Atlantic Circuit: Cheapest way to get weather at sea?

[Ohlin Karcher]

I'm doing an Atlantic circuit, next yr. (Hopefully extended ICW meanderings as well).
What's the cheapest and simplest way to get weather at sea?
Iridium and SSB are expensive. Ipad app + shortwave receiver seems fraught with possible reliability pitfalls on a small wooden yacht.
There is now a proliferation of little gadgets which talk to satellites, eg Spot, Yellow Brick.
Which one can give me weather, at sea, in a simple way which we can read without fuss?
I use Ipads and am not versed in digital jargon.
Can I buy a little box which puts isobars on my screen?
I hope to find simple answer as my brain is melting trying to google the subject. Have any other posters found the answer? TIA!

 

[SV Kittiwake]

Do you have a sailing buddy who's on shore who could send you a summary via inReach?

 

[ross84]

I have a Garmin InReach Mini - it gives basic weather reports, including wind speed, upto ten times a month for 14.99 per month (I think!). You pay an annual 25 pound 'connection fee'. You can pay extra for marine weather reports, but I don't know how much extra these cost. I only ever used mine for going to mountainous regions where basis weather reports were sufficient. To get extra reports, I think it's about a pound a message.

 

[HunterWanderer]

The cheapest way is grib files via Winlink 200k and SSB radio
You will need a full Amateur radio licence and then use your call sign.
Together with the SSB transciever you will need a pactor II modem and laptop.

 

[capnsensible]

1. Get a barometer.

2. Learn how to use it.

3. Get a five day forecast before you leave.

4. Relax.

 

[mbroom]

Look out the window, and use a barometer.

I have a Garmin InReach which is ok for local forecasts, but almost impossible to see the broader picture, as it cannot download gribs or similar. The forecast is more like your local radio. Yes, it’s useful especially for tracking and short message communications, but treat the weather as a bonus and look at the sky and barometer! I would not buy one just for the weather.

 

[Ohlin Karcher]

Do you have a sailing buddy who's on shore who could send you a summary via inReach?

Possibly. But I don't know how I could get to see a chart of isobars for an area of sea, with predictions for the next 5 days, by text message? And I would be dependent upon someone else, a long way away.

 

[Ohlin Karcher]

I have a Garmin InReach Mini - it gives basic weather reports, including wind speed, upto ten times a month for 14.99 per month (I think!). You pay an annual 25 pound 'connection fee'. You can pay extra for marine weather reports, but I don't know how much extra these cost. I only ever used mine for going to mountainous regions where basis weather reports were sufficient. To get extra reports, I think it's about a pound a message.

Thanks I am investigating the InReach marine weather subscription add-on, however Cruiser net forums have many blue water yachtsmen reporting problems and uncertainties at sea with this service.

 

[Ohlin Karcher]

The cheapest way is grib files via Winlink 200k and SSB radio
You will need a full Amateur radio licence and then use your call sign.
Together with the SSB transciever you will need a pactor II modem and laptop.

Thanks..I have a UK intermediate Ham licence and there is not much chance of me doing the Advanced. But..nobody bothers with the RSGB legalities when past our Western Approaches I am told, and I only want to receive not transmit so don't need any quals for that..
(also, an SSB installation is something I don't want to bother my pretty little boat with, to be honest..)

 

[mbroom]

Possibly. But I don't know how I could get to see a chart of isobars for an area of sea, with predictions for the next 5 days, by text message? And I would be dependent upon someone else, a long way away.

It’s possible, but you need a really knowable friend; my friends would only tell me if I need my umbrella! Get a long range forecast when you leave and observe. People have been doing this for hundreds of years...some even survived!

 

[Ohlin Karcher]

Look out the window, and use a barometer.

I have a Garmin InReach which is ok for local forecasts, but almost impossible to see the broader picture, as it cannot download gribs or similar. The forecast is more like your local radio. Yes, it’s useful especially for tracking and short message communications, but treat the weather as a bonus and look at the sky and barometer! I would not buy one just for the weather.

You can be sure I will be logging the pressure that's a given..I was coming rapidly to the same conclusion about InReach, for my purposes, ie NBG.

 

[Ohlin Karcher]

..People have been doing this for hundreds of years...some even survived!

Absolutely! I might as well cast about for any recent innovations though, it can't hurt to ask.

 

[mbroom]

You can be sure I will be logging the pressure that's a given..I was coming rapidly to the same conclusion about InReach, for my purposes, ie NBG.

Mine is worth a fortune as my wife and family can follow my progress. That alone lets me go sailing... However the weather is the weakest part of it.

 

[GHA]

Ipad app + shortwave receiver seems fraught with possible reliability pitfalls on a small wooden yacht.

Take plenty of ziploc bags Even if you go another route for gribs getting weatherfax images as well is a big deal. Not going, trades just blow mostly but coming back getting a good few days ahead of synoptics can help so much as you try to grab the bottom edge of the lows round about 38n heading for Flores.
Not much for a radio.

 

[GHA]

People have been doing this for hundreds of years...some even survived!

Not as many as do with good forecasting.. coming back dodging 50Nm south with a low coming in can make a huge difference.

 

[mbroom]

Not as many as do with good forecasting.. coming back dodging 50Nm south with a low coming in can make a huge difference.

True. But OP asked about the newer gadgets, and not SSB nor Iridium. My experience of InReach is that it is not entirely useful. I would certainly prefer an Iridium unit.

 

[AndrewB]

Not as many as do with good forecasting.. coming back dodging 50Nm south with a low coming in can make a huge difference.

Too true. If there's a tropical storm around, you REALLY need to know where it is.

Around 25 years ago we came across Mike Richie in Jester, becalmed about 500 miles out from the Azores. We'd heard a warning from Herb (remember him?) of a tropical storm following us, which we passed on. We headed south, and the worst we had was a few very wet hours of F8. But Mike Richie told us he didn't pay too much heed to forecasts, and carried on. He later wrote it up (YM, Nov '97) as an 'awesome' storm.

 

[GHA]

True. But OP asked about the newer gadgets, and not SSB nor Iridium.

.. and mentioned not wanting weatherfax......but he's wrong, he does It really helps and works. Doesn't cost much either. No brainer to have onboard for ocean passages imho even on boats bristling with sat.

 

[Ohlin Karcher]

Take plenty of ziploc bags Even if you go another route for gribs getting weatherfax images as well is a big deal. Not going, trades just blow mostly but coming back getting a good few days ahead of synoptics can help so much as you try to grab the bottom edge of the lows round about 38n heading for Flores.
Not much for a radio.

Thanks. Yes coming back in particular. I'm now going to take a SW receiver, ipad with weather app etc, because I already have them anyway.

 

[Ohlin Karcher]

.. and mentioned not wanting weatherfax......but he's wrong, he does It really helps and works. Doesn't cost much either. No brainer to have onboard for ocean passages imho even on boats bristling with sat.

I am taking them definitely now, why not.