Utah lake launch

[DaneHeld]

I am wondering if anyone can help.
. I would like to know where people launch at Utah lake. The only place I have sailed at Utah lake is pelican point back when we had a key to get through the gate ..I mostly sail north of Salt Lake City.so a bit blank on Utah Lake.
Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Dane

[Craig Goudie]

Hey Dane, I'd recommend Saratoga Springs Marina on the West side of the lake near the North end.
I haven't been there for a few years, and they are probably charging for access now, but they have
a nice grassy rigging area, just North of the marina jetty, and pretty reasonable (if a little mucky)
access to the water. It's just South of the El Nautica Boat Club which is right about where we used to sail
in the late 80s early 90s. I've also sailed down at the very South end of the lake (Kiter heaven down there).
It's got a long but sandy bottomed walk to water where you can clear a skeg appropriate for a 7 or 8 M sail.
That drive is pretty long though. You won't believe the development at UL these days. MM19 is a long gone
memory.

-Craig

[DaneHeld]

Craig thanks for the great information..
Dane

[Bob Clark]

Edit June 11. Made the drive to Utah Lake yesterday and sailed the Saratoga Springs Marina for the first time. Believe it or not, 4.7 conditions! From what I understand, there is only a parking fee, for those launching a boat. It is indeed a nice place to rig & launch.
Sailed a place last summer just north of Iwindsurf's mile post 16 wind sensor which I now know was MM 19. Last summer, there were quite a few cars parked along the dirt road immediately fronting the lake, just people hanging out. But, there were also a few windsurfers and kites out. Went by yesterday to find that the beachfront dirt road had concrete barriers in place that limit access to about only 30 yards of beachfront choked with fisherman.

[obzansky]

Any suggestion for foiling locations on Ut Lake? Especially in terms of weeds and depth. thanks DaveO

[DaveHubbel]

DaveO,

Instead of just telling you to not to at -3 feet from compromise level here are a few links:

West side is deeper closer off shore.

https://usa.fishermap.org/depth-map/uta ... #add_block

I think this link map is the depth at compromise level which is reference point that lake depth is usually measured from.

Current lake level:
https://data.cuwcd.com/data/reservoirs/index.htm

I guess it is all about how many 100s of yards you have to carry your gear while sinking in to mid shin in that buttery goop. I think the only realistic approach would be floating out of a marina on the NW side in a N wind, but with the heat wave I would think the first toxic algal bloom is not far away I used to chase shallow water to kite the lake in weird places before the algal blooms were a regular thing, (and I've crossed the lake at many locations on windsurf gear a lot decades ago) and I would say the lake will be dropping very steadily from now on this year and launches would not be pretty for a foil anywhere outside of a dredged marina on the NE shore.

I would say that 2 feet above compromise level and deeper is when UL would be more foil-friendly. That usually takes a winter with over 500 inches snowfall and occurs before July.

[obzansky]

Thanks, Dave for the detailed analysis of foiling on UL. Your description, along with the fact that I hate the I15 drive from SLC, means I will not be wasting my time or gas on UL.