Offshore Weather Routing 101: The Skills That Save Lives
April 27, 2025 by Sailing Zingaro | Language: EN Play Time: 00:28:36 | SAILING YOUTUBERS
đź“– My new book “Be The Captain” is available for preorder now: https://payhip.com/BeTheCaptain
Limited signed copies — ships this summer.
In this video, I break down modern offshore weather routing — how it works, why waves are the real danger offshore, and how new tech lets us sail smarter and safer than ever before.
We’ll cover:
• How weather models like GFS, ECMWF, SPIR, and PredictWind actually work
• How to plan safe passages using modern routing tools
• Why secondary and tertiary swell matter more than you think
• My secret weapons for better offshore decision-making
LINK FROM VIDEO:
Preorder my book “Be the Captain”: https://payhip.com/b/C2Ki8
Learn About Weather:
https://www.coursera.org/learn/meteorology
Atlas of Pilot Charts: https://msi.nga.mil/Publications/APC
Predict Wind: https://www.predictwind.com/
(Weather Courses)
Backyard Meteorology: https://www.harvardonline.harvard.edu/course/backyard-meteorology-science-weather
AstroNavigation: https://my.vanderbilt.edu/astronav/overview/coordinates/
(Videos)
Unlocking the power of multi-objective algorithms for voyage optimization and vessel performance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v461kfkmZ0E&t=10s
Introduction (Frank Bohlen, CCA)
Marine Weather Fundamentals (Ken McKinley, Locus Weather)
The 500 mb Surface: Significance and Analysis (Lee Chesneau, Chesneau Marine Weather)
Ocean Currents, Waves, and Sea State (Frank Bohlen, University of Connecticut Marine Sciences)
Ocean Forecasting: The Process and the Products (Joseph Sienkiewicz, NOAA NWS Ocean Prediction Center)
Communications for Weather (Jim Corenman, SailMail Association)
The Navigator’s Weather Watch (Ralph Naranjo, Annapolis School of Seamanship)
Questions from the floor – Roundtable Discussion (all presenters)
1320 Weather Windows and Weather Routing Campbell https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1Q0tQyl4nc&t=7s
Weather Routers:
starweatherrouting@gmail.com
https://metbob.com/
Stories to read:
https://wingssail.blogspot.com/1998/11/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_El_Faro
Support Sailing Zingaro:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/svzingaro
T-shirts: https://www.bonfire.com/store/zingaro/
Chapters:
00:00 – Waves Kill, Not Wind
00:39 – The Real Danger Offshore
01:49 – Why Secondary Swell Matters
02:39 – Modern Weather Routing Changed Everything
03:40 – How Weather Models Work
05:15 – The Big Players: GFS, ECMWF, SPIRE
10:01 – PredictWind’s Proprietary Models PWE, PWG
10:31 – Why I Use PredictWind
11:17 – How to Plan an Offshore Route
15:00 – Why Wave State is More Important Than Wind
17:15 – Departure Planning Like a Pro
20:31 – Final Departure Advice
21:01 – Learn to Be Your Own Weather Router
21:27 – Secret Tools You Should Be Using
23:30 – Climate Data & Modern Pilot Charts
25:00 – PredictWind Data Hub: Next-Level Routing
26:11 – Be the Captain: Book Preorder Announcement
28:03 – What’s Next
đź“– My new book "Be The Captain" is available for preorder now: https://payhip.com/BeTheCaptain
Limited signed copies — ships this summer.
In this video, I break down modern offshore weather routing — how it works, why waves are the real danger offshore, and how new tech lets us sail smarter and safer than ever before.
We’ll cover:
• How weather models like GFS, ECMWF, SPIR, and PredictWind actually work
• How to plan safe passages using modern routing tools
• Why secondary and tertiary swell matter more than you think
• My secret weapons for better offshore decision-making
LINK FROM VIDEO:
Preorder my book "Be the Captain": https://payhip.com/b/C2Ki8
Learn About Weather:
https://www.coursera.org/learn/meteorology
Atlas of Pilot Charts: https://msi.nga.mil/Publications/APC
Predict Wind: https://www.predictwind.com/
(Weather Courses)
Backyard Meteorology: https://www.harvardonline.harvard.edu/course/backyard-meteorology-science-weather
AstroNavigation: https://my.vanderbilt.edu/astronav/overview/coordinates/
(Videos)
Unlocking the power of multi-objective algorithms for voyage optimization and vessel performance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v461kfkmZ0E&t=10s
Introduction (Frank Bohlen, CCA)
Marine Weather Fundamentals (Ken McKinley, Locus Weather)
The 500 mb Surface: Significance and Analysis (Lee Chesneau, Chesneau Marine Weather)
Ocean Currents, Waves, and Sea State (Frank Bohlen, University of Connecticut Marine Sciences)
Ocean Forecasting: The Process and the Products (Joseph Sienkiewicz, NOAA NWS Ocean Prediction Center)
Communications for Weather (Jim Corenman, SailMail Association)
The Navigator’s Weather Watch (Ralph Naranjo, Annapolis School of Seamanship)
Questions from the floor – Roundtable Discussion (all presenters)
1320 Weather Windows and Weather Routing Campbell https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1Q0tQyl4nc&t=7s
Weather Routers:
starweatherrouting@gmail.com
https://metbob.com/
Stories to read:
https://wingssail.blogspot.com/1998/11/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_El_Faro
Support Sailing Zingaro:
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/svzingaro
T-shirts: https://www.bonfire.com/store/zingaro/
Chapters:
00:00 - Waves Kill, Not Wind
00:39 - The Real Danger Offshore
01:49 - Why Secondary Swell Matters
02:39 - Modern Weather Routing Changed Everything
03:40 - How Weather Models Work
05:15 - The Big Players: GFS, ECMWF, SPIRE
10:01 - PredictWind’s Proprietary Models PWE, PWG
10:31 - Why I Use PredictWind
11:17 - How to Plan an Offshore Route
15:00 - Why Wave State is More Important Than Wind
17:15 - Departure Planning Like a Pro
20:31 - Final Departure Advice
21:01 - Learn to Be Your Own Weather Router
21:27 - Secret Tools You Should Be Using
23:30 - Climate Data & Modern Pilot Charts
25:00 - PredictWind Data Hub: Next-Level Routing
26:11 - Be the Captain: Book Preorder Announcement
28:03 - What's Next
Offshore Weather Routing 101: The Skills That Save Lives Locations
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Over the last 7 years, Sailing Zingaro has been to some of the most remote areas on the planet in search of Adventure and experiences of a lifetime. Follow along with Captain James as he sails around the world, documenting the whole time...
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