Weather is important to sailors, but no aspect is as crucial as the wind. It dictates when it is safe to leave port and whether your journey will be fast or comfortable. On the race course, properly predicting the wind separates the winners from the losers. Accurately forecasting the wind allows you to plan faster, safer, and more enjoyable passages.
This presentation will examine the forces that control the wind and review a variety of resources that will improve your ability to predict its speed and direction. Small-scale and short-lived systems such as sea and land breezes and thunderstorm downdrafts will also be presented. The skills learned during this presentation will enhance your understanding of the wind and improve your boating experience.
Please send questions regarding the seminar to Mark Thornton at Mark@LakeErieWX.com. Please click here to view the speaker's resume.
Mark Thornton has sailed for more than 30 years and currently owns Osprey, a Mainship 34 Pilot. His interest in weather forecasting grew from his experiences cruising and racing on the Great Lakes. Mark is a 2006 graduate of the Penn State University Certificate of Achievement in Weather Forecasting, a two-year program that develops skills in general, tropical, and severe weather forecasting.
He is the president of LakeErieWX LLC, a company dedicated to providing marine weather education and forecasting resources for recreational boaters (www.lakeeriewx.com). Mark publishes a marine weather blog and teaches basic forecasting seminars to recreational boaters during the off-season. He has served as the Race Meteorologist for the Bayview Mackinac Race since 2014. Mark is also employed as a Teaching Assistant in the Certificate of Achievement in Weather Forecasting Program at Penn State University.