SANDPOINT — A family of Sandpoint sailors rescued a stranded windsurfer during a windstorm that raked the area on Wednesday.

Greg and Jennifer Anderson were conducting a shakedown cruise of a recently acquired sailboat when they noticed a windsurfer struggling in the winds after he shoved off from City Beach.

The couple and their 17-year-old daughter, Caroline, tacked around an open part of the lake off the Seasons at Sandpoint to become acquainted with the handling of the Caroliese, a 23-foot Fareast vessel designed by the Dutch and South African firm Simonis-Voogd.

Greg Anderson estimated the gusts were reaching 45 knots on late Wednesday afternoon.

Even with the mechanical advantages of a modern sailing vessel, Greg Anderson said it was a rough go.

“It was tough on us. We had to reef the sails and we were having an adventure just bringing the boat back,” Greg Anderson said.

The windsurfer linked together several runs under sail, but kept crashing after becoming overpowered by the winds, the couple said. Before long, the windsurfer was doing more foundering than sailing.

Greg Anderson waved to the windsurfer a couple of times in 20-minute intervals to see if he needed help, but there was no response.

Conditions ultimately forced the family to stow their sails and shift to an outboard motor as they returned to their marina. But the windsurfer continued to struggle.

“I noticed he was standing up and using what looked like a paddle. I found out later he was actually using the pole of his sail to try and paddle his way in and I said, ‘He’s not going to make it,’ because the wind was going directly against him,” Jennifer Anderson said.

The family made its way to the windsurfer and offered to help. The 20-something Bonner County man was grateful for the assistance and tried to cut a stoic image, but Greg Anderson said the distress was nevertheless evident.

“The guy was exhausted. Sometimes you can look in people’s eyes and I wouldn’t say he had given up but he was darn close to it, and there was nobody else out that day. It was howling,” Anderson said.

Although the windsurfer did not bring a mobile phone or radio, he was otherwise well-equipped. Caroline Anderson reported that he was wearing a life jacket and Greg Anderson noted that he had a wetsuit that helped warm the man’s core, although his extremities remained exposed.

Greg Anderson figures overexertion and water temperature ultimately worked against the windsurfer.

The water temperature at Albeni Falls Dam on the Pend Oreille River was measured at 61 degrees on Friday, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The U.S. Navy’s Acoustic Research Detachment in Bayview put the lake’s temperature at about 68 degrees on Friday.

Sea Grant Minnesota estimates a person can potentially lose consciousness in as little as two hours after being immersed in 60- to 70-degree water.

Jennifer Anderson said it was somewhat remarkable the windsurfer was able to make any headway in light of the conditions.

“I was totally impressed that he even stood up a couple times. It looked impossible,” she said.