Personal Weather Forecaster for Biscay Passage

[420Hull58]

Owing to unavoidable delays, we'll be crossing Biscay from Falmouth to La Coruna in late September/ early October - much later than I'd like. To reduce the risks, I'd like to hire a Personal Weather Forecaster to advice when to set off and to talk us away from any storms that arise by email or HF radio. Can anyone recommend a Personal Weather Forecaster or is anyone out there willing and able to to do it for us?

Thanks

 

[TigaWave]

If your radio is working you'll be getting the same information as the guy at the desk, experienced routers may give better long range predictions but Biscay should be 4-5 days at the most. The weather fax and text services are pretty good for 2-3 days sometimes 4.

Just make sure you get every weather fax or forecast as they are sent and you'll have a good idea of what to expect.

Don't be too worried about leaving late in the season, my last trip was in November, and there were plenty of other boats heading off at the same time from Falmouth, all with different advice.

Good luck (as there always seems to be some needed) I hope you have a safe passage.

 

[Goldie]

I admire your safety conciousness, but for a 4 day passage (or thereabouts) I'm not sure that a weather router is really necessary. Unlike a long ocean passage, you don't actually have a lot of routing options. I would think it unlikely that you'd want to route too far west, and east of the rhumbline worsens your (likely) wind angle and takes you into the Bay itself where the seas are likely to be more significant on the edge of the shelf and where further south, ports of refuge are scarce in onshore conditions.

I'd wait for a good window and go for it, working a little out to the west to have some westing in hand unless the weather looks set particularly fair. A nice autumnal anti-cyclone over UK should give good reaching conditions - let's hope one pops along at the right time! My last crossing was in December and it was absolutely fine. My worst crossing was in July! Good luck.

 

[MarkJohnson12345]

In the 4 day crossing, you are bound to get at least one f7-8.

Its obligatory in the Biscay!!

Mj

 

[jimbaerselman]

You won't have much choice on routing for weather over such a short distance. And once you've set off - you're committed to arriving somewhere. I've found the best bet, if you're unexpectedly arriving in bad weather, or a monster swell, is to have a choice of arrival harbours. Some will then be downwind of your original plan . . . Corme, Lage, Vivero, Cediera all come to mind.

Check 'em out on my website.

You can then move on to A Coruna when things calm down a bit.

 

[simonjk]

Hi Chris,

I provide these forecasts many times a year for sailors doing the Biscay crossing, and further afield.

To see what I offer go to http://www.weatherweb.net/buy.htm

If you need more, just get in touch,
Simon

 

[bilbobaggins]

I'm one of those who could do the thing for you.

This guy - and his colleagues - could do it rather better......

Simon Keeling MSc, FRMetS

sjk

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