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Have you ever found yourself desperately checking multiple weather apps before casting off, still uncertain if you're making the right call? In this episode, we dive deep into the technology that's revolutionizing how sailors make weather-based decisions with Karen McMaster from PredictWind.
Karen brings extraordinary credentials to this conversation – she's not just a support team member at PredictWind, but a third-generation sailor who has raced around the world twice and recently took her 17-year-old daughter on her first offshore passage. "I wanted to make sure my daughter had a good experience," Karen explains, "so understanding the weather, routing it, and letting her know what to expect was key."
We explore why using multiple forecast models creates more confidence than relying on a single source. "It's like having six meteorologists sitting around the table," Karen notes, demonstrating how consensus between models helps sailors make better decisions. The discussion covers everything from high-resolution forecasting that reveals wind funneling between islands to detailed comfort parameters like roll and vertical acceleration that can predict seasickness before you leave the dock.
Perhaps most fascinating is how modern technology can learn your boat's actual performance over time, building custom polar diagrams that make routing increasingly accurate. We also discover how over-the-horizon AIS integration allows sailors to plan around fishing fleets or shipping lanes up to 300 nautical miles away – potentially avoiding those nerve-wracking 2AM encounters.
Whether you're planning your first offshore passage or your fiftieth, this episode offers practical insights into using weather technology to sail smarter, safer, and more comfortably. Try these tools on your next passage and experience the confidence that comes from truly understanding what lies ahead.

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