Weather Apps, Leaving Hampton, Cape Henry

Here is a list of some weather apps we use.  It is one of the pieces of information sailors frequently trade with each other.  Predicting the weather is critical to a good passage.

Windy, My Radar, Passage Weather, Predict Weather, Ventusky, Chris Parker ($$$), Pocket Grib Files

Everyone wants to avoid the rough passages.  A rougher patch of weather is described for "salty sailors."  We do not count ourselves in that category.  We are always looking for the ideal:  wind pushing us in the direction we want to go at about 90 degrees to the wind at about 15 knots fairly steady with waves no more than 2' to 3'.  Ugly weather is wind on the nose with steep waves crashing over the bow or wind causing the boat to heel over to the point water is coming into the cockpit.  Weather that rocks the boat so much we must hold on even when we're lying down in the aft cabin is not for us.   We try to avoid all but the calmest waters and winds which means we must motor a lot.  When we go out in nice weather we then need to be back into port before the next stronger wind comes up.  Looking for "weather windows" that last 2 to 3 days is hard to come by for our strict requirements of a comfortable passage.  I guess we have to say we'd rather motor than sail in winds that do not exceed 30 to 35 knot.  Honest sailors will tell you they motor 90% of the time.  All in all those excellent sailing moments are well worth owning a sailboat.

And we are off for Cape May this morning, a 24 hour passage that starts with light winds and grows to 20+ knots from the south as we arrive.