PredictWind - Wow! I feel like I’ve been well and truly fleeced

[KeelsonGraham]

Activated my first PredictWind SIM card today, expecting to enjoy one month’s service for the advertised $139 ( £110). But no. Although PredictWind advertises a cost of xx ‘per month’ it’s actually per calendar month.

The rebilling occurs on the 1st of each subsequent month and you can’t cancel your subscription in the same calendar month as you started.

Tough sh1t for anyone activating on the last day of the month. It’ll cost them £220 for a month’s worth of service. Double the advertised rate.

Sharp practice in my book.

 

[Tempus]

Have a try of luckgrib instead. I think it's amazing value for a cruising boat. I gave up on predict wind as I can't get close to justifying the cost.
Luckgrib also runs the calculations on your tablet so you can manage your downloads.

 

[lektran]

According to their terms and conditions, the first month is pro-rated:
"3.1 The billing of your Iridium GO plan is pro-rated in the first month if activating part way through the month. The included voice/data minutes for the first month are pro-rated. Subsequent months are billed on a full calendar month basis."

I assume that means you're only billed for half the month (and get half the minutes/data) if you activate half way through the month.

No argument on the second point though, they're basically forcing you into a two month contract.

 

[Rappey]

At that price wouldn't starlink be an attractive option ?

 

[Kelpie]

At that price wouldn't starlink be an attractive option ?

It's geographically locked, for now. Will be a game changer when it becomes truly mobile.

 

[northwind]

It's geographically locked, for now. Will be a game changer when it becomes truly mobile.

It's no longer geo locked
Starlink Becomes Movable With New 'Portability' Option

 

[lustyd]

Agree I had a similar experience of PredictWind and will be cancelling as soon as I can. Unfortunately due to their anti-consumer attitude that has to be at the end of the contract. If I cancel renewal now I immediately lose access with no refund.
I have to say the service is nice enough but certainly not worth what they charge so not surprised they’re trying to trap people. I signed up by creditcard though so very tempted to play the “I didn’t agree to renew” game and get the credit card company to give them a kicking next year.

 

[Kelpie]

It's no longer geo locked
Starlink Becomes Movable With New 'Portability' Option

AFAIK still locked within a continent, and not available offshore. Would be very happy to be proven wrong on that.

 

[ryanroberts]

It has heavy power demands too at 100w, you have to imagine that the maritime market is on their roadmap but it seems a fair way off currently.

 

[franksingleton]

Just about every forecast is now available for free. Even ECMWF. The exception is the UK and, even here, Jersey Met issues UK UM Channel forecasts on theirwebsite.


If you want shore based objective routing, then PW is one option. As far as I know, there is no human input. If you like their GRIB presentation and delivery service, then PW might be for you. If you are near the coast, you can usually get the main models over the internet. Out of range of terrestrial networks, it then depends on how long you are out of contact and need more than NAVTEX can provide. Blue water sailors have a choice of HF/SSB and satphone.

PS. I forgot to say -
For those using Satphone or HF/SSB to receive emails, Saildocs has greatly lncreased its out put. as well as GFS, they now have ICON and ICON-EU, ECMWF, NDFD, COA,PS, NAVGEM, HRRR, Wave models and RTOFS. For details, see http://weather.mailasail.com/Franks....mailasail.com/Franks-Weather/Saildocs-Models

 

[geem]

Just about every forecast is now available for free. Even ECMWF. The exception is the UK and, even here, Jersey Met issues UK UM Channel forecasts on theirwebsite.


If you want shore based objective routing, then PW is one option. As far as I know, there is no human input. If you like their GRIB presentation and delivery service, then PW might be for you. If you are near the coast, you can usually get the main models over the internet. Out of range of terrestrial networks, it then depends on how long you are out of contact and need more than NAVTEX can provide. Blue water sailors have a choice of HF/SSB and satphone.

We use friends to text us weather info over Inreach

 

[franksingleton]

We use friends to text us weather info over Inreach

A lot of peop;e do that. Clearly, it depends on the sailing that you are doing. Being able to control file size, Saildocs must be one of, if not the, most economic ways to get GRIB data. For anyone outside terrestrial internet range Saildocs offers everything that PW and LuckGrib do.

 

[geem]

A lot of peop;e do that. Clearly, it depends on the sailing that you are doing. Being able to control file size, Saildocs must be one of, if not the, most economic ways to get GRIB data. For anyone outside terrestrial internet range Saildocs offers everything that PW and LuckGrib do.

Our thoughts are that sailing short handed across an ocean you are pretty tired most of the time. Making weather/ navigational decisions is something I don't have to do. I normally have a couple of people sending me weather info. They have access to far more info that I would have downloading gribs.
I have weather routed friends numerous times across the Atlantic and a couple of times across the Pacific. All done with an Inreach. It's fun to do and on the Inreach unlimited tariff you can chat to your heart's content for a fixed monthly fee of £65. We just activate the Inreach for the month of the crossing

 

[Koeketiene]

It's no longer geo locked
Starlink Becomes Movable With New 'Portability' Option

Tried using Starlink on the boat (36' sailing yacht).
Other than in flat calm conditions, getting the antenna to maintain a satelite lock is nigh on impossible.
Sails and rigging also interfere.
Plus, the antenna draws A LOT of power.

It is claimed that the Tesla Model Pi mobile phone (tentative release date 22/12/2022) will be Starlink capable.
This might be a better option on a boat.

 

[mullet]

It's no longer geo locked
Starlink Becomes Movable With New 'Portability' Option

But apparently not suitable for use on boats whilst underway, though I'm sure it will be in due course.

It’s also important to note the portability option doesn’t officially support using Starlink on a moving vehicle. “Using the Starlink Kit in motion will void the limited warranty of your Kit,” the company wrote in the FAQ. “While our teams are actively working to make it possible to use Starlink on moving vehicles (e.g., automobiles, RVs, boats), Starlink is not yet configured to be safely used in this way.”

 

[franksingleton]

Our thoughts are that sailing short handed across an ocean you are pretty tired most of the time. Making weather/ navigational decisions is something I don't have to do. I normally have a couple of people sending me weather info. They have access to far more info that I would have downloading gribs.
I have weather routed friends numerous times across the Atlantic and a couple of times across the Pacific. All done with an Inreach. It's fun to do and on the Inreach unlimited tariff you can chat to your heart's content for a fixed monthly fee of £65. We just activate the Inreach for the month of the crossing

Apart from Biscay crossings, I have no direct experience of long passages, let alone single handed. I did recognise that use of weather information is a personal matter. Friends and other contacts making long passages usually want to be self sufficient and not rely on someone ashore, however experienced. I was trying to point out that anyone ashore, whether it be PW, Lucjgrib or anyone else, has no more and no better information than is freely available. There may be good reasons to use a shore based third party but it is not meteorologically necessary. Delivery systems may be more convenient, but that is another matter.

 

[geem]

Apart from Biscay crossings, I have no direct experience of long passages, let alone single handed. I did recognise that use of weather information is a personal matter. Friends and other contacts making long passages usually want to be self sufficient and not rely on someone ashore, however experienced. I was trying to point out that anyone ashore, whether it be PW, Lucjgrib or anyone else, has no more and no better information than is freely available. There may be good reasons to use a shore based third party but it is not meteorologically necessary. Delivery systems may be more convenient, but that is another matter.

It's quite common on ocean passages for sailors to employ professional weather routers. It's also common to use none professional routers. Just pointing out that the Inreach is a cheap and reliable means of getting weather on ocean crossings if you have a friend who can assist or you pay for a router. You don't need to invest great sums of money setting your boat up with expensive Comms gear for what might be a one of passage of three weeks. At other times you will be in range of internet

 

[franksingleton]

It's quite common on ocean passages for sailors to employ professional weather routers. It's also common to use none professional routers. Just pointing out that the Inreach is a cheap and reliable means of getting weather on ocean crossings if you have a friend who can assist or you pay for a router. You don't need to invest great sums of money setting your boat up with expensive Comms gear for what might be a one of passage of three weeks. At other times you will be in range of internet

I did not question that. When paying for professional routers, I do suggest that you should distinguish between those that at human interpretation and those that do not.
AAMOI, a winning RTW navigator once told me that, in his own, slow, displacement 40 footer, he would not bother with routing. He would wait for a window to get well clear of land and then take what came. Naturally, he would avoid hazardous areas in the tropical storm season.

 

[geem]

I did not question that. When paying for professional routers, I do suggest that you should distinguish between those that at human interpretation and those that do not.
AAMOI, a winning RTW navigator once told me that, in his own, slow, displacement 40 footer, he would not bother with routing. He would wait for a window to get well clear of land and then take what came. Naturally, he would avoid hazardous areas in the tropical storm season.

To be honest, even with weather info, you can't do much on a West to East Atlantic crossing. You can go North a bit or South a bit but not much else. We once had to stop for 24hrs to let a nasty little low go North of us. It did that then stopped in front of us so we then went North for something to do?

 

[Kelpie]

To be honest, even with weather info, you can't do much on a West to East Atlantic crossing. You can go North a bit or South a bit but not much else. We once had to stop for 24hrs to let a nasty little low go North of us. It did that then stopped in front of us so we then went North for something to do?

That's an interesting point.
Our tubby old boat can't meaningfully route around weather systems. I wonder just what I will do when I have weather info and I'm half way across the Atlantic. Maybe I'll find it easier to decide when to put a reef in.