I would like to see information for first time participants on rallies, races and regattas. I went on the NARC Rally thinking it was about safety and found myself in 30-35 kt. winds with gusts even higher. There was no reliable weather information after the weather briefing in Newport and trusted the coordinator to keep us safe and informed. We ended up calling the weather coordinator on our Gobalstar because he had no way of keeping updated on the weather. I would like to know what questions I should ask IF I EVER DO THAT AGAIN. What I should look for in a coordinator to judge the safety of the operation.
Hi There: Your question got passed to me.
First, you need to be responsible for your own weather decisions. This is critical. No weather router can make those decisions. They can advise, but the models are often off a bit on their timing, and none of them are very good on a micro basis–what is happening on your own patch of ocean. Then there is the issue of what the boat and crew are capable of handling.
Understanding weather, and the best tactics associated with it should be everyone’s first priority on the learning curve. This is ahead of anything to do with equipping the boat, or any other aspect of seamanship.
And it is not that hard. There is some study involved, you might want to spend some time taking a class, and you will need to practice at home (but that’s fun). With the internet, and some of the software now available, you can practice based on the current data, and then check out how your forecast is stacking up the next day. Regards–Steve
Posted by Steve Dashew (November 30, 1999)
