Solar Advice Please for Atlantic Rower
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Hi all, I am new to Windy and trying to get my head around the appropriate functions. My son, 26, has just started on an Atlantic Row challenge from the Canaries to Antigua - some 3000 miles in a rowing boat (don't ask!). He has to make water constantly as he can't carry enough so relies on a water maker which is powered by batteries which are powered by, you got it, Solar panels. I need to be able to tell him in advance (a once a day text) if there is clear skies or overcast as this means he can plan use of the watermaker. Can I/should I use the solar power function for this and if so any advice would be appreciated as how to read it. If not what cloud cover option should I choose. Sorry for the long question! Thanks in advance Gordon
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Hi @Gordon-Farm. I would say using both solar power and clouds will work pretty much the same. They show clouds (low values of solar power) at the same locations (see screenshots below)
Comparing both available models for solar power (ECMWF and ICON) is also a good idea -
With the advantage for the Solar power layer to display the available power taking into account the height of the sun. The Cloud layer does not show the solar power variation during the day nor the absence of sunlight at night.
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Thanks both, really appreciated. Just so I'm clear (no pun intended!) does the darker red mean higher levels of solar radiation i.e. better for the solar panels. Thanks again for your help and patience!
Gordon -
@Gordon-Farm said in Solar Advice Please for Atlantic Rower:
does the darker red mean higher levels of solar radiation
No, it is the opposite. the lighter in the color scale means higher levels of solar radiation. The color scale of this layer was judiciously modeled on the color of the sun, very light at midday and becoming more yellow and ending almost red at sunset. See the detailed color scale:
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@Gordon-Farm you can also check value at any place by placing picker (by clicking in the desktop version) or "cross-hair" (by moving map in the mobile version). This is what it looks like:
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Thanks for your help guys. As you can clearly work magic, if you could do something to lessen the wind out there over the next 72hours you'd have a very grateful Father!
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@Gordon-Farm
Windy forecasts wind, but does not control it :)
What is the actual position (coordinates) of your son ? -
@idefix37
As at 0800 UTC 26, 1.5N 21, 37.9W
There is a tracker called YB races and the race is The Worlds Toughest Row Atlantic 2023 and he is in a pair called The Worcester Buoys.It looks like a sleepless 72 hours for me before hopefully conditions get a bit better at the end of the week. They need to get further South to take advantage of winds later in passage but current wind pattern doesn't really allow. Much easier if he was sailing!
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@Gordon-Farm
Thank you. The conditions seem rather tough, even during the next days. 6 Bft and the wind direction not the best. -
Although the row is purely human powered the solar will help power onboard monitoring, navigation equipment and more. The flexible solar technology combines .
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@idefix37
Yes, you were right about the tough conditions! The storm lasted 4 days and nothing anyone could do but hunker down in the cabins: certainly no rowing to be done. Three capsizes in the fleet: everyone safe and back on board their rowing boats: good safety prep.
Hopefully as they now approach the lower lattitudes the winds will soon be at their backs and easier rowing. Still another 27 odd days to go - 1600 miles. Thanks for your advice -
@Gordon-Farm
Thank you.
Next days will be better for rowing 4Bft sometimes 5, quite normal conditions in the trade winds area.
