{"id":1287,"date":"2023-10-05T13:02:55","date_gmt":"2023-10-05T13:02:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/guncoupons.net\/?p=1287"},"modified":"2023-10-05T13:02:55","modified_gmt":"2023-10-05T13:02:55","slug":"google-maps-for-the-open-ocean-the-outdoor-journal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/guncoupons.net\/?p=1287","title":{"rendered":"Google Maps for the Open Ocean? \u2013 The Outdoor Journal"},"content":{"rendered":"


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It\u2019s no secret that weather can be predicted. We all scan weather apps on our smartphones whenever we\u2019re planning a camping or hiking trip. Sure, these weather forecasts don\u2019t play out perfectly. (Surely we\u2019ve all been caught in a freak hailstorm or heavy rain once in a while). But as technology has advanced, humans are increasingly able to predict weather patterns across the Earth\u2019s surface.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The same has been true on water for years\u2026 but not for everyone.<\/span><\/p>\n

54-year-old New Zealand Olympic sailor Jon Bilger experienced this firsthand, after helming an\u00a0<\/span>America\u2019s Cup<\/span><\/a> forecasting team for a decade. Found in 1851, the America\u2019s Cup (or \u201cAuld Mug\u201d) yacht race is the oldest international competition in any sport, and among the most prestigious events in the sailing world. Following an Olympic appearance in 1992, Bilger served as a navigator for TAG Heuer in 1995, then won the race twice as weather manager for Alinghi, in both 2003 and 2007.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a stressful job,\u201d Bilger said. \u201cWe were responsible for telling the boat(s) which way to go for every three-mile beat, [but] even when you have a man up the rigging, you can only see a half-mile up the [30-mile] course.\u201d As one can imagine, even at the turn of the century, the technology behind the meteorological program was extensive. Bilger was part of a 12-person team made up of weatherboat drivers, meteorologists, and other experts. \u201cWe had incredible technology, satellite equipment, weather stations, pressure sensors everywhere,\u201d he said. \u201cWe had these motorized hang gliders flying around the course\u2026 We just had some really cool technology.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With this extensive meteorological support, Bilger and his team were able to dial in weather conditions to an unprecedented level\u2026 certainly compared to what the average sailor might have access to.<\/span><\/p>\n

The \u201cIndependence,\u201d one of two boats purpose-built by the New York Yacht Club to defend their America\u2019s Cup title against the Irish in 1901. Credit: Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But after spending over a decade working with this technology, Bilger realized that all this elite technology didn\u2019t have to be relegated to elite yacht racing. He wanted to bring it to the masses. \u201cI started thinking, \u2018Imagine if the average sailor had access to this technology?\u2019\u201d he said. \u201cI realized from working with top meteorologists that 90% of what they\u2019re saying is just the model. If you get the best model data and you present that properly, then you can [help sailors] make a really good call.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

With this drive in mind, Bilger designed <\/span>PredictWind<\/span><\/a>, a weather forecasting platform allowing sailors worldwide to get their hands on meteorological technology previously exclusively available only to high-end sailing races and expeditions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Planning a trip with PredictWind\u2019s weather routing feature.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

PredictWind synthesizes (\u201cWhat we and our team believe\u201d) are the top six weather forecasting models available at any given moment, giving sailors access to tools and information like real-time weather updates, an advanced forecasting model, and intuitive route optimization features. Bilger said this revolutionizes the way everyday sailors can navigate open water.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t all smooth sailing. When Bilger first tried to start PredictWind, back in 2008, \u201cIt was pretty sketchy,\u201d he admitted. \u201cI built it all the wrong way. These days, you go and get investors, you crowdfund or whatever. But I just put all my money into it, myself and my wife. And three or four years into it, it was like, \u2018Don\u2019t worry darling, we won\u2019t lose the house. We\u2019ll be fine\u2026\u2019\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For several years, Bilger said he considered pulling the plug. In recent years, however, PredictWind really took off. He now employs 50-odd people, \u201cand it\u2019s been growing every year. It\u2019s very successful. But [back then], it was crazy town. Just crazy town.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Like planning a road trip\u2014easily thrown into disarray by traffic jams and road closures\u2014 unpredictable weather patterns can occur on the water as well. Bilger mitigates this risk by offering real-time updates through PredictWind\u2019s mobile app, along with fully interactive maps and push notifications, allowing sailors to stay informed and adapt their plans in a split second on the water.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another key feature is PredictWind\u2019s ability to provide customized route planning based on individual preferences and vessel specifications. Sailors can input their starting point, destination, and any specific requirements, and the platform generates optimized routes that consider wind patterns, currents, and potential hazards. This saves time and fuel and enhances safety by guiding sailors through the most favorable conditions.<\/span><\/p>\n

Additionally, PredictWind offers comprehensive weather forecasts that cover a wide range of parameters, including wind speed, direction, wave height, atmospheric pressure, and more. The platform\u2019s user-friendly interface lets sailors easily interpret and visualize the data, allowing them to make informed decisions about their routes and activities.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thanks to GPS tracking and AIS (Automatic Identification System) maritime data, PredictWind lets sailors not only see where their boat is, but also wind speed, direction, and all the commercial nautical traffic in the vicinity. \u201cSo instead of just looking at the AIS data on your boat, which is 20 nautical miles or whatever, you can see the next 300 or 400 nautical miles, container ships, fishing fleets, everything,\u201d said Bilger.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Mapping viable departure times with PredictWind.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Through PredictWind\u2019s online forums, sailors can exchange insights, tips, and experiences, creating a dynamic knowledge-sharing environment, and a collaborative spirit that strengthens the sailing community, fostering camaraderie and providing individuals with a wealth of collective wisdom.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bilger gave an example of how he used PredictWind in a recent trip from Auckland to Fiji, along with one of PredictWind\u2019s skippers. \u201cUsing our tool is just like Google Maps,\u201d he said. \u201cYou put in your start, your destination, you put in the performance curve of the boat so it knows what it\u2019s going to do in different conditions. Then, boom, it gives the fastest route, and it gives you the weather along that route [based on] the six models, the wind, the wave conditions, the current. You also can do a departure plan, so it gives you the info for Day One, Day Two, Day Three, and so on.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The platform even creates a hydrodynamic model based on your specific watercraft, showing how it will react in upcoming conditions. \u201cSo you put in it\u2019s a monohull, this length, this beam, this displacement. And it actually has all the criteria to model that in any swell state. This shows what you\u2019re going to experience [in that weather].\u201d The system shows the degree of roll, vertical acceleration, slamming, and other factors, letting you know what to expect ahead of time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

During their Fiji trip, PredictWind\u2019s forecast showed a massive swell of nearly four meters coming in behind them. At first glance, Bilger and his team were apprehensive. But the model showed that although the swell was large, the effects (based on their craft) wouldn\u2019t be bad. \u201cSure enough, we trusted the system and we were fine. We had these big swells but [they were spaced out] over quite a long period so we hardly noticed them. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c[Without PredictWind] I would\u2019ve looked at those swells and thought, \u2018Man\u2026 that\u2019s product-breaking stuff.\u2019 But nah, we\u2019re really eating our own dog food here. We actually use [PredictWind] all the time like this, and it\u2019s a game changer.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Jon Bilger, PredictWind\u2019s founder and director<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n