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Can You Sail With Rain?

Inherently, there are no problems with sailing in the rain. If there are no thunderstorms or heavy winds predicted, you are free to continue with your plans as normal. Here are some tips to make sure your expedition is safe:

Monitor marine weather forecasts. Taking advantage of all the tracking technology we have in modern society can keep you out of bad situations. Keeping a weather app on your phone and radio on your ship can alert you to any rapid and dangerous changes taking place with the weather.

Pack for a variety of outcomes. Going offshore and ending up in a situation where you don’t have clothes to keep you dry or warm is a recipe for disaster. Make sure you keep a rain jacket, warm attire, a change of clothes, and extras for additional people if necessary. This will mitigate any urgency when sailing in rain.

Cloud cover is fine. This is another situation where monitoring weather is important. As long as there are no thunderstorms or dark clouds, you should be able to continue sailing. But be aware of any changes that could potentially become dangerous. If you fish, there is the additional advantage of possibly catching fish that feed in low-light situations.

If you are ever in doubt, it is best to just wait onshore. The ocean is one of the most powerful forces on the planet and being caught in a dangerous situation on it is the last thing anyone needs.

Hiring sailing tours is another way to stay safe during sailing expeditions. These tours utilize professionals who have experienced the area and climate hundreds of times. This additional intuition creates another layer of safety combined with the tips above.

Although sailing in the rain is fine in most circumstances, it can affect some potential activities either positively or negatively. Knowing what activities are possible and not possible in the rain can help you plan a lot of aspects of your trip — things like where to go, what to pack, and what time of day to go out.

If you are looking to spend your time out on the water snorkeling, then you should be able to do so even if it is raining. Rain creates a process known as “aeration.” This process is the oxygenation of the water. This is especially important in the summer when oxygen levels in the water tend to be lower than normal. This combined with the cooling and cover provided by rain can bring more fish out to be viewed when snorkeling. The primary worry in this circumstance is the poorer visibility from cloud cover.

Fishermen who brave the elements will be rewarded with some unique circumstances to take advantage of. The decreased visibility makes your casting line harder to see and therefore more likely to not scare off a potential bite. Rain also tends to make insects gather near the surface of the water. This brings fish out of their deeper locations to feed closer to the top layer of water, making them easier to catch.

Whale watching and sunset viewing are some other activities for ocean sailing. While these activities are largely unaffected by rain (provided you are dressed appropriately), there is a reduction in visibility that could make viewing harder. Whales spend most of their time in Alaska, so the cooler temperature provided by rain won’t change their habits detrimentally. Sunset viewing does have the potential to be called off, as heavy cloud cover would make it impossible to view the sunset. Light cloud cover, however, can enhance a sunset by providing unique colors and shades.

Whale watching is a favorite pastime for many people who live in Hawaii. Sailing tours in Maui offer visitors a close-up view of whales in their natural habitat even when it is raining. Whales can be seen at almost any time, even if the tropical winds are blowing and it is lightly raining along the coast. Whales are quite visible in most types of weather and don’t seem to mind a little extra moisture.

If you plan on watching whales in the rain, you will more than likely want to have a poncho handy. If you are going out on a boat, you will want to make sure that you have a set of binoculars just in case you can’t get too close. If you carry a camera or your cell phone, it’s a good idea to carry a plastic bag to protect them from the rain. Even a short boat trip can cause you to get drenched if the winds and rain pick up. This is part of the reason you will want to protect your valuables.

Most catamarans and sailing tours will not go out in a thunderstorm. If you choose to try and watch the whales from shore, do not do so while it is lightning. This can be incredibly dangerous. If you want to watch the whales, talk to the locals and find out where to go to get the best possible view.