OBX in April?

whitevan01 · Joined: 29 Jun 2007 Posts: 607

This year's spring vacation for me will be April 2 - April 12. Is this too early for OBX? I don't have any control over these dates, so am hoping it will be not too cold but will be windy.

thanks.

quigley · Joined: 23 Mar 2010 Posts: 58

Not too cold for me. At least not for the last 25 years !

WaterKook · Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2014 7:03 pm Post subject:

Hatteras is like a box of chocolates!
Bring all your rubber and you could end up trunking it or in your 4/3. I think early April is generally windy.

jpeter · Joined: 18 Oct 2009 Posts: 353

We did a family vaca in Avon 2'nd week of April two and three years ago. FIrst year all I brought was a 4/5 wetsuit and was steaming hot on the 2 days I sailed. That was a warm winter. Did a few trips last week of March, 25 years ago and we had snow to 80's both times.

We might do the second week April this year as school vaca dictates.

Great time for a value rental. Some Canadian neighbors I met had said "Cheaper than staying home"

JP

fanatik · Joined: 17 Sep 1994 Posts: 51

April is the best month for wind.
It is about 50 to 70 degrees.
2013 blew almost everday for 3 weeks starting end of march.
Best year ever, mostly small sails.
It can be kind of cold, not usually shortie weather that early.

whitevan01 · Joined: 29 Jun 2007 Posts: 607

ok, thanks for the info. I was thinking that it was going to be too cold, esp. at night. Normally, I camp, but might try to find a house rental share this year.

I went this year, second or 3rd week of April, and there was a giant storm on tuesday or wednesday, gusts over 50, so I left and drove home or my tent would have gotten blown away

. Did get in a good couple of days, so it was worth it.

rollerrider · Joined: 17 May 2003 Posts: 100

I've been going to Hatteras in April for 16 yrs. Its a good chance it will be cold in early April. Like 50's. It can get as warm as 60 to 65 for a day or two. One good thing about April is its fairly dry with some sun. It will be cold at night.
I remember that storm. Wind driven rain came thru the windows and doors and soaked the carpets in our rental. My equipment got banged up a bit.

rthomas · Joined: 04 Oct 1993 Posts: 9

If you happen to be heading up to the Duck/Corolla Light area for a "family vacation", there's some good sound side sailing to be had, but not a lot of launch points. I've done a couple of April vacations there in the past few years and no problem with a wetsuit (even hit some 80 degree days in April).

A nice sound side launch in Corolla Light is the public boat launch in Whale Head bay. A bit shallow at low tide, but not bad. Last trip we rented a place just a few houses south of the boat launch and sailed right out of the back yard.

Corolla is also only 35 minutes or so from the Jockey's Ridge / Roanoke sound area. Although it's not really like the "true outer banks", Corolla Light is a great family spot, which the kids (ages 10 to 17) really loved... (almost as much as dad). Very Happy

whitevan01 · Joined: 29 Jun 2007 Posts: 607

rthomas, thanks for the info, but no kids, no wife, no stress.

jpeter · Joined: 18 Oct 2009 Posts: 353

Rthomas may have been confusing you with my post.

"but no kids, no wife, no stress."

You don't know what you're missing.

My agreement for the Family Vaca last 2 times was: I get to windsurf if conditions are good on the ocean side.

This year will be different: My son will be sailing/learning on the sound side. I will be surf SUP ing when it's good, Windsurfing when it's good, Wind-SUP ing when it's good.

This could get complicated ...
JP