Marine meteorology and
weather routing
Professional weather forecasting and routing for racing campaigns, offshore passages and superyacht deliveries worldwide. Delivered in partnership with OrcaMet, founded by Steve Carver, our resident meteorologist and weather routing specialist.
Better decisions, faster passages, safer voyages
Weather is the single biggest variable in any race or offshore voyage. The difference between a good forecast and a great one, measured against polars and routing software, can be hours saved on a delivery, places gained in a race, or a serious weather system avoided altogether.
Modern routing software is only as good as the inputs it receives. The forecasts, the polar data, and the human interpretation of both. Get any of those wrong and the routing output is no better than guesswork. Get them right and the advantage is consistent and significant.
Our service combines academic meteorology, hands-on yacht performance experience and proven routing tools. Steve Carver works directly with captains and navigators on TP52 and Cape 31 fleets, alongside offshore campaigns and ocean crossings, providing the kind of personal, responsive service that automated routing platforms cannot match.
Tailored to the programme
Every yacht and every passage is different. We work directly with captains, navigators and owners to scope the right level of support for the campaign or voyage at hand.
Race Weather Routing
Pre-race forecasting, daily strategic briefings and live routing support for inshore and offshore racing programmes. From windward-leeward fleets to multi-day offshore classics.
- Strategic pre-race forecast and routing scenarios
- Daily morning briefings tailored to course and fleet
- Live routing updates during the race via satellite or shore comms
- Course-specific local effects analysis (sea breeze, gradient interaction, current)
- Post-race weather review and decision audit
Offshore & Ocean Crossings
Strategic routing and continuous monitoring for transatlantic, transpacific and global passages. From cruising yachts and superyachts to record attempts and rally fleets.
- Departure window analysis and weather risk assessment
- Optimal route generation using GFS, ECMWF and high-resolution models
- Daily routing updates throughout the passage, sized for limited bandwidth
- Tropical system monitoring and avoidance routing
- 24/7 contact for severe weather and significant routing changes
Delivery & Repositioning
Practical, efficient routing for yacht deliveries, owner trips and seasonal repositioning. Schedule-driven support that keeps captain and shore team aligned.
- Departure window planning and route optimisation
- Periodic updates as conditions evolve
- Port arrival and departure timing briefings
- Coordination with captain, shore team and management
- Concise, actionable formats designed for at-sea use
Performance Analysis & Debrief
Data-driven post-event review combining weather, polars and actual routing decisions. Identifies where time was gained and lost relative to optimum routing.
- Reconstructed weather and current conditions across the course
- Polar performance vs target analysis
- Routing decision review with hindsight overlay
- Manoeuvre and sail-change timing assessment
- Structured report for owner, captain, navigator and crew
The four pillars of accurate routing
Reliable weather routing depends on getting four things right. Drop any one of them and the output suffers. Our approach addresses all four with equal rigour.
Accurate Polars
A weather forecast is only as useful as the boat performance data it is applied to. We work with your team to build, validate and tune your polars so routing reflects your boat's actual capability, not theoretical assumptions. This is the single biggest determinant of routing accuracy.
High-Resolution Forecasting
Standard global models (GFS, ECMWF) offer broad strokes at coarse grid scales. We supplement these with high-resolution mesoscale models, sea breeze modelling and local observation feeds to deliver forecasting that captures the small-scale features which decide races and shape passages.
Multi-Model Comparison
No single model is right all the time. We run side-by-side comparison of GFS, ECMWF, ICON and proprietary feeds, weighting them based on regional skill scores and recent performance. The result is a more robust picture than any single source can provide.
Sailor's Interpretation
Numerical models cannot replace experience at sea. Steve has campaigned at the front of competitive fleets and brings the navigator's perspective to every briefing, translating model output into clear, actionable routing decisions.
From grand prix racing to global voyages
Our weather routing service is built around the realities of competitive sailing and serious offshore work. Steve Carver provides forecasting and routing across a range of programmes, from one-design fleets to bluewater superyacht passages.
Whether you need a one-off pre-departure briefing or ongoing support across an entire racing season, we scope the engagement to suit.
- TP52 grand prix fleet
- Cape 31 one-design class
- Maxi and supermaxi racing programmes
- IRC and ORC offshore campaigns
- Performance cruising yachts
- Superyacht offshore passages
- Record attempts and ocean crossings
Meteorologist, sailor, founder of OrcaMet
Steve is a marine meteorologist and data performance engineer. He is the founder of OrcaMet and works with MLC Technologies as a data performance engineer. He provides weather routing and performance analysis services to TP52 and Cape 31 racing fleets as well as vessels on offshore passages.
Steve holds a BSc in Marine Science from the University of East Anglia and an FdSc in Operational Yacht Science from UKSA, combining academic rigour with practical experience at sea.
Frequently asked questions
When should we engage a weather router?
For races, ideally one to two weeks before the start so we can familiarise ourselves with the boat, polars and crew. For ocean crossings, three to four weeks ahead allows time for departure window analysis. For deliveries, a few days notice is usually enough. The earlier we are involved, the better the outcome.
Do you work with our existing navigator and team?
Yes. Our role is to support your navigator, captain and crew, not replace them. We work as part of your shore team, integrating with your existing tools and decision-making process.
What software and data sources do you use?
We use industry-standard routing software including Expedition and Adrena, drawing on GFS, ECMWF, ICON, AROME and high-resolution mesoscale models. We also run proprietary tooling developed for performance analysis.
Can you support a one-off race or do you only offer season-long packages?
Both. We support one-off events, multi-race series, full racing seasons, individual ocean crossings and ongoing offshore programmes. Engagements are scoped to suit.
Do you provide briefings in formats suitable for limited bandwidth at sea?
Yes. We deliver condensed text briefings sized for satellite email, alongside richer formats for shore-side review. Format and frequency are agreed at the start of every engagement.
Plan your next voyage
Whether you have a race coming up, an ocean crossing on the horizon, or a delivery on the schedule, we would be glad to discuss how we can support you.
Get in touch