Wind Speed

[Wandering Star]

Why do most sailors still refer to the Beaufort scale when describing wind forces? Just about every sailor and his dog has a wind instrument so why not refer to the actual wind speed?

Cheers, Brian.

 

[LadyInBed]

Wind speed is never constant, it always varies a bit in strength so using Beaufort scale allows for this.

Plus not everyone has an Anemometer even if they have a dog

 

[NormanS]

Wind speed is never constant, it always varies a bit in strength so using Beaufort scale allows for this.

Plus not everyone has an Anemometer even if they have a dog

+1

 

[nickd]

My dog, Jasper, does not seem to care what the windspeed seems happy in F1 to F8 or 0 to 40 knots.

 

[johnalison]

Without the Beaufort scale I would never know when a man o'war takes in his top-gallants or smacks head for harbour.

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

Why do most sailors still refer to the Beaufort scale when describing wind forces? Just about every sailor and his dog has a wind instrument so why not refer to the actual wind speed?

Cheers, Brian.

I agree. We have enough measurement systems in our lives as it is. Give me knots or metres/second any time.

I can estimate wind speed in knots and am quite happy with 10 to 15 or whatever. Seems to me that the "force" brigade often say things like "3 or 4" which is too big a range for me to make any decision on.

 

[robp]

Why do most sailors still refer to the Beaufort scale when describing wind forces? Just about every sailor and his dog has a wind instrument so why not refer to the actual wind speed?

Cheers, Brian.

You wouldn't want to be near my dog's wind instrument!

 

[Boomshanka]

Wikipedia rolleyes gives an interesting history behind the Beaufort scale [clicky]... apparently, it's based on the wind speed at 10 metres above the sea surface. Also, that the waves are based on the open ocean (not coastal). And there endeth this public information broadcast

 

[europe172]

wind speed

The beaufort scale has an advantage, it takes out pressure effects, wind speed does not have the same force when there is low pressues

 

[Salty John]

Why do most sailors still refer to the Beaufort scale when describing wind forces? Just about every sailor and his dog has a wind instrument so why not refer to the actual wind speed?

Cheers, Brian.

The Beaufort scale describes the prevailing conditions, only one aspect of which is the wind speed. It also includes a descriptive term (light breeze; storm etc.), the Sea Criteria (fairly frequent white horses; spindrift forms, clear foam streaks etc.) and gives the probable wave height.

Personally I'm happy to receive a weather report giving just wind speed, but being familiar with the Beaufort scale allows you to conjure up an impression of the conditions you should expect for any given force.

Of course, for sail trimming you want to know the wind speed and modern instruments provide that accurately.

 

[Seajet]

The Beaufort scale describes the prevailing conditions, only one aspect of which is the wind speed. It also includes a descriptive term (light breeze; storm etc.), the Sea Criteria (fairly frequent white horses; spindrift forms, clear foam streaks etc.) and gives the probable wave height.

Personally I'm happy to receive a weather report giving just wind speed, but being familiar with the Beaufort scale allows you to conjure up an impression of the conditions you should expect for any given force.

Of course, for sail trimming you want to know the wind speed and modern instruments provide that accurately.

Spot on.

I had a windspeed instrument, it was unreliable so I removed it; and weather forecasts are a lot simpler & quicker quoting Beaufort, it gives the general impression which is all one needs.

I would like to have a dog though.

 

[Fantasie 19]

It's not scientific but i've been windsurfing and sailing for so long I just think in Beaufort... even when I look at a forecast I have to turn it into Beaufort mentally to know what it's telling me!

 

[prv]

It's not scientific but i've been windsurfing and sailing for so long I just think in Beaufort... even when I look at a forecast I have to turn it into Beaufort mentally to know what it's telling me!

+1

And as already mentioned, not all of us have wind dials on our boats.

Pete

 

[pagoda]

Spot on.

I had a windspeed instrument, it was unreliable so I removed it; and weather forecasts are a lot simpler & quicker quoting Beaufort, it gives the general impression which is all one needs.

I would like to have a dog though.

I'm with these guys...

I have been watching the sea for decades, and can comfortably identify what I like sailing in. I can also easliy spot gusts of 6 while sailing in a 4.
I know people who look at wind speed in numerical Kts, and make the decision on reefing purely on those numbers. I'd rather feel the wind - maybe walk along the harbour sea wall for a better impression and then decide what needs done before actually hoisting..
If it's over 20kts, you probably need less sail, but your boat tells you that anyway.!, ..Kts, beaufort or m/sec...notwithstanding.
Go with what your boat tells you (and to suit whoever has the least extensive comfort zone)

I just had our cat on board for a couple of days in the marina -aged 12 never been on the boat before
First day scaredy cat - then enough confidence to go as far as the cockpit with supervision . Animals are a lot more adaptable than most people realise..

 

[Mark-1]

why not refer to the actual wind speed?

+1

In my opinion weather sources that quote knots only (windguru) are not unduly confusing. I think the Beaufort Scale was designed for the days when people made estimates from the general conditions. Long past time to retire the Beaufort Scale. People who can't deduce a sea state/general conditions from a wind speed, taking account of local geography, will soon learn to.

 

[Babylon]

Why the worry? It doesn't matter what system you use, just carry on with what you're used to.

I converted from Imperial to metric measurements when I changed career some time ago, but now I'm building a small dinghy designed in Imperial, so I'm back to old money for the time being. I still measure road speed in mph and consumption in mpg, even though I gasp at the price of fuel in litres; I'd choke if I had to see what it was in gallons! Its all good stuff, and it keeps the brain keen to do the mental arithmetic.

I don't have a wind instrument on board, but note down the forecast or log the observed wind speed in Beaufort Scale, eg 4(5) is a F4 gusting 5. I also know from experience whether we're at the top end of a 3 or the bottom end of a 4, etc.

Now, where did I put that bar-code?

 

[macd]

The Beaufort scale's historical advantage was that it describes the phenomena associated with a particular wind strength, handy & understandable in the days before anemometers came along (as Salty John described). Maybe it's main advantage now is that it's almost universally applied, although personally I'd prefer it in Fahrenheit. Or even bushels. I'm a flexible kinda guy.

By the way, I have neither a dog nor a wind instrument, unless you count my bassoon. By which you may conclude that I'm modernist post-NASA sailor.

 

[webcraft]

.
The Beaufort scale isn't threatening anyone is it? I like it because it describes sea state as well as wind speed. (In fact that was its primary purpose when it was invented).

Are the people who want to get rid of it the same people who don't want those messy iosbars on their weather map?

- W

 

[Mark-1]

I like it because it describes sea state as well as wind speed.

It would not take you long to learn to deduce one from the other.

 

[pagoda]

Pedant/ it can't gust 6

*ollocks, of course it CAN...

and 7 on top of 4 if you are really somewhere twitchy like near Skye or Rum. It can easily come whistling down a glen and splat you like a Pampero (look it up ) hint RH Dana