Boating Lessons: Marine Weather Forecasts

Consider this common boating scenario: Joe Boater wakes up on a fine Saturday morning to clear skies and the urge to take the boat out for the day. At breakfast, he catches the local forecast which calls for sunny skies, a high of 86 degrees and light winds. Great boating day, yes?

Maybe. But then, maybe not.

What Joe Boater doesn't know is the wind-speed and wave height, whether there are any advisories or warnings, and whether or not the marine forecast is likely to change with advancing weather. The ever-changing marine environment makes getting a marine weather forecast before boating a critical, but often overlooked, part of boating safety.

A marine weather forecast will indicate much more about the true marine environment than a local television forecast. Obtained through NOAA's National Weather Service online or by NOAA Weather Radio, mariners receive current wind speed, wave height, any advisories that exist and any impending changes to the forecast due to fronts or storms. Armed with this information, boaters can make informed decisions about when, or if, to take the boat out. For instance, Joe Boater with a 19' Regal may decide to boat another day if the marine weather forecast calls for a Small Craft Advisory.

I've been in numerous situations where the day started out flat-calm, but a combination of increasing winds, changing currents and impending storms made the journey back to port harrowing and uncomfortable. However, the Coast Guard trained me to know the marine weather forecast, checking it several times a day even, to be ready for any situation that might arise. We also knew our boat's limitations, and if the weather exceeded those (which wasn't often), we stayed in port until the weather cleared.

Before going boating, get a marine weather forecast. Once you make it a habit, you will never want to be without the priceless information that will help inform your boating decisions.

Related Articles:

• Before Boating, Know Your Marine Weather Forecast

• Marine Weather Advisories, Watches, and Warnings

Boating Lessons is an About.com Powerboating weekly feature designed to provide busy boaters with short tips and instruction about boat maintenance, boating safety, navigation, boat handling and more. To receive Boating Lessons and all Powerboating blogs automatically, sign up for the Powerboating RSS feed. For boating news and information delivered directly to your inbox, sign up for the weekly Powerboating e-Newsletter.