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I founded Ocean-Pro Weather in 2005 and have been providing weather forecasting and routing assistance for private yachts, sail and power, globally for about 20 years. I am an experienced offshore sailor and skipper myself, a USCG-licensed Captain and Master (100 ton) since 1985, with over 20 years and 150,000 nms at sea, primarily in the North Atlantic, planning and skippering hundreds of rigorous 500-4000 nm offshore deliveries and training passages on boats from 35-90 feet LOA.

I would describe my weather and routing service as informed, personal, reliable, timely, and accurate. I have accumulated a long list of satisfied clients over the years, both sail and power, mono and multi-hull yachts, ranging in size from 30 to 200 ft LOA. About 75% of my clients’ yachts are sail and 25% are power. Most engagements are for extended offshore or ocean passages of 1,000 to 5,000 nms, or 5-30 days. We have also provided our services for 10,000 to 40,000 nm multi-ocean, multi-month passages, and multi-year global circumnavigations. Ocean-Pro is a supporting sponsor of several world cruising organizations, including the SSCA (www.ssca.org), Noonsite (www.noonsite.com), SailTahiti’s “Pacific Puddle Jump” (www.pacificpuddlejump.com, organized by SailTahiti, www.sailtahiti.com), and Sailblogs (www.sailblogs.com).

To see photos and trip descriptions of some of the yachts we have assisted with weather and routing over the years, we have posted photos of many clients’ yachts on our website “Gallery” page, as well as on our Facebook “Photos” page. There are separate photo albums for “Sailing Yachts” and “Motor Yachts.” Clicking on an individual yacht photo shows the vessel name, captain, and a brief description of the yacht and the passage it made. Here are the links: www.Ocean-Pro.com/gallery and www.facebook.com/oceanproweather/photos.

Our weather forecasts and routing advisories are intended to provide you with safe, fast, and comfortable passages. We draw on a comprehensive set of resources, including a deep knowledge of vessel design and operating parameters, global and seasonal weather patterns, major ocean currents, world cruising routes and destinations, and numerous high-resolution, global and regional weather and sea-state computer models.

The high-resolution computer models we study and use most frequently include the GFS (USA, Global), NAM (USA, Regional), ECMWF (European, Global), ICON (Germany, Global), ARPEGE (France, Global), and WRF (European, Regional). We also use ensemble forecast models, including GEFS and ECMWF-EPS, to assess the probability range across model runs. Our wave forecast models include WW3 (USA, Global), GWAM (European, Global), and EWAM (European, Regional). Our hurricane models include HWRF, HMON, and HAFS. We also monitor and use near real-time, high-resolution radar and satellite imagery and derived satellite data for all regions of the world, as well as NOAA, US Navy, and other WMO (World Meteorological Organization) member-country weather center forecasts, outlooks, warnings, radar, and satellite imagery.

The most recent addition to our weather forecasting, routing, and passage-timing toolkit is AI, artificial intelligence. We have found that using AI alongside our various computer weather models lets us combine historical and current model data, current satellite data, and each vessel’s own performance (VPP) data. The result is significantly enhanced forecast accuracy, extended forecast periods, and safer passages.

Passages in the mid and higher latitudes of the northern and southern hemispheres require us to closely monitor the formation, development, strength, size, and movement of highs, lows, storms, and fronts, so we can advise on utilizing favorable winds or recommend avoiding heavy weather. Passages in the tropical latitudes require close monitoring of the ITCZ (doldrums), trade winds, and the formation, development, strength, size, track, and wind field of any tropical storms, so we can recommend utilizing or avoiding them. Where a passage crosses one or more major ocean currents — the Gulf Stream, Agulhas, or an equatorial current — we factor that current into our routing advice on using or avoiding the current.

You choose one of two responsibility models: Ocean-Pro primarily responsible, leading on weather analysis and routing recommendations with the owner or captain approving; or the owner/captain primarily responsible, leading on weather analysis and routing decisions with Ocean-Pro reviewing and approving. You complete our Client, Vessel & Passage Registration form, and we review it together by email, phone, or video, typically a week or more before you plan to leave the dock.

We offer three types of weather & routing reports, each personalized to your vessel, location, and route. The Departure Weather Window Report helps us choose the best day(s) and time to depart. The Single-Model Synopsis, Weather & Routing Report is a one-page format, sent 1-2 days before departure and then daily once underway. The Dual-Model Synopsis, Weather & Routing Report runs GFS and ECMWF side by side in one two-page document: page one carries a synopsis for each model; page two carries a routing table and a weather/seas table for each, plus a quantitative reconciliation of where the two models agree or diverge. It is issued every 2 days by default (or daily, if you prefer). For the Departure Weather Window and Single-Model reports, GFS or ECMWF is the primary model, with the other reconciled against it; the choice is discussed and agreed with you before departure, considering current model behavior for your basin and season, and recorded on your registration form. Generally, GFS is our default weather model. We can revise the choice of primary and secondary models during the passage.

Each report includes a wide-area weather synopsis (highs, lows, fronts, storms, winds, seas, ITCZ characteristics), our recommended route, and a detailed weather and sea forecast along that route, in 24-hour intervals — covering expected skies, cloud cover, visibility, barometric pressure, temperature, winds, seas, and the probability, timing, and intensity of any rain, squalls, or storms. Our routing advice can also incorporate your sailing vessel’s VPP data, so please share it with us if you have one on file. If you do not have a proven VPP file we may have or be able to build one for your vessel. Our departure and routing advice draws on over 20 years of open-ocean sailing, our global weather and routing experience, and your skipper preferences and vessel constraints. Using the global and regional weather models, we can forecast out to 7-10 days, though accuracy decreases progressively the further out we forecast and is generally most reliable within 3-6 days. We are also glad to help with additional needs along the way, such as contacting family, ports-of-call, or Customs and Immigration offices, or liaising with the USCG or SAR services.

Weather routing and vessel position reporting for extended offshore passages require reliable, regular, two-way communications. This is best accomplished by satellite communications using conventional two-way email or WhatsApp, as opposed to voice or text (SMS) messages. We recommend using a high-reliability, global-coverage satellite provider with broadband capability, such as Starlink, KVH, Viasat, Iridium, or Inmarsat. Text or SMS messaging, such as Garmin “inReach” with messages limited to 160 characters, can be a helpful backup but is NOT SUFFICIENT ALONE. Please be sure to obtain, set up, and verify that you have reliable, two-way digital communications capability before you depart. We highly recommend active vessel tracking: sites such as MarineTraffic, ShipFinder, and VesselFinder show us your latest position, course, and speed. Offshore, satellites relay AIS signals only intermittently, so a Class A or 5 W Class B SO transponder with a dedicated antenna mounted as high as possible gives the best chance of pickup. Register your MMSI number, keep AIS on and transmitting, and confirm your vessel’s data appears correctly on these sites before departure.

Our communications with you should be daily or more frequent. We typically hold a pre-departure discussion of the weather, currents, routing, and your report and model selections 1-4 days before your planned departure, and agree together on a tentative departure date and passage plan. Once underway, please send us regular, detailed, daily position and status reports, which we log and acknowledge promptly.

Our reports, choice of model, pricing and default report frequency are as follows:

This includes our daily logging and tracking of your vessel position reports, along with any special information or assistance you may need. Our minimum charge for reports is $300.

For example, a 2,500 nm sailing yacht passage expected to take about 16 days might include 1 departure report plus daily Single-Model reports underway (or Dual-Model reports every 2 days) — either way, about $800 total. A 1,000 nm motor yacht passage run off-plane at 10 kts takes about 100 hours (roughly 4 days) and might include a departure report plus a few reports underway; run on-plane at 30 kts, it takes about 33 hours (roughly 1.4 days) and needs even fewer — either way, $300, our minimum charge.

Some owners and captains may want advice on a route, timing or departure window before engaging Ocean-Pro for a Departure Weather Window Report or Synopsis, Weather & Routing Reports. You’re welcome to ask. If your question needs only a small amount of research, there is no charge. If it needs significant or supporting research and analysis, I’ll give you an estimate before starting. I would bill and invoice my time at the rate of $100/hour (the minimum charge does not apply).

Payments are due in advance of the passage or legs thereof. Once we have your registration and have agreed on everything, we will email you a secure Stripe invoice and payment link; you can pay by credit card, debit card, or ACH bank transfer from U.S. accounts. Zelle or Venmo are also fine. Please do not send card numbers or CVV codes by email. For longer passages, 33-50% of the estimated charge for the full passage is to be paid upon registration; the balance of the estimated charge for the full passage is agreed to be paid mid-passage or no later than at the conclusion of the passage. To sign up for our service, please review and return your completed (or nearly completed) client registration form.