How did you get on, did anyone find it easy?
Here are my thoughts.
1. You are going afloat for the day at your local sailing centre, which is situated on a reservoir. Write down three different sources of weather information that you could access.
I have included weather sources any mariner may find useful, if you had any of these, well done.
This list is not exhaustive. In addition to the shipping forecast, Coastguard on VHF, NAVTEXT, Inmrasat, Iridium, Internet, Marinas, Apps like Wind Guru, Windy, Met office, Local Aerodrome Met Office, Net Weather, BBC Weather to name but a few.
2. When you arrive at the sailing centre, the instructor says that he has heard the local land forecast, which said that you can expect a moderate breeze. What wind strength does this correspond to on the Beaufort Scale and in knots?
Rear Admiral Francis Beaufort an Irish Hydrographer devised a standard to measure and describe wind and sea state which was adopted in the 1830’s. It doesn’t matter where you get your weather information from, it is important to know what the wind speed is measured in.
Beaufort Scale = 4 Speed in KPH = 20 - 28 MPH = 13 - 18 knots= 11 - 16
Sea State = 3 - 4
Probable Wave height = 1.0 - 1.5m
3. Several of your group are novices. Would these be suitable conditions for a first sail? If not what would you say are suitable conditions for a first sail?
I would suggest not. I would suggest F 1 - 3 depending on the vessel they are going out on, the smaller the vessel the smaller the scale.
4. When you arrive home later that afternoon, you speak to a friend who sails out of Douglas. Your friend describes the sea conditions today as "moderate waves, many white crests and spray." What wind strength does this correspond to on the Beaufort Scale and in knots and what was the probable wave height?
Beaufort Scale = 5 Speed in knots= 19 - 24 Probable Wave Height 2.0 - 2..5m
5. Later that evening, you are listening to the shipping forecast, when you hear the following announcement:
"The Meteorological Office issued the following gale warning to shipping at 1845 hours:
Sea Areas Portland, Wight: South West Gale Force 8 Imminent."
What do the following words mean in this context?
Sea Areas refer to the seas and coastal waters around the UK and the Western European coasts that are divided into 31 areas for weather reporting.(If you went for 17 - you would have been correct if I had asked for the inshore areas). Extending the furthest north is south east Iceland. the furthest south is Trafalgar, the furthest east is Fisher by a whisker - if you went for German Bight, I'll give it to you, the furthest west is Trafalgar.
Gale Force 8. Wind 34 - 40 kts, probable wave height 5.5 - 7.5m Sea state 6 - 7
Imminent - within 6 hours
6. You have been invited out for the day on a friend's motor cruiser. You listen to the shipping forecast before you leave. For the area you are going to be operating in, it gives the visibility as moderate, becoming poor later. What does this mean?
Visibility is between 2 - 5nm decreasing to between 1000m - 2nm from 12 hrs after the time the forecast was issued.