We are sitting at anchor and want to go ashore but the tender motor won't start and it's quite windy. The tender is a 3 mtr Zodiac with solid floor. Shore is 500mtrs away and I'm semi fit. Anyone have an idea what would be the max wind speed I could row against when it's right on the nose? Coming back would be easy!

So how fit are you?
How strong is the breeze?
What is the seastate like?
What is downwind of you?
Will you carry EPIRB / flare / emergency supplies?

www.abc.net.au/news/2005-01-06/missing-couples-dinghy-found/613560?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Good luck!

I think if you have to ask the question, you've already got your answer.

I would attach a 50m strong line between the tender and the boat and try it out knowing you can haul yourself back to the boat if necessary. If you can't make 50m easily then stay aboard. If you can, return to the boat, fix any issues and then go for it (with appropriate safety gear on yourselves and the tender of course....).
My rule is: if in doubt don't. I trust my instincts no matter what.

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Poodle said..
So how fit are you?
How strong is the breeze?
What is the seastate like?
What is downwind of you?
Will you carry EPIRB / flare / emergency supplies?

www.abc.net.au/news/2005-01-06/missing-couples-dinghy-found/613560?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Good luck!

All irrelevant

How much water do you have?
How much food do you have?
How much booze do you have?

Always Always have an anchor in your tender ??

And always row upwind till almost ashore, so you'll be blown back somewhere near your boat if anything goes wrong, and carry your EPIRB or PLB.

I figured this out early in my sailing, when my outboard cut out during a cross-wind trip ashore to a little island in the Furneaux Group. Rowing my little inflatable is well nigh impossible in any sort of wind, so it looked like I was headed for South America. Fortunately I pretty quickly realised I'd forgotten to open the O/B fuel cock, so it all ended well. Great lesson learnt, that could have ended very badly.

Cheers, Graeme