I try to find 15 mph or less sustained winds... hopefully out of the south or southwest. Yes, North or Northeast winds tend to bring more waves. With the marine forecast i am looking for 2' or less hopefully. If it is forecasted for 1-3's I am then paying closer attention to the direction of the wind, and maybe trying to launch at a particular location accordingly. For reference I have an 18' Lund. I tend to error on the side of caution... especially since I have a 2 1/2 to 3 hour drive to get there. I think this year I have picked out about 5 different days to try to get trips to work out and only been able to get 2 of them to work. We are now headed to a more stable weather pattern time of year. Late July and August seem to be the most predictable times to plan a trip.