Weather-To-Sail

When it comes to weather forecasting, many of us think it is better to leave it to the professionals. But with some television broadcasts no longer even showing the isobars and countless different conflicting forecasts, sometimes you can feel you are being taken for a ride. Who do you believe when you have contradictory data? One company is coming to the rescue and teaching sailors the principles of weather and weather forecasting to help you stay safe at sea. Weather-To-Sail aims to assist sailors in making the best use of weather and weather windows.

For £79 (this is an introductory offer) you can take part in a specialist one day course in weather, taught by fully qualified practising meteorologists. Along with the training the price also includes a learning and information pack, assistance in finding accommodation if you are travelling from further a field and refreshment (this doesn't include lunch). The course is aimed at everyone, from Day Skipper to Yachtmaster, and is a good compliment to the RYA's Sea Survival, Radar, GMDSS and First Aid courses.

I attended one of the first Weather-To-Sail courses, held at the Cruising Association in the London Docklands. Kicking off at 9:30, students are greeted and registered before taking their seats to begin the lecture. The curriculum is broken down into seven modules along with advice on where to locate information. Here is a break down of what each section consisted of:

• Weather systems and synoptic meteorology
  This module focussed on why the weather acts as it does. Not only did it look at the effect of colds, warm and occlusion fronts, but also examined how they are formed and what parts of the world they originate in.
• Upper air profile
  Often a neglected area, upper air profiles are just as important to successful forecasting as what is happening at ground level. Looking at the atmosphere from a three dimensional perspective, you are told how atmospheric measurements are made and presented in tephigrams. These graphs that plot temperature and humidity against height looked daunting, but after the instructors had explained how to interpret them it was obvious that they could prove very helpful. This was certainly the most difficult part to understand, but the staff were very helpful and happy to answer queries on a one-to-one basis to make sure everyone had grasped the concept.
• How weather forecasts are prepared
  All the different methods used to predict the weather, such as infra red and visible satellite data, radar, surface data and upper air soundings, are looked at briefly - both how they are constructed and how to look at them. I am no master, but it certainly left me feeling a lot more confident about interpretation of synoptic charts and satellite imagery.
• Clouds and satellite pictures
  This was the part of the course that I most enjoyed, as it was something that can be applied to everyday life. Slides were shown giving examples of all the different types of cloud formations. Not only did we discuss how each of them develop, but also what they can indicate and how they can become a helpful forecasting tool.
• Hazards at sea
  This segment tackled issues such as approaching fronts and gales. Squall lines are a hot topic: not only how to spot them, but also the best ways to avoid them. Even hurricanes, though they don't tend to affect the British Isles, are referred to along with more typical British conditions such as fog. There was certainly an undertone of safety at sea throughout the day, but it was here that it became predominant.
• Understanding the weather: winds, wave height and fetch
  If you were approaching an island and you wanted to make use of the sea breezes, which side would you pass it on? Port of starboard? You find out about this and a multitude of other interesting facts in the module, including how the Coriolis Effect affects your sailing. Another topic covered is what local area influences and variations can have on your specific climate.
• Mediterranean weather
  Though the rest of the course is based in and around the British Isles, this section looks at the different weather that you may experience throughout the rest of Europe, specifically looking at the Mediterranean. Not only does it examine the different sources of depressions in the area, but also particularly the regional winds, such as the Mistral and the Bora.

The course I attended was lead by Phil Garner, an experienced weather forecaster and company secretary for WeatherQuest, and Dr Steve Dorling, a lecturer in the School of Environmental Sciences at UEA and sales and research director at WeatherQuest.

Based at the based at the University of East Anglia, WeatherQuest use the latest computer models and their staff's experience to provide what they claim are reliable and targeted forecasts for all business needs.

Both practising meteorologists qualified to degree level with additional MET Office training, they were very helpful and approachable tutors. They successfully managed to convey some very detailed and somewhat difficult information in an easily understandable manner.

Glyn Secker, the Weather-To-Sail course director, was also very helpful and made all the students very welcome and at ease.

Verdict

Having completed the Weather-To-Sail course, I now feel much more confident in making a maritime decision that is dependent on weather. Though some of the topics covered on the course were very in depth, I felt that all the points were very well explained and documented in the information pack all the students were provided with. Though I don't think I would be happy making my own weather predictions, I now know a range of sources to find information and if in doubt can make my own judgements from the raw data that is easily available on the web. £79 seems a reasonable price for a course at this level, and a small price to pay to help you stay safe at sea.

For more in formation and to book your place on a Weather-To-Sail course, visit www.weather-to-sail.com.

For more information on WeatherQuest, visit www.weatherquest.co.uk.