Yacht Racing - PredictWind

You now have access to the same technology used by champion sailors around the world. A local marine forecast is generalised over a wide region. While this is helpful for knowing the general wind speed and direction, wind weather conditions can fluctuate widely across the forecast region. PredictWind gives you the competitive edge with a detailed and accurate wind forecast. Preparation is often the key to winning yachting events. Plan ahead with the best yacht racing wind forecasts available, so that your sail selection, rig setup, and race strategy are the best they can be.

Buoy Racing

Most yacht racing takes place close to shore, and so a local marine forecast won’t tell you how the surrounding topography will increase, reduce or bend the wind around your race course. PredictWind will give you access to local knowledge without even sailing in the venue!

Get the wind forecast for your yacht race before you leave home, or use the PredictWind mobile app. See how the wind weather pattern will vary over the race area on an hour-by-hour basis, providing you with the information you need to plan your race strategy.

Real Time Wind Observations
Now with the real-time wind observations you can accurately pick which of the four PredictWind forecasts is performing the best.

The PredictWind Basic Package is ideally suited to Short Course Yacht Racing and is all you need to get the very best marine forecast available.

Coastal Yacht Racing

Coastal yacht racing is often challenging when wanting to get an accurate wind forecast. Headlands, bays and islands can have a dramatic effect on the large-scale weather pattern, which are difficult, if not impossible, to predict without a high resolution weather model. Often these decisions are critical to winning coastal races. Ensure you have the best tools available with a PredictWind wind forecast.

Never before has a coastal yacht racer had so much forecast information at his disposal.

Real-time Wind Observations
Now with the real-time wind observations you can accurately pick which of the four PredictWind forecasts is performing the best. For Coastal Yacht Racing use the free GRIB Software to get GRIB files, weather routes, GMDSS text forecasts and Satellite imagery.

Free GRIB Viewer
Use the Free Offshore App to automatically download and display the PredictWind GRIB files. This tool is ideally suited for retrieving the forecasts over Satellite & SSB communications and will ensure you always have access to the forecast when there is no internet connection available. In addition get access to weather routing, GMDSS text forecasts and Satellite Imagery.

Weather Routing
The Professional Package now includes the worlds first online weather routing. Watch the video on Weather Routing. Simply drag the start and end waypoints on the map, and the PredictWind server will calculate the fastest route for your boat using the high resolution 1km-8km wind forecasts. You simply need to define your boats’ polar and the optimal path is calculated for all four PredictWind forecasts, the PWG & PWE forecast and the Highly rated ECMWF and GFS forecasts. By comparing the world’s leading forecast models you can have an excellent confidence level in the forecast.

The routing algorithm is clever enough to avoid the land, right down to the 20m resolution. So now you can can accurately see your optimal route for coastal racing.

The Professional Package is ideally suited for coastal yacht racing.

Offshore Yacht Racing

PredictWind can provide a 14 day marine forecast using the 50km resolution model for any region in the world. When offshore and away from land effects, it is not necessary to get a high resolution forecast. However you can be assured to get the best forecast available using the same technology that is used to generate the high resolution forecasts. The reduced smoothing in PredictWind’s weather model will allow you to see wind features that are not picked up by any other weather models. In addition we use two data sources for the weather model, to produce dual forecasts for comparison. The closer the wind forecasts, the more confidence you can have in the accuracy.

When making landfall you can then access the high resolution forecasts, to help formulate your race strategy for the start and end of the race – often the most critical parts of the race.

Free GRIB Viewer
Use the Free Offshore App to automatically download and view the PredictWind 50km resolution GRIB files. This tool is ideally suited for retrieving the forecasts over slower wireless internet connections and will ensure you always have access to the forecast when there is no internet connection available. In addition get access to weather routing, GMDSS text forecasts and Satellite Imagery.

Weather Routing
The Professional Package now includes the worlds first online weather routing. Watch the video on Weather Routing. Simply drag the start and end waypoints on the map, and the PredictWind server will calculate the fastest route for your boat using the high resolution 1km/8km wind forecasts around the coast, or the 50km resolution global forecasts for an offshore passage. You simply need to define your boats’ polar and the optimal path is calculated for both PredictWind forecasts, PWG and PWE and the highly rated ECMWF and GFS models. By comparing the world’s leading forecast models you can have an excellent confidence level in the forecast.

Reduce Cost & Download Time
Whilst offshore, getting access to the internet is expensive with satellite communications, and email size is limited with SSB radio data services. PredictWind has the ultimate solution for this problem – The Offshore App is ideally suited for offshore yacht racing allowing your to request weather routes via email. The file size is under 10kb, and therefore your communication costs are minimal and the results are quick to download. The optimal route is calculated with the highest resolution wind, swell & ocean current forecasts.

The Professional Package is ideally suited for offshore yacht racing.

Yacht Racing Testimonials

Peter Isler

I have been very impressed, and now count a trip to the PredictWind.com web site as a regular part of my pre-race prep.

Two-time America’s Cup Winner, Stars & Stripes Navigator.
Top-ranked US skipper on the Professional Match Racing Circuit for five years
Intercollegiate Sailor of the Year (Yale U.)
World Champion, Ericsson 80 Maxi Class
Newport to Bermuda Race Winner
Pacific Cup (SF – Hawaii) Winner
Pineapple Cup winner (FL – Jamaica) – record holder
Transpacific Yacht Race winner (LA – Honolulu) – record holder
Marblehead to Halifax Race Winner
U.S. Team Race Champion

Read All Yacht Racing Testimonials

Yacht Racing Forecasts

Buoy Racing

Coastal Yacht Racing

Offshore Yacht Racing

Try PredictWind for Yacht Racing free today

Yacht Racing Testimonials

Try PredictWind for Yacht Racing free today

PredictWind Apps

Iridium GO! with PredictWind

PredictWind Offshore App

With Built In GRIB Viewer