Noob Question: Wind & Weather

[Marco Flamingo]

Didn't know there are annual Douglas guides. I have older cruising guides, but those are out of date. Went in to get fuel on west side of Vancouver Is. shown in a Douglas guide and leaned that the fuel dock wasn't there anymore. My bad.

 

[DDW]

Waggoner is mentioned upthread for a reference. We initially bought their book(s), but we found that the Douglass Guides are MUCH better, especially when it comes to updating info on an annual basis. Waggoner still referenced their best pick for lunch in the Gulf Islands several years (editions) after it had burned down for example. Douglass Guides is far superior IMHO.

I have to disagree with that. Douglass is now dead for 8 years, and though the publishers do periodic revisions by someone every few years, there is much information in them that is a decade or two old. Waggoners is also not up to date, but typically more so than Douglass. I have both, in many editions. The Douglass guides are in their 3rd or 4th edition in 20 or more years, Waggoners is revised yearly.

The Douglass guides are much more detailed in their coverage, including many smaller bays not mentioned in Waggoners. But the Douglass guides are also written for the more experienced audience, Waggoners more for the neophyte. One Waggoners covers the entire area from Tacoma to Skagway, this is spread across 5 or 6 Douglass books.

If you do much travel in the area, you will eventually want both, but in my opinion start with Waggoners.

 

[Shrew]

Trick question? 12km = 6.5 knots

If you're sailing into a headwind that is going around 12 km/h, and you only cruise at about 7 knots, how much will it hold you back? Can you still make headway against it, assuming the current isn't also against you?

Try to keep your measurements nautical. Or are you just trolling us?

WIND in Nautical Miles?? Come on, let’s be real.

 

[SteveK]

WIND in Nautical Miles?? Come on, let’s be real.

I missed the memo that the US has it as MPH, sorry

 

[slowgoesit]

I have to disagree with that. Douglass is now dead for 8 years, and though the publishers do periodic revisions by someone every few years, there is much information in them that is a decade or two old. Waggoners is also not up to date, but typically more so than Douglass. I have both, in many editions. The Douglass guides are in their 3rd or 4th edition in 20 or more years, Waggoners is revised yearly.

The Douglass guides are much more detailed in their coverage, including many smaller bays not mentioned in Waggoners. But the Douglass guides are also written for the more experienced audience, Waggoners more for the neophyte. One Waggoners covers the entire area from Tacoma to Skagway, this is spread across 5 or 6 Douglass books.

If you do much travel in the area, you will eventually want both, but in my opinion start with Waggoners.

DDW, I think we are actually in agreement. We attended the Waggoners Seminar on the Inside Passage in 2021, prior to going to Glacier Bay. Very informative, and we bought their book. Then in Ketchikan, we were introduced to the Douglass Guides. As you stated, they are MUCH more detailed, and had information on a lot of the little nooks and crannies that we are interested in exploring. As stated, the Waggoners book is good for beginners, giving a broad overview, but we still preferred the Douglass Guides due to their in depth info.

 

[bandidaboat]

Intervals are more important than wave height or wind. As a previous poster mentioned it can be blowing 50kn off land and you’re fine. Anything below 8s and it’s going to be v uncomfortable. Also wind against tide is important. I have a Fleming 55 in the Bristol Channel area so tides are 40 to 50ft.

 

[SteveK]

Intervals are more important than wave height or wind. As a previous poster mentioned it can be blowing 50kn off land and you’re fine. Anything below 8s and it’s going to be v uncomfortable. Also wind against tide is important. I have a Fleming 55 in the Bristol Channel area so tides are 40 to 50ft.

I know you meant wind against current.
It only matters if time of tide is used instead of time of current when planning.

 

[jrd22]

Maybe I missed it but haven’t read anything about the difference between summer wind planning vs winter. Dense (cold) air will generate much larger waves than warm air. 20-25 knots in the summer will generally be uncomfortable but in the winter (PNW) it’s usually a no go situation depending on current, fetch etc. During the summer months I get pretty lax about checking wind and current but watch it very closely and plan our trips to the mainland on near calm days.

 

[captmikem]

Anything more than five days on a forecast is pretty much a guess. I like Windy.com as it is pretty reliable and has a host of options to look at, and you can scroll the time advance easily back and forth.

As to heading out or waiting, a lot depends on the boat and where you are, but as a general rule 18kts headwind or 25 kts on the stern and I will wait.

M