Atlantic Circuit: Cheapest way to get weather at sea?

[franksingleton]

Not true. The big Atlantic weather systems are fairly accurately forecast and a GRIB file will show up to a week ahead. Yeah they might vary a bit in time and force, but once established they will turn up. A friend circled for five days west of Azores while a "freight train" went ahead of him.

Originally Posted by Neil_Y
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You can't outrun or avoid much in a small monohull so you just need to watch the barometer and sky. I have used a cheap ssb receiver and an old lap top to get weather faxes which were more useful on the way back. But still it was only a warning of what was to come rather than a way to avoid bad weather. I've now got a target receiver which works well and also means you can listen to nets and hear other yacht reports of their weather. Have a good trip.

There is something in what you both say. Yes, forecasts are often pretty good up to a week or more ahead but there are occasions when that is not so. There will be occasions when you can see a storm coming and take avoiding action. But there will be others when a conventional monohull or, even, many cats that will not be able to get out of the way. A storm may well be just too big, your boat too slow and forecast precision just not good enough.

Synoptic charts by Radiofax should be as good as GRIB output on which they are based. The advantage of the GRIBs is that you can get them for 10 days ahead. For those that can receive email, a good way of getting synoptic charts is to use the MailASail chart responder. This compresses charts into about a 25kb attachment. See http://weather.mailasail.com/w/uploads/Franks-Weather/charts.pdf.

 

[Heckler]

Thanks, if you have time, could you detail how your knowledgeable friend formatted the twice daily uodates into a txt message? Was it sent in a pre-arranged code?

When I do it know where my mates are, the Delorme drops a breadcrumb every whatever they choose. I look at Passage Weather and Windy. PW shows gribs for the area, I can see what the systems are doing, so can say something like low X miles north of you etc etc. I can then say 20kts NE forecast for the next X amount of hours and in fact in quickly changing conditions I email every hour if necessary so up to date real time info is squirted by me to them.
For example, one friend was at 16 deg north with not enough wind, however I could see that at 14 deg there was loads, I sent that info, it was their choice then what to do with it. Its not rocket science and I would argue that as others have said, the trend can be seen. If you wanted to be a nerd, get pages of the Atlantic chart printed and agree with your friend to send updates and fill in the pages so that a record can be kept. I fired up my Delorme as it was when I came south and it cost me $60 US for two months of unlimited emails and breadcrumbs dropping. It wasnt expensive and I was quite comfortable with emails every few hours if necessary.

 

[Heckler]

We used both an Inreach and Iridium Go on a transat. The Inreach gives you a forecast based on a last/long position that you select in the request message. We found that, whilst limited to the area selected, was accurate and relatively cheap. We were sent forecasts via email on a daily basis via the Iridium Go, linked to an iPad: again limited because they only covered where we were going to be in the next few days.
I’ve sent weather messages to mates doing a Pacific crossing via Inreach. I used the PocketGrib app for the forecast, plotted their position, course and expected speed on a daily basis, using that to generate wind speed and direction, general weather and wave height forecast. Reduced to the bare essentials, that can fit into a single text message for a three day forecast.
My forecasts were reported to be optimistic as far as wind strength was concerned (they’d hoped for more wind...) but spot on for direction, general weather and waves. When it looked like there was potential for a storm system developing, I’d send a second message giving current location, pressure and heading for the storm centre, so they could make course decisions if needed. That worked well, as the tariff their Inreach was on allowed unlimited incoming messages.

Nail on head!

 

[lonederanger]

Thanks, if you have time, could you detail how your knowledgeable friend formatted the twice daily updates into a txt message? Was it sent in a pre-arranged code?

If it is of any interest, Please see dialogue below, you will have to read bottom to top for chronological order.
this is a transcribe of messages from my Weather router AKA Dad coming back from the Carribean to Uk on a delorme in reach
being a cheap scate i didnt do the track option but had my 3 preset messages which are free. All is oK, Weather please, and safely arrived this covers most eventualities, unless i got bored and wanted a chat as i was on my tod.

Sat1200UTC30k260d 180026k270d Sun0022k270d 060022k270d 120018k270d 180015k260d Mon0010k230d poorwhale keep wach lotsships frogsinglandIMOCO16k restsoon luvU dad
Jun 4, 2016 12:10 PM Delete Message
Jun 4, 2016 10:43 AM

Hove to 35k+gonowhere till finish poor popo take such beating this week to top it all yest hit whale fulltilt popo ok but whale right off betterweatherplease
Jun 3, 2016 2:59 PM

All is ok. Luv U xxx
Jun 2, 2016 4:15 PM

Heading horta could of done with a break no get pole track fix no work, so waste more miles running N or south shit week wet boat miserble crew will sack crew k
Jun 2, 2016 4:01 PM

All is ok. Luv U xxx
Horta is good Thu1200UTC20k260d Fri20k285d Sat24k260d Sun0600UTC22k265d EtaSunMorn Will tel Em. was thinkin bout u Mondy! AOKnow take pics love from us all dadx
Jun 1, 2016 7:43 PM Delete Message
Jun 1, 2016 4:03 PM

All is ok. Luv U xxx
May 31, 2016 3:59 PM

All is ok. Luv U xxx
May 30, 2016 3:59 PM

All is ok. Luv U xxx
GoodPositn worst on Mon0600UTC29k260d centrLo43N40W 120025k310dHeadForAz Tue1200UTC24k310d Wed17k300d Thu25k260d Fri24k280d if to strong goE
May 29, 2016 9:45 PM Delete Message
May 29, 2016 3:56 PM

All is ok. Luv U xxx
May 28, 2016 3:57 PM

All is ok. Luv U xxx

GoodPlanKev told Em At34N41W onMon0000UTC18k250d 060027K255d 120026k300d 180027k300d Tue000026k315d 060023k315 120021k320d ingust+5k good brReach toAz15-20k dad
May 27, 2016 9:02 PM Delete Message
May 27, 2016 3:57 PM

All is ok. Luv U xxx
May 27, 2016 2:27 PM

Busy morning pole out one side pole out other check message and now flee b reach heading 35N 43W. Probably go to 34 N might be able to sail course down there k

Fri120014k250d Sat12k300d Sun11k320d BigLoMon1200Cent39N42Wat38N50kat36N37k Tue00ooCent38N37Wat38N50kat36N41k Tue12ooCent39N32Wat38N30kat36N37k moreS isBestDadx
May 26, 2016 6:01 PM Delete Message
May 26, 2016 3:57 PM

All is ok. Luv U xxx
May 25, 2016 4:24 PM

No worries weather at least go somewhere will motor day drift night popo and crew healthy and happy can say there no fish in ocean warm and sunny at least luvk
May 25, 2016 3:57 PM

All is ok. Luv U xxx

HeadE nomoreN BigLo Sun44N54W Mon42N42W Tue41N38W Wed43N34W. TmoroWed7k340d Thu5k020d Fri14k245d Sat14k320d Sun5k340d Mon30k230d Tue30k250d get plentysleep dadx
May 25, 2016 3:13 AM Delete Message
May 24, 2016 4:01 PM

All is ok. Luv U xxx
GribDown Hi1032MbTue35N43W We35N49W Thu1024Mb33N49W Tue14k220d Wed9k310d thu3kV HanginThere wil update tmoro ifGrib back.Head FloresWed keep below39N bigloTu31
May 23, 2016 9:29 PM Delete Message
May 23, 2016 3:59 PM

All is ok. Luv U xxx
May 23, 2016 3:58 PM

Weather forecast please.
May 22, 2016 3:55 PM

All is ok. Luv U xxx

KeepStear045whenHededTackN Sun1200UTC10k038d Mo15k158d Tue12k204d We12k302d Thu3k285d AzHiUnestablished,drifting Su28N35W+smal37N52W Mo36N44W We35N47W Thu33N45W
May 21, 2016 9:35 PM Delete Message
May 21, 2016 4:55 PM

All is ok. Luv U xxx
May 20, 2016 5:01 PM

All is ok. Luv U xxx

SugestStear045to36N49W Fri1200UTC16k205d Sat13k300d Sun8k070d Mon17k170d Tue7k245d Wed8k285d AzHiFri31N36W Sat30N37W Sun28N36W+buble36N50W Mon35N42W Tue35N41W
May 19, 2016 7:56 PM Delete Message
May 19, 2016 4:58 PM

All is ok. Luv U xxx
May 18, 2016 5:00 PM

All is ok. Luv U xx
Stear050to32N52W isbetter no hole Sundypants. Wed1200UTC10k130d Thu11k165d Fri14k200d Sat19k230d Sun12k055d Mon12k152d AzHiWed35N33W Fri31N38W Sun28N39W+36N51W
May 18, 2016 12:07 AM Delete Message
May 17, 2016 5:30 PM

All is good on the good ship popo a little slow but fair weather and comfortable which unusual for hear aiming for 32N 53W if mis N wind do i fall in hole kx
May 17, 2016 4:55 PM

All is ok. Luv U xxx
Tue1200UTC8k100dWed10k115dThu15k190dFri18k220d SatSun pearshape15-20k030d asHiNYgoesE If stear045mayMisit. AzHi Centr34N 40W no trop dep Em start work today xx
May 16, 2016 7:37 PM Delete Message
May 16, 2016 5:00 PM

Weather forecast please.
May 16, 2016 4:59 PM

All is ok. Luv U xxx
May 15, 2016 4:54 PM

All is ok. Luv U xxx
May 14, 2016 5:03 P

All is ok. Luv U xxx
May 13, 2016 4:58 PM

All is ok. Luv U xxx

AOK 10-12k at 1200UTC Fri-Mon goin to155d then Tues6k 176d. Keep reaching, if you can make more east with speed no problem, Em good in St Irenee. Stay safe Dadx
May 12, 2016 7:22 PM Delete Message

 

[Ohlin Karcher]

Frank, Heckler and deranger, thanks very much I will read and digest that before commenting.