Buoy Weather

[beau]

I am keen on using Buoy weather for my weather forecasts.
Are other similiar or better systems out there.

[boatman61]

Seaweed....

[rebel heart]

noaa weather charts are pretty good for large system stuff and general weather in a ~50 mile area. sailflow is good for current buoy conditions in the coastal usa.

[Mate]

What about if your doing the milk run and only have a sat ph . How do you download your weather . For Dummies.
Why doesn;t Sirus cover more area, it looks like it would be a great , easy , cheap way to go.

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by Mate

What about if your doing the milk run and only have a sat ph . How do you download your weather . For Dummies.
Why doesn;t Sirus cover more area, it looks like it would be a great , easy , cheap way to go.

Rebel Heart - Sailing, cruising, liveaboard blog and website - Eric's Blog - weather charts, radiofax, and what to do with it*all

1) Figure out the file names you need. They will be something like PCMER28.png or something like that.
2) Learn how to decode weather charts if you haven't already.
3) Send an email (via satphone, ssb, or whatever other service) formatted like referenced in the above link to the email address specified.
4) Receive the charts back as attachments.

You can use a receive only SSB radio with a bit of software and accomplish the same thing, except you're just receiving all the time, obviously not requesting anything.

[Hud3]

I used BuoyWeather when we were cruising and had it email me forecasts over the SSB every day. It worked pretty well, but in the final analysis it's the same GFS and Wind/Wave model data that you can get from GRIBs via SailMail or from PassageWeather.com, etc., if you have periodic Internet access.

[ActiveCaptain]

I've come to like windfinder.com. I also once paid for buoyweather but now find that windfinder has basically the same features for free. They also have a free iPhone app.

[Nauticatarcher]

Have a look at New Zealand Weather Forecasts they do very accurate 7 day forecasts at 6 hourly intervals for most world regions, I found them to be uncannily accurate whilst cruising East Coast Australia and NZ and still use them as my #1 forecast in Tasmania

[Mate]

Well I hate to admit it but I am no better off . I am absolutely lost when it comes to even the words used , and just cant get a grip of it .
This concerns me , coastal day sailing is one thing , but my next pasaage across the Pacific from mexico to aus is a bit of a worry with my complete lack of understanding.
I will have a sat ph only . No HF radio.
The new inmarsat pro sat ph , has the capabilities to send your position via tex .
Is there a service you can recieve where they could simply tex you back the weather in laymans , if you told them your predicted course ( before leaving) and currant position .
Something like " wind and wave for next 48 hrs OK , possible squalls later in the week.Nothing over 30knts predicted.
Sounds easier and far less expensive for the beer budget.
Im starting to worry myself.
Cheers Darren

[ka4wja]

Darren,
I assume that you'll do some research and learn quite a bit, prior to your departure......

Using satcom for all your weather info and communications is unusual, but the wording of your posts make we recommend that you take a serious look at what's the more reliable and accurate weather / comm systems for your application....everyone's desires / applications vary, so what works for one might not for another, and vice versa.....(but, in general, most WILL have an HF radio on board...at least a receiver...)
Perhaps reading over a few threads here will help....

Originally Posted by Mate

What about if your doing the milk run and only have a sat ph . How do you download your weather . For Dummies.
Why doesn;t Sirus cover more area, it looks like it would be a great , easy , cheap way to go

....my next pasaage across the Pacific from mexico to aus is a bit of a worry with my complete lack of understanding.
I will have a sat ph only . No HF radio.
The new inmarsat pro sat ph , has the capabilities to send your position via tex .
Is there a service you can recieve where they could simply tex you back the weather in laymans , if you told them your predicted course ( before leaving) and currant position .
Something like " wind and wave for next 48 hrs OK , possible squalls later in the week.Nothing over 30knts predicted.
Sounds easier and far less expensive for the beer budget.
Im starting to worry myself.

Without going into great detail here, the basics are:
a) The primary weather data / forecast info that is used by most mariners (both sailors/cruisers, and many professional shipping) is HF radio WeFax, Text, and Voice weather data / forecasts....these are the least expensive for the end-user (cruiser).....and you can't get better weather data and forecasts for the "Milk Run", than from the NWS / NOAA Ocean Prediction Center (the "gold standard"), AUS Met Off, and NZ Met Off.....
(Some also find "Sat C" / INMARSAT C to be very useful as secondary to their F radio set-up....)
b) Secondarily, you'll find the data from saildocs.....via HF radio w/ PACTOR modem or sat phone connection....
c) Third, you'll find the data from GRIB charts (computer generated models), via HF radio w/ PACTOR modem or sat phone connection...
d) Fourth, if you've got the $$$$$ (like the big ships do) you'd have a Fleet Broadband system as your primary, and HF radio as secondary....

PLEASE have a look at these recent threads, and the references given there, and you'll have a pretty good idea of what's what....

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ium-43509.html
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...est-40055.html
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...lia-37748.html
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...tml#post292593



I hope this helps...

John
s/v Annie Laurie

[Mate]

Still looking and trying to learn the best for me.
I will not have a HF, there is not one onboard and I really dont know enough about this sort of stuff to even remotely want one.
I still cant use my mob ph properly , and Im only just lucky to plot a course on the GPS.( of course my mum would tell me to give myself more credit)
Give me a motor and a spanner , no worries, put a radio or electronic device near me and I shudder .
Thanks all , Im sure eventually it will all click and fall into place.
Unbelievably Fantasic Help