I sail on Lake Winnipesaukee in NH. Lake have some great advantages and some pretty interesting downsides. Learning wind shifts, basic safety, no salt corrosion and so-on . Good place to learn a new platform before taking it on the race course. Downside mostly is the shear amount of tight motorboat traffic that you have to dodge because they do not know the rules of the road. I have been run towards shore or water hazards many times by individuals who feel that they alone have the right of way. I tried sailing my A on a small lake in Mass, Lake Quinsigamond and after 30 mintues of being run aground or into break waters, I pulled the boat and said never again.