Routing preferences can be set from the settings wheel in the top right corner of the weather routing page.

Optimise for Fastest Time

This will optimize the route for the fastest possible time.

Optimize for Comfort

This will optimise the route for the fastest time, but avoid high wind/wave regions in the forecast. You set your criteria for high wind and wave areas to avoid when you select ‘Comfort.' The minimum values for Wind Speed and Swell are 25knots and 2.5m. This is set as lower values can result in optimal routes that are very long, trying to avoid these conditions.

Land Avoidance

Land avoidance is automatically enabled in the standard and professional packages. The routing algorithm automatically avoids the land. The land avoidance uses 50m resolution data which will give great results in most cases. Please check all your waypoints are in the water for best results. You will also need to check the route does not cross the land, or any shallow areas, and is fit for navigation.

Polars

Polars define the performance of the yacht/power boat in different wind/wave conditions. It is important to define this accurately, so the optimal route is correct. You have the option to adjust the speed and apply penalties for tacking and gybing:

Predefined

A list of popular yachts are listed. Select the closest yacht from the drop down list as well as motoring speeds below a certain wind speed if you are cruising or delivering a racing yacht.

Power Polars

This allows you to define a polar curve for a power boat. Simply fill in the boat speeds for the different conditions, and the performance curve will be calculated.

Sail Polars

Similarly this allows you to define a basic polar curve for a yacht. Simply fill in the boat speeds for the different conditions, and the performance curve will be calculated.

Advanced Polars

Allows you to edit and save your own custom polar curve to match the performance of your boat. You will need to do this from a PC/Mac computer. Once you are logged into your account via a PC/Mac, you can simply change the numbers, being careful to keep the same format, and spacing. Please use spaces not tabs. The polar will be automatically saved after you perform a routing.

Wave Polars

Wave Polars adjust the boats performance depending on the wave forecast. You will need to log into your account via a PC/Mac computer to be able to adjust this setting. This table allows you to adjust performance of the boat in all wave conditions. Use a % factor for the boat speed in the table below in various wave conditions. This is particularly important for light displacement boats.

The angles 0 45 90 135 180 are the angle of the wave relative to the direction of the boat. ie 0 degrees is a wave approaching from the bow and 180 degrees is a wave approaching from the stern.

Ocean Currents

If this option is selected the routing algorithm uses ocean currents from TideTech.org. The data is updated every day using real-time Satellite Data.

Tidal Currents

If this option is selected the routing algorithm uses tidal currents from TideTech.org. On the Google Map zoom out to see the areas that have Tidal Current data - the red squares.