Weather

Weather

The weather will most likely determine if you enjoy a day’s sail or not. Before leaving the dock, assess the ability of you and your crew to endure poor weather. I dislike drifting around with little steerage, especially in the dog days of summer. Im happiest in 15 to 25 knots on a sunny day, but my guests might prefer calmer conditions. The point of sail you are on in heavy seas can make a huge difference to enjoying the ride. Running down wind in big rollers can be lots of fun, but pounding upwind in a 5 foot chop can be miserable. 

So check the forecast before heading out, and review the likely conditions with your crew. If just out for a daysail, you can always turn around if the weather deteriorates, but if you are on a multi day cruise, have a bail out location in mind if things get nasty.

In the summer on the East coast, late afternoon pop-up thunderstorms are always a possibility. Keep an eye out over the western shore for thunderheads so you can make it back to shore before a squall hits, or at least be prepared to shorten sail quickly if ducking in is not an option. 

There are several free weather apps for forecasts and viewing radar displays. Use them throughout the day, but don’t forget to make use of your own senses: scan the clouds for potential trouble, listen for thunder, recognize the ozone smell associated with lightning, and feel the rapid change of temperature that accompanies an approaching storm front.

Learning how to handle changing weather conditions takes experience, but good preparation and situational awareness goes a long way to staying safe and having fun on the water.

Captain Dan