As a former yacht racing navigator for 35 years, the process of obtaining precise wind information has always been at the core of my planning and execution, of course. Now, as a professional Captain aboard large motor yachts, I am often frustrated with the minimal wind information available in the wheelhouse. Mast Head Units are typically mounted between two communication domes or radar scanners, for example! Sure, on a motor yacht at sea we don’t need to know subtle wind shifts, but it is still extremely important to me to know wind speed and direction as accurately as possible, especially on a black night. I have always planned my passages using the usual Internet sites for GRIBS and buoy data, but now with PredictWind.com, I have for the first time the ability to view High Resolution Local information accessible during the voyage. Do I continue down the Rhumb Line or should I close with the beach because a hard offshore is predicted at 0200? With PredictWind.com these decisions are now much easier! It’s almost like having a new wind instrument on the bridge!
Owner of Horizon Navigation, a yacht and commercial vessel delivery service, Robbie Wallace has accumulated more than 370,000 miles of offshore experience. He currently holds a US 1600 ton Masters license for Motor or Sail, All Oceans, with associated endorsements and STCW95.
Also an acclaimed navigator on racing yachts Robbie has sailed 13 Transpacs from 1975 to 2007 including navigating aboard Andrews Turbo 70 Victoria, Andrews Turbo 70 Magnitude, SC 70 Mongoose, Petersen 68 Cheetah, the Transpac 52 J-Bird III, Andrews 56 Medicine Man SC70 Skylark and Kernan 70 Peligroso.
