Archive for November 3rd, 2009
Fun on the water is spelled “VHF Radio”
Sooner or later, everyone that spends time on the water will be faced with the decision as to when is the proper time to head to shore or to a safe harbor. Whether you have a VHF radio or simply a marine radio with an MP3 player on board for the entertainment of your guests, you have the capability of monitoring the weather while on the water.
More than any other factor, weather conditions affect the comfort and safety of a boat and its crew on a passage. Things can go wrong with the crew, or with the boat, but if the weather is bad when that happens, safety is much more likely to be compromised. And, if the crew picks a route that goes against the grain of the prevailing, or periodically typical, weather, they will have a slow and uncomfortable time with the need to rely frequently on the engine.
An understanding of prevailing weather patterns (wind and seas), and how those patterns change over the course of each year, is critical for choosing a safe and enjoyable cruising route. To venture forth on a long-distance passage without such knowledge is to court discomfort, if not outright disaster. To go on shorter passages with comfort, the crew must know what kind of weather conditions are desirable–and the extent to which those are likely to occur in that area.