check it out sometime. It will be hard to not go to Carlyle instead unless for some reason Rend would be windy but Carlyle wouldn't. Post if you are going to sail either lake and maybe I can make it down. Hope we get a good solid weekend down there this spring. Later!

Hey, Just occurred to me that we may have met one time sailing Carlyle. I remember you as this lucky dude that farms and plays in South Padre Island on the off session?

Actually that's Farmer Ed you're thinking about. He's the guy pictured above launching the Hi-Tech. He's still in Padre but I heard he's sidelined with a knee injury for a while. I do think we did meet at Carlyle years ago during the Whale of a Sail when we raced longboards. I also made it to Clinton Lake a couple of times for one of your races. I'd be fun to get some folks together for some racing. Longboard if it's lighter, slalom if it's windy.

Ah, I thought that was you obviously, I remember the Carlyle race you spoke of and it was fun but I just sailed and sat out the race. My good friend Lou sailed the race and had a good time! At the Clinton Lake race day I was the one sailing the old time windsurfer with the triangle say and was launching balloons with my girl friend and my kids with a hate launcher in the general direction of the windsurfers. Thanks for bringing back the good memories. I want to sail Coles Creek this spring, I hear that is ramp city with good access.

Reid, who else sailed the Whale of a Sail? I think you did, and we had several others at the camp ground fire.

Probably gonna sail Rend Lake on Saturday. Driving from KC to Hatteras, and this is right on the way. Anyone else planning to sail there?

Can't make it this time, I would like to hear how it goes, where you launch and such. Where are you sailing at Hatteras? I haven't made it there yet, have to make the trip sometime.

I'm going to Hatteras to do the Phil Soltysiak freestyle clinic; never been there before. I was going to go to Cabarete for the 2nd time and do a clinic with Wyatt Miller, but he cancelled, so I changed my plans.
Hoping the St. Louis guys decide to go to Rend Lake on Saturday, so I don't have to sail alone!

Why are you choosing Rend over Carlyle? Just curious.

Carlyle is the wrong direction; probably cost me an hour of driving each way. Rend is right on my route.