barometer - should I have one Katie L?

Fully agree that any weather station worth having should report the raw data in numeric units - it's welcome to give me an iconic display of its best guess of the future, but it should give me the data to make my own assessment.
 
Without the barometer above the chart table I wouln't be able to fill in the "pressure" column I draw in the exercise book I use as a log book
I certainly wouldn't be able to tap it, Appearing nautical is always good for crew confidence.
Mainly though, any reminder of "Pressure Drop" prompts me to put Toots and the Maytals on the stereo which in good weather or foul invariably makes things better.
 
laika said:
Without the barometer above the chart table I wouln't be able to fill in the "pressure" column I draw in the exercise book I use as a log book
I certainly wouldn't be able to tap it, Appearing nautical is always good for crew confidence.
Mainly though, any reminder of "Pressure Drop" prompts me to put Toots and the Maytals on the stereo which in good weather or foul invariably makes things better.
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Quality. Great post :D
 
I have a barometer on the bulkhead as well as a barograph on my Cassio watch. In truth, my ability to make a forecast with it is not as good as the forecasts got from the radio, internet or harbour office but the experience of using a barometer during my cruising years hasn't been wasted and I still use a glance at the barograph record and the sky to make my judgements.

The barograph on my watch is infinitely more help than the barometer since its display gives an instant demonstration of current trends. If it has one modern use it is to show the user whether a change shown on a forecast is happening earlier or later than the experts have predicted. It will also show if I have sunk.
 
It is good for entertainment as well as for cross reference. I have one in the house and one in the boat. I don't look at the boat barometer too often, even when I am on the boat, however, I always look at the barometer at home.
 
On long trips, when out of range of mobile phones, VHF, 2G, 3G, 3.5G and 4G the barometer and wind wind speed and direction coupled with a knowledge of clouds, is a valuable resource and the only source of weather information - in our experience every bit as accurate as the Met Office - LOL
 
Bound for Gibraltar, we once put into Mazagon having noted from our hourly pressure entries in the log that the baro was falling far and fast. There was no mention of deteriorating weather on any of the other available services.

A while after we were safely alongside, the wind instrument was recording 58 knots through the marina. Had we not heeded the baro', we'd have been out in it, and close on a lee shore, rather than in the bar. I use my barometer.
 
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Simondjuk said:
Bound for Gibraltar, we once put into Mazagon having noted from our hourly pressure entries in the log that the baro was falling far and fast. There was no mention of deteriorating weather on any of the other available services.

A while after we were safely alongside, the wind instrument was recording 58 knots through the marina. Had we not heeded the baro', we'd have been out in it, and close on a lee shore, rather than in the bar. I use my barometer.
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Very well put.
 
I have a nice shiny brass one on the bulkhead by the brass clock. I rather like them but rarely look at the barometer. I do tap it occasionally when I remember it's there.
I would quite like one of those digital station,s not as pretty or shiny
 
Uricanejack said:
I would quite like one of those digital station,s not as pretty or shiny
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I've got a digital one with a built-in atomic clock, barograph, calendar, moon phase, sun/moon rise/set ...

It is very handy, but due to reorganisation I now need one that it portrait rather than landscape; a task that is proving quite difficult.
 
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I have a dull brass one fixed to a bulkhead and an Oregon weather station at the chart table. I always check both when on passage and we always write in the passage log along with sea state, wind speed & direction and anything else weathwise that is happening at the time. It's good seamanship to do and had saved many a hiding.

It's interesting that the analog barometer (which can be easily calibrated) is more accurate than the digital one (which has always read 4mb low, and can't be calibrated!), but the digital one is far better for reading trends.

There you go, just because it's black & white, it don't mean it's Guinness!
 
Well in my humble opinion and in amswer to KTL question. Modern weather forecasting is so much better than you can do with barometer trends alone.
I hope KTL carries the means to receive official forecasts ie radio internet etc all far better than what he can do alone. I would not bother with a barometer for coastal cruising.
Our weather comes from the southern Indian Ocean and I am amazed at how accurate they can be regarding bad weather coming.
good luck olewill
 
nigelmercier said:
I've got a digital one with a built-in atomic clock, barograph, calendar, moon phase, sun/moon rise/set ...

It is very handy, but due to reorganisation I now need one that it portrait rather than landscape; a task that is proving quite difficult.
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I have an Oregon that is portrait format: roughly 100 X 150. I can't remember the model number, it's on the boat and I'm not...
 
William_H said:
Well in my humble opinion and in amswer to KTL question. Modern weather forecasting is so much better than you can do with barometer trends alone.
I hope KTL carries the means to receive official forecasts ie radio internet etc all far better than what he can do alone. I would not bother with a barometer for coastal cruising.
Our weather comes from the southern Indian Ocean and I am amazed at how accurate they can be regarding bad weather coming.
good luck olewill
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In the situation I mentioned up-thread, we were equipped with VHF and Navtex, and had checked online and print forecasts at the last available opportunity. None of these predicted the storm we encountered. On this occasion, only the barometer saw it coming in time to warn us.
 
Simondjuk said:
In the situation I mentioned up-thread, we were equipped with VHF and Navtex, and had checked online and print forecasts at the last available opportunity. None of these predicted the storm we encountered. On this occasion, only the barometer saw it coming in time to warn us.
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Fully agree - when you can have a barometer so cheaply, why wouldn't you?
 
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