..It is 100% guaranteed that we will be basing all of our communication hardware choices; Single Side Band, Sat Phone, Sat device, Cell Phone…. on being able to best use Predictwind Offshore.
Many choose their hardware and then see which software applications perform with that device. But we are doing it in reverse order. We are choosing our software and then, and only then, buying the hardware we need to support it.
Our most recent in-depth comparisons of both Predictwind Offshore and every other weather product I could find on my Ipad and Android, has Predictwind Offshore coming out at the top. I spent way too much money and effort trying them all, but I needed to be sure.
There are certainly a lot of very pretty weather applications out there, but only if you have a strong internet connection. Whatever flavor you want, based on your own visual preferences, is on offer. I can not claim that Predictwind Offshore is the absolute prettiest or elegant out there, but for our needs as full time cruisers, on a limited budget, on a modest sailboat, sailing offshore frequently, “Predictwind Offshore” definitely offers the best option once we leave the coast and fast internet.
There are 5 characteristics a weather product needs to have to fulfill our requirements, and only Predictwind Offshore fulfills ALL 5 of these. These are:
1. Accessible from far out at sea…while on passages, away from internet for extended periods. Whether we choose the Iridium GO, the Iridium GLOW, Single Side Band/Pactor, a satellite phone or any other more expensive product, or just wifi/internet when we have it, PREDICTWIND will work, and work well.
2. Offers more than just 1 forecast model. GFS (Global Marine Forecast system) is a good model, and it’s offered by every weather software package out there because it’s free. But we want other good models too, even the ones that are not free. The ECMWF (European Center for Medium range Weather Forecasts) forecast model is the most important one to us, and probably the most respected and expensive for a weather software provider to offer. Any weather forecasting product we use MUST have ECMWF, or we don’t want it. I think of this model, after experimenting with it for years, as the “worst case scenario” model. It often shows more wind or higher waves than what we actually get. And it’s almost never worse. GFS forecasts often show no indication of these extremes so many people ask why we bother paying for weather..it’s always wrong! Predictwind offers not only the GFS, and ECMWF forecasts, but 2 more models that are proprietary, based on a completely different algorithm that starts with current conditions, and then produces higher resolution, more accurate forecasts. All 4 of the Predictwind Forecast Models that Predictwind offers are a primary draw for us, and worth the price tag. Yes if you use only GFS forecasting products, you will wonder why the weather forecasts seems to be wrong so often! Get Predictwind Offshore with access to the forecast models that the pros use, spend time learning how to use the software and understand the models it provides, and weather will be accurate much more often.
- We would like the weather to be accurate, with few exceptions, and for us to see the possibility of it being not on the mark. We can compare the 4 models that Predictwind Offshore provides, and if they all agree, we can be quite sure of the forecast. If they greatly differ, then we had better brace ourselves for unpredictable weather up ahead!
- Affordable. Predictwind Offshore is not the cheapest, but it is not the most expensive by far. Their Standard package at about $20 per month offers everything we need for the big Ocean passages we have ahead of us. We will upgrade to the pricier Professional package when we need serious information about the Ocean currents, and even better resolution GRIBS, like right before a passage to Bermuda or around South Africa.
5. We can receive the weather forecasts on our laptop, on our Android devices or on our IPad….all while at sea…. Predictwind Offshore is a Multi-device application, giving us flexibility like we have never had before. We can view Predictwind on all of our devices in a beautiful graphic presentation. We can receive forecasts via Our SSB (how to) radio/Pactor modem/laptop.
Predictwind Offshore! offers so many other features that are remarkable time savers, like Weather Routing, and Departure Planning. Describing them would require a whole separate blog. This wealth of feature, along with fulfilling our 5 basic requirements are why we INSIST ON using Predictwind Offshore and building our hardware around it.
We have ruled out using a satellite phone. Airtime is way too expensive. Creating the necessary permanent installation of it is also too expensive.
We no longer wish to wrestle with our SSB/Pactor setup because when we need weather reports, we need them now, and we need to be certain we can get them, and not leave it up the Propogation gods. SSB/Pactor will still be maintained, but demoted to being our backup system.
The Communication Hardware we have decided on in the last few hours, but after much deliberation is the Iridium GO!…a kind of satellite wifi hotspot. It is currently the only hardware offered for sale right on the Predictwind web site, signifying that it is the most obvious, well integrated choice to use with their software. Predictwind provides complete support for both their software and the GO! so there will be no fingerpointing at the other guy when something doesn’t work. The Iridium GO! offers so much more too. SV Totem has written one of the best blogs about its features at Sailing Totem.
The “Unlimited Data Plan” on the Iridium GO! is far less expensive than other satellite plans, but is still a bit pricey for us. It seems though to be the best way to go if you want no lack of information. There is so much to worry about on a passage…why worry about how much time you have left on your satellite phone to get your weather (and email, among other things)? We will most definitely exercise the right of stopping and starting service as needed that Predictwind’s NO CONTRACT Iridium GO! data plans offer!
Concluding all my research, our Iridium GO! order will be in the mail tomorrow!
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Thank you Patrick and Rebecca for writing this about weather alternatives. I was already a big fan of the ECMWF model, and we have been using it from PredictWind website forecasts. As we were going back to Australia, I was concerned about getting good forecasts in SE Indonesia (Maluku area), probably without internet. The only option I had was GFS gribs from saildocs, via winlink. I was very happy to see that I was able to purchase a 3 month only subscription for the Offshore option, which gave me GRIB files with the ECMWF model. I “practised” getting them while in internet range, and was very happy to request and receive GRIB files with the ECMWF model when out of range via our Pactor modem and winlink. Part of the practice was how to make the files small enough to receive via SSB in a short amount of time. By the way, the 2 critical passages, south west coast of Papua, sw to Tual, when it was perfect by the hour and direction, and Tual SSE to Gove in Australia, the ECMWF model spot on for the 2 days of our passage, even 5 days out. Look forward to reading about the continued travels of Brick House.
Thanks Catherine. Patrick just started a delivery job from Newport RI To Bermuda and then to St Marten. Had a BIG headsail on prior to departure that was necessary to switch out. Predictwind was spot on as to when the wind would abate and allow the change to the small sail. Gave us a 2 hour window one morning, and that was indeed the only 2 hour window the whole 4 days prior to the start. It also predicted the best departure time so as to have the best passage…and it was spot on…to the hour. Wonderful to have such awesome technology these days. I’m sure it will be wrong many times, but nice that it’s getting more and more accurate all the time…and that Predictwind is on the forefront of that!!
UPDATE JUNE 2018
I baught the Iridum go/PredictWind for the ECMWF forecasts at sea option..that was important to me. After the last 6 months of use in the Indian Ocean…I have learned a lesson…the PWE and PWG models from PredictWind…exclusively ….have been the BEST models if one must choose! The PWE in particular was right 95% of the time or more for at least 5 day forecasts. It also saw things that were coming down the pike before the other models did…even before ECMWF did…It was so great to have these models at sea. The Go has worked flawlessly..connects every time and any time. If it loses its connection halfway though it reconnects automatically and picks up where it left off. PredictWind was gonna just be for use in the Indian Ocean. I will not live without it in any Ocean now!