Any captain with sufficient sailing experience knows the importance of keeping track of the weather forecast just before sailing, because this aspect is the most important component of a successful and safe yacht charter. This is especially true for long sea voyages and regattas, since in accordance with weather maps, you can build a route to prevent calm and stormy situations.
The concept of good weather among sailors and ordinary people is strikingly different. Lords of the Seas like strong winds and light waves. But all weather forecasts have their own subtleties, requiring special training and knowledge in the field of meteorology.
Reading weather charts is an essential yachting skill. Every self-respecting yachtsman should understand the designations on the charts, as they can help in the future with planning of movement patterns and weather changes. You also need to be able to determine the direction of wind and waves, to know the laws of distribution of air masses over the underlying and over the water surface.
With the right choice of weather, yacht management turns from a duty into a pleasant pastime. It is best to track the weather forecast every day, especially since modern technologies allow you to do this automatically - by sending alert reports to your smartphone or laptop. According to most experienced sailors, the priority (and correct) solution is to ride out the storm in the harbor rather than put the ship and crew at risk.
An up-to-date weather forecast is an integral part of any yacht trip and the main component of its safety. Fortunately, it is now to obtain data on upcoming cyclones and precipitation as simple as possible. When traveling offshore, you can use satellite or radio communications, which have been specifically designed to help in such situations.
Weather is one of the main factors that can make your yacht trip unforgettable, both in a positive and negative sense of the word. Today, a large number of sites and applications collect and update information about the weather and are synchronized in real time with the current indicators. It is important for the yachtsman to obtain the necessary information before going to sea. Despite the dominance of electronic gadgets, to date, the most accurate and proven way to predict the weather is through your own observations. Any forecast must be checked for reliability, to what extent it is applicable to a given area and, of course, use your own experience.
The Internet has become the main source of information for modern yachtsmen. Experienced yachtsmen 2yachts highlight several applications and sites that, at the right time, are able to provide a sailor with the right information.
This is a free service popular all over the world, claiming to be the most convenient. Regular updates of wind, temperature and precipitation data make it almost irreplaceable. All data (including gusts of wind, temperature, precipitation, cloudiness, etc.) are collected in one map with good visualization. The main disadvantage of the Windy service is the inability to download information to a smartphone - can only be viewed online. The site is run by a guy whose passion is helicopter flying and surfing. In addition, he is quite good at programming and in 2014 decides to create his own project called Windyty. Since then, this site has incorporated a large number of diverse functionality and can enlist the support and cooperation of many international firms.
Website: www.windy.com.
Another up-to-date and reliable source of marine weather information. The application has a special function - display of atmospheric fronts. The paid version (compared to the free one) provides the most accurate forecasts. This service has access to the most modern geographic information stations. Advanced high-resolution modeling provides maximum comfort and accuracy when working with the site.
Website: www.windfinder.com.
A feature of this application is detailed information about the waves, their direction, height and nature. There are both free and paid versions. The first is intended for coastal routes, the second - for going out to the open sea. The application works equally well both on a smartphone or tablet, and on a laptop, and it provides the function of downloading detailed weather information to the device. Among the pluses: the ability to work with Wi-Fi, mobile networks and satellite technologies.
Website: www.predictwind.com.
Last on this list is a highly functional weather site. Russian version is available.
Unlike its predecessors, this system uses algorithms to calculate weather changes for a long time ahead, which makes it possible to make not entirely accurate, but, meanwhile, frequent forecasts.
Website: www.windguru.com.
It is very important to be able to apply your knowledge during route planning periods, but do not forget that any forecast cannot give a 100% guarantee of its implementation. This information helps in preparing for the trip, but when sailing, only personal experience and skills give the skipper confidence in a favorable and safe journey.
Local weather sites should be used when sailing in untouched waters, as they generally show better accuracy than public apps. So, in the waters of Greece, you can use Poseidon (www.poseidon.hcmr.gr), in Turkey - Mgm (mgm.gov.tr), and in Russia - the Hydrometeorological Center (meteoinfo.ru/mapsynop). In the Mediterranean, the Croatian website prognoza.hr with an English version is considered the most accurate.
If you are interested in yacht rental cost in any region of the world - you can always successfully contact the services of the company 2yachts. Find your dream yacht with 2yachts!