Navigation & Weather Planning for Passagemakers

No matter how much you prep and plan, you cannot control the weather. However, you can be proactive by understanding weather elements, sources, routing and timing. This online class is designed for sailors of all levels who want to understand weather and optimize sailing plans accordingly.

In this class you’ll learn effective weather planning for coastal and ocean passages by blending weather, oceanography and navigation. Review some marine weather and Gulf Stream basics, learn to interpret synoptic weather charts and text forecasts, explore the pros and cons of GRIB files. Learn about weather models, weather routing, and getting data while offshore. We’ll put it all together with a bluewater passage scenario, from climatology through route planning, Gulfstream crossing, enroute weather and observations.

Captains Andy Batchelor and Lisa Batchelor Frailey are both life-long sailors and retired military officers. Andy served in the Royal Air Force in aviation and intelligence, and Lisa served in the US Navy in aviation, meteorology and oceanography – a combination of skills which have proved very useful to sailing and passagemaking. They founded and operated Sail Solomons ASA school and charter base, receiving numerous awards for ASA Outstanding School and Outstanding Instructors. Andy and Lisa wrote ASA’s textbooks for Bareboat Cruising and Catamaran Cruising, and are the primary contributors to ASA’s Advanced Cruising and Seamanship text. Cruising for seven years onboard their Passport 47 ZINGARO and Outbound 46 KINETIC, Andy and Lisa have made numerous coastal passages and ocean voyages, conducting cruising and passagemaking training while living aboard in exotic locations. They also organize and lead sailing flotillas on cruising catamarans and monohulls in the Caribbean. Andy and Lisa are regular speakers at Cruisers’ University, and present live webinars including the ASA Marine Weather Course. Andy and Lisa launched Kinetic Sailing to offer marine consulting, charter brokerage, instructional yacht deliveries and tailored instruction with a global scope. They are USCG Captains, cruisers, instructors, analysts and business owners with a wealth of experience in the sailing industry.