While we are underway offshore, wondering what the clouds above have in store for us, it is comforting to know there are electronic resources available to help us make crucial decisions regarding changes in weather. NOAA National Weather Service forecasts are available online at https://www.weather.gov/marine/, so as long as we have Internet availability aboard, we have access to weather data, allowing us to plan our ocean crossings according to conditions most likely to be encountered along our route.
Daily NOAA weather charts cover the central Pacific, eastern Pacific, Atlantic, Alaska Sea and Great Lakes regions. These charts offer details on wind direction and strength, water and air temperature, likelihood of storm activity and other data of crucial importance to the offshore mariner.
Another service of great value to mariners, weather-service.com, provides detailed climate data for the Indian Ocean. The full-color charts show pressure gradients with tiny icons depicting clouds, lightning and sunny conditions, making the data easy to read and apply in passage-making decisions.
Within the last decade, we have seen the DeLorme InReach and SPOT Global Phone satellite devices enter into service on many ocean-crossing yachts. These two devices offered text-only service, enabling cruisers to share such information as GPS position, weather conditions, ETA and personal details with friends, family and most importantly, fellow sailors.
Today, the typical satellite data system includes a handheld device and anything from a small dish to a large dome antenna, which can be mounted virtually anywhere on your vessel: on deck, on the stern pulpit, on a spreader or even a flange connected to the mast, as long as it does not interfere with the sails or running rigging. A small dish antenna can actually be mounted inside the cabin.
Starlink, a leader in satellite data transmission, now offers a “high-speed, low-latency broadband internet” service, which enables video cellphone calls and online data streaming. Land-based users of the Starlink system can look forward to download speeds ranging from 100 to 200 Mbps and latency as low as 20 milliseconds.
Iridium, a dominant player in the satellite communications industry, has been offering its GO! Satellite Hotspot for several years. This device relies on a global array of satellites, which, as the company claims, “covers 100 percent of the planet.” The Iridium Predict Wind Offshore App offers current weather data wherever you may roam on the sea.
With the Garmin inReach app, you can view your location, study weather data, plan navigation routes and manage waypoints on your iOS or Android device. Not having to purchase and carry a second text-capable device in your pocket certainly saves money and hassle.
Another satcom system capable of sharing weather data is Inmarsat’s new ORCHESTRA satellite network, which will combine its existing geosynchronous satellites with low-earth satellites, forming a fast, high-performing information web serving aircraft and ocean-going vessels around the globe.
With the rapid growth of satellite-enabled data transmission, look for future versions of the SPOT, Iridium GO! and InReach phones, along with new, similar devices, to support full internet and weather access via Android technology within the next few years.
As you consider telephone and weather data options for your vessel and future cruising plans, look forward to greater advancements in this rapidly expanding, worldwide network of satellite communications.
