Predictwind forecasts strong winds for Volvo sleigh ride to Ireland
by Richard Gladwell, Sail-World.com on 20 May 2009
Aksel Magdahl and Thomas Johanson checking the weather charts onboard Ericsson 3, on leg 7 from Boston to Galway Gustav Morin/Ericsson Racing Team/Volvo Ocean Race
http://www.volvooceanrace.org
As the Volvo Ocean Race works its way around the Ice Exclusion Zone, a strong wind system is about to launch off the Newfoundland coast.
The system which, according to
www.predictwind.com!PredictWind has winds over 25 kts (gusting 20% more) and will stay with the fleet for at least the next three days giving a fast ride across the Atlantic Ocean to Galway in Ireland.
Below we show the screen shots as www.iexpedition.org!Expedition and www.predictwind.com!PredictWind combine weather data and routing optimisation to project the fastest course to sail to Ireland.
On board the Volvo racers the crews have the same application software, but only have as single source of wind data supplied by the race organisers. Predictwind takes data from two sources and produces its own weather feeds. The data from the second feed is very similar to the first, indicating that there is a high probability of the strong winds occurring. In fact the second feed shows the system being a little slower to develop, but then increasing in intensity with winds averaging well over 30kts, and the sleighride last a little further to the Irish coast, with light airs expected for the final stages of the crossing, ahead of a second strong wind system.
As the race yachts are very closely grouped and are sailing a fixed corridor around the IEZ, the tracks are very closely grouped, as is the optimum course across the Atlantic.
However as they exit the constraints of the IEZ, the fleet is expected to split and follow their own optimum routes and competitive strategies.
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The images used in this story have been generated by www.iexpedition.org!Expedition which is a tactical and navigation software application which has been developed by veteran Volvo Ocean Race navigator and Whitbread winner, physicist Nick White, initially for his use in the 2001-2 Volvo Ocean Race with Team News Corp and the Stars & Stripes Americas Cup team.
Since then, www.iexpedition.org!Expedition has been continually refined by a core group of world-renowned navigators and two-time America’s Cup winning navigator Peter Isler has consulted closely in the development of the system. Expedition supports more instrument systems, is easier to use and has the most powerful and useful functions for the racing navigator.
Expedition is now has PredictWind integrated into the application as an option for PredictWind subscribers.
The wind data and prognosis used to produce these images also uses software developed by www.predictwind.com!PredictWind, an application developed by Jon Bilger a top NZ youth and Olympic sailor who turned his hand to wind and weather prediction, and helped Alinghi to their outstanding victories in the last two America's Cups.
Now that same technology is available to the weekend sailing and club racers, the cruising fraternity or professional sailors around the world. Select any region in the world of interest to you and www.predictwind.com!PredictWind will monitor the area for you and provide updated predictions on demand.
PredictWind is a subscription system, with a number of options. While some may feel the wind is free, the ability to get a five day detailed wind forecast for an area of interest creates great peace of mind, allowing forward planning and decision making to be made with some certainty. The time and money saved through being able to work with a high degree of confidence, is more than offset by the relatively small cost of the subscription.
But don't take our word for it, get www.predictwind.com!PredictWind now and have a 30 day trial for free, and see for yourself.
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