Minorca sailing: wind conditions?

Think you were very unlucky there, Jack S.

We went almost every year in the 90's, mostly mid-September and once early October. October was a bit cooler and on some days a bit wild, but as others have said, except on typically one day per week when we had Tramontana, winds were usually F3 with the occasional light day thrown in. Often , of course it would change over the course of the day.

I started off wearing shorts and T, but after getting caught out and frozen one deceptively sunny Sept day when it was 12 deg., I always wore at least a shorty. But then I am a chilly mortal.

The great thing was that with such a variety of boats, you could take one to suit the conditions. The Laser 4.7 has its place!

As for learning to s'handed trapeze, every hol. I found it possible to get out enough on the Contender that they had then. By no means every day, but again, I am a wimp.

Originally posted by Jack Sparrow It's either NO wind, or when it is windy, it's thermal and gusty as Cow with IBS. Plus a tonne of wind sheer due to the thermal breeze bouncing off the hills and over the buildings. It's fine if you want to get a sun tan and to bust your knees hiking or kneeling in the bottom of a Laser. But it's a totally rubbish place if you want to trapeze helm. It is a horrific place to learn to sail a Musto Skiff. I know I've done it there. I went in May. With my son. I would also be wary of going if you want to learn / improve your twin trap skills. Especially as a single and not as a pair. I got paired with a total incompetent who could only just about have passed his RYA 1 but wanted to twin trap. Needless to say the week with him at the front end was a disaster. Halfway through the week he bugged out back to Lasers and the whole focus of my week was knackered. I got the occasional session with one of the beach staff up the front. But eventually opted for sailing with my son in a 29er. The 29er needed loads of maintenance as did the 29erXX they had ( which they had no idea how to sail, I had to explain that the crew takes the main etc...). I'd never go back, + its expensive.

No, if I went on a watersports package holiday, I would want to sail dinghies and go windsurfing.  From Jack's feedback, coupled with the prevailing wind conditions cited in other posts, I can see that there's probably better options out there for me to combine the sports I love in one location.  

Edited by turnturtle - 09 Dec 14 at 5:26pm

Well, the first time we went we were totally sailed-out after one week and my hands were knackered for weeks to come.  In following years we went for two weeks and paced ourselves.  It can be a long day on the water every day if you want it to be.

The best guaranteed wind location I've been to is Wildwind. Local conditions create a gentle onshore breeze in the morning, and then strong cross-shore wind in the afternoon.  Went there a few times about 10 years ago to (successfully) introduce Mrs B to dinghy sailing.  At the time they had a reasonable selection of dinghies, but tended to encourage people to sail cats.  Instruction is very informal - their emphasis was on having a fun time.