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Weather Routing for Offshore Sailors (PredictWind Masterclass 2/5)
March 4, 2026 · 10 min · 5K views
PredictWind route curves across Mid-Atlantic wind gradient
What this video covers
PredictWind weather routing software processes GRIB (gridded binary) data from multiple global models—including ECMWF, GFS, UKMO, ICON, AIFS, and proprietary PWG/PWE/PWAI models—to generate offshore passage routes.▶ 3:33 Users initiate routing by setting origin and destination points and selecting a departure time, which the software then calculates against boat polars.▶ 4:58 Rather than relying solely on the graphical route map, effective passage planning requires analyzing timing through wind and wave graphs, specifically monitoring primary, secondary, and tertiary swells.▶ 6:03 The summary table allows for side-by-side model comparison, with a focus on comfort metrics like vertical acceleration to manage crew fatigue and prevent gear failure.▶ 6:41 Captains must manually verify routes against navigational hazards by zooming in on charts and setting exclusion zones to avoid shoals, reefs, and traffic.▶ 7:35 PredictWind integrates GMDSS safety warnings directly onto the map, which must be checked to ensure routes avoid gale, storm, or cyclone areas.▶ 8:35 Continuous re-routing while offshore allows for real-time adjustments based on evolving weather patterns.▶ 9:58
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