ORCV Weather for Sailors Online Course
The Weather for Sailors course provides you with the meteorological knowledge needed to safely enjoy your time on the water.
The course is structure with 3 modules The Fundamentals, Coastal Sailing and Advanced Weather. It is led by our highly qualified ORCV members Ray Shaw and Simon Dryden, both weather enthusiasts and contains a mixture of lectures and practical exercises. Our course provides a solid foundation in marine weather, with the opportunity to discuss more advanced topics with our expert as the course progresses
Weather for Sailors course is designed to inform all types and levels of sailors, racers and cruising sailors alike, how to observe weather conditions and how to find the right forecasting advice from the vast array of modern resources available.
Knowledgeable on weather and seasoned sailors, Ray Shaw and Simon Dryden take a practical approach to weather looking at the applications and linking these back to visualizations before looking at various technology platforms now available.
Module 1 – The Fundamentals, Enclosed Waters: this online course covers the fundamentals of weather
Module 2 – Coastal Sailing 3+ days: this online course builds on the fundamental knowledge of Module 1 and prepares a sailor for longer coastal passages usually 3 days or more, whether that be racing or cruising including: further applications and building of module 1.
Module 3 - Trans Ocean and Extended Voyages: this online course looks at planning for a much longer voyages where a high degree of self-sufficiency is required. For those considering a Trans-Oceanic passage this course is a must and includes weather of the tropics.
Suitable for Ocean Racers, Cruisers, Motor Boats, Skippers and Crew.
Module 1 – The Fundamentals, Enclosed Waters
Over 3 nights, this online course covers the fundamentals of weather including
- Fundamentals of weather terminology.
- Definitions.
- The Barometer
- Vectors in sailing
- Seasons
- Coriolis
- Weather systems, Global mechanisms
- The forecasting process, the weather map,
- Weather information, how to read and use it.
- Fronts
- Weather Warnings
- Waves & Tides
- An introduction to Clouds and their signs.
- Gusts, lulls, and coriolis.
- Sea breezes-local- -autumn, winter, summer. Land breezes, katabatics.
- Obstructions
- Topography, land effects & Bathymmetry
Pre-requisites: There are no pre-requisites to attending this course
Course Dates:
13, 18 and 20 June 2024, 7- 9pm
Cost: $150 per person non member, $127.50 per person ORCV Member
Module 2 – Coastal Sailing (Voyages 3+ days)
For 2 nights, this online course builds on the fundamental knowledge of Module 1 and prepares a sailor for longer coastal passages usually 3 days or more, whether that be racing or cruising including:
- 4 & 7 day prognosis-maps
- Routing Software and forecasts
- Topography-sea breezes-land breezes-katabatics-timings, clouds-temperatures-airmasses
- Other land effects, headlands, indents, rivers, mountains, cliffs, islands, wind directions
- Thunderstorms etc
- Jet streams briefly
- Bathymetry, tides, currents,(and shallows) moon passage, tidal nodes, using port data
- Using ORCV Bass Strait tidal model
- Gribs
- Coastal tides & Currents
- Severe weather systems
- Sailing the tropics
Pre-requisites: A sound understanding of weather terminology and basics of module 1.
Course Dates: TBC
Cost: $150 per person non member, $127.50 per person ORCV Member
We anticipate Module 2 and 3 will run again later this year so please waitlist here to be the first to know about it.
Module 3 - Trans Oceans and Extended Voyages
Over 2 nights, this online course looks at planning for a much longer voyages where a high degree of self sufficiency is required. For those considering a Trans Oceanic passage this course is a must and includes:
- Planning,-wind roses-world circulations,trades-Internet sites
- Seasonal variations and timing-monsoon
- The Gradient wind analysis
- Ocean circulations
- Cyclones
- Gribs-w/fx-polar maps, Satellite pictures.
- Time limitations
- Bathymetry-undersea mounts,-currents
- Continent influences-southern/ northern hemisphere
- Technology-prediction programs etc w/fx-sailmail-comms-HF cf sat phones, Predict wind, windy, expedition
Pre-requisites: A sound understanding of both the Fundamental and Intermediate course content is a must to attend this course.
Course Dates: TBC
Cost: $150 per person non member, $127.50 per person ORCV Member
More Information
For any queries, please contact ORCV Office on