new weather product?

[amr72]

I got this off of Intellicast...sounds interesting


Live Marine Weather is Coming to a Boat Near You!
February 21, 2003
Intellicast Staff

Have you ever been out for the day on your boat when all of a sudden a thunderstorm appears out of nowhere? Even after you had checked the radar before you set sail? Weather web sites such as intellicast.com and weather.com are great resources to monitor before you depart the dock but they won’t do you much good once you hit the water. A new weather product that debuted at the Miami International Boat Show will be sure to change all that. There will be no need to leave crucial weather information behind. You will have it onboard, by your side, every leg of your trip.


Live Marine Weather Delivered to Your Boat?
It’s hard to believe that with all of the advances made in weather technology that the marine industry never has had access to reliable, live, weather information once out on the water. Not anymore. The next generation in weather products, WSI AtSea™ is here, empowering mariners with live access to how the weather will unfold, as it unfolds. WSI AtSea provides complete and easy to understand on board weather information right to marine electronic displays and nautical charting software continuously delivered in real-time using an advanced satellite broadcast technology. This is not a static download of out-dated images or a blurry weather fax but a continuous update of a host of marine weather products including rich, high quality satellite radar, sea-state conditions, and wind and marine forecasts. WSI AtSea can be used to view weather conditions relevant to your boat’s location and route out to approximately 150 miles off of the US coast. There is no need to guess how far a storm is away from your vessel. Now you can see for yourself.


Delivered by WSI, a Leader in Weather Visualization and Delivery
Who is charting this new course in marine weather? WSI. Based in Billerica, Massachusetts, WSI has been the trusted leader in critical weather
information delivery since 1978. Think of how much time you spend checking your local forecast and The Weather Channel prior to leaving the dock. Now the same high-quality radar used by 60% of U.S. news departments, The Weather Channel, weather.com & Intellicast is available live on your boat. It’s not like having your local weather reporter onboard – it is your local weather reporter’s radar onboard! WSI has also been the preferred and trusted weather briefing choice for professional aviation since 1980.* Right now, 80% of all U.S. major airlines and the majority of top corporate flight pilots will not takeoff without using a WSI weather briefing system to monitor critical weather developments. Professional pilots are also using a similar product for weather in the cockpit service with WSI InFlight™.


To learn more about how WSI AtSea satellite weather delivery can help keep your crew and vessel safe, please visit WSI at www.wsi.com. Related Information

Product Information
http://www.wsi.com/solutions/marine/atsea

Press
http://www.wsi.com/corporate/newsroo...ses/021003.asp

Request More Information
http://www.wsi.com/solutions/marine/req_general.asp

[Eatmorefish]

I am Reading this right. Will I be able to see waether radar on my gps or will i have to buy something new
cost?

[amr72]

I think they will be releasing a list of "compatable" equipment. Hopefully it will include many gps/chartplotters.

[davidd]

Looks like you will have to buy their reciever. Not a bad idea if its not to expesive I didn't see any prices. I'll have to look into it for more info. Up to the minute localized wind forcasts would be a great help.
Dave

ALBEMARLE 28

[trouty]

tho - as goo das it sounds, how long before, someone gets the wrong info - outdated or whatever and a boat is lost and the lawsuits start.

When do I see most "stuff ups" in weather forecasts?

Holidays - when the regular guy is on leave, and someones filling in for him.

You'd be amazed at the wrong sat photo's displayed (dated info), the wrong forecasts made (winds do the exact opposite etc...and it's ALWAYS when the regular guy is away on that holiday with his family and some goofball is filling in for him.

when do MOST recreational bpoaters go to sea? exactly - holidays when goofball is at the helm of the weather desk driving that computer and radar image weather sat image etc..

Hell, - he's probably someones 18 yo kid with a face full a pimples playing nintendo on the weather services 'puter while the boss is away...

I NEVER implicityly trust the weather service data I get, I always make my own forecasts based on the UP TO DATE raw data I gather if needs be...andmy experience forecasting..(which is something I spent years doing as a forester for fire control purposes.

I've collected hourly weather readings every day for 8 years, and made my own forecasts from that data then compared it with what the weather folks say.

Probably 90% + times they are the same or very very close - BUT - there are the occasions where the weather man goofs, and often as I've said - it's when the regular guy is away on holidays..

So - yeah - I'd like all the raw data on a boat, and I'd like their forecasts as well, and yes I'd even probably pay for the equipoment and service, but you still wouldn't see me without an onboard (2) barometers, to keep an eye on things and see if it's transpiring as it ought from what my own observations and forecast predicted, and I'd compare that against what I was being told.

I've been out a few times when things diodn't go as the forecast indicated and headed back early. Flash once asked why we were leaving when we were just getting into the fish?

He hadn't noticed the wind had swung 180 degrees to the northwest where all our storms come from...and was increasing pretty fast (none of which was forecast but which I suspected may happen).

We were back at the ramp, boat loaded and kids, wives swimming etc having a grand ol time when the storm arrived an hour or so later and all the boats were in a mad dash for the ramp ahead of the weather, they were getting their boatds pounded getting them on the trailer, tempers were getting frayed, and we watched on in amusement..thats when I explained why we left the fishing grounds early. I think thats when it sunk in for Flash...

We were pulling away in the car headed for home as the first heavey drops started falling, lighning flashing, meanwhile theres pandemonium at the ramp visible in our rear view mirror.

Found a nice warm dry chicken shop for a feed with the wifes and kids on the way home, all in all a nice day out, for us - not so for those we left fighting it out at the ramp.

Soo - how long before someone sues one a these companys when the data or forecast is plumb wrong coz someone goofed up?

Only a question of time if you ask me.

Flash now has his own on board weather forecast/barometer system..

its a piece a string tied to a piece a board, that hangs off the dash, it says:-

When string is dull - it's cloudy
When string is wet - it's raining
When string is dry - its sunny
When string is blowing - it's windy
When string is floating - boats sinking
When string isn't floting - boats already sunk

Never fails - maybe theres a market for these? never needs batterys!

Cheers!

[Jay A]

NOAA Weather Radio is installing new stations along the coast to broadcast marine weather only! Now you don't have to wait 20 min. or so for the weather in your area to be read. They installed one here in Gloucester(162.425mhz) last month and I know it's going to be usefull for the inshore fleet and others within 20 miles.

[jondunn]

Trouty,
I know it gets hot in Oz, I wonder if you ever get a weather phenomenon that occasionally occurs in the Sea of Cortez, where I fish with regularity. The saying goes something like; if you hear thunder but see no clouds, head for shore at full speed. Apparently, when there is a wind shift that blows very hot air from the land over the water there can be a violent storm brew up out of nowhere. It just feeds on itself.

[TedM]

Call me crazy, but I'd really like the idea of someone pushing more real-time weather buoys to be set up. The storm approaching thing is nice and I respect it's value, but how many times have you found the daily marine forecast predictions not quite what you'd expected, let alone a storm? I'd like to see more real-time systems including wave height for us boaters to access, and the NWS marine radio stations could broadcast at each of their regular intervals. I guess my idea would be too costly, but I know a few folks other than myself who'd find that invaluable.. especially new boaters.