VANCOUVER ISLAND WINDTALK

The UWash wind models are very valuable. I use them frequently to figure out where and when to sail. tom.

Hey Dave, I'm guessing you track page hits for the forecast page. Can you give us some stats? Daily avg or total/month?

S

Saulman
Dave posted a link, on the last page about halfway down.:


unfortunately this is serious:
http://www.atmos.washington.edu/mm5rt/w ... ml#TOPREFS

They ....

If you follow it, you'll see the 'Canada' stats (prob almost all bwd although paradoxically many of these probably originate from the US) and the bwd on the site listings. Numbers are big, but how much band width does downloading take??

I missed that one. Thanks MF4. I was actually curious about the traffic on Dave's forecast summary pages? As was pointed out earlier, people hitting Dave's forecast summary pages are saving bandwidth that would otherwise be hitting the U's severs directly. If the U is worried about folks viewing their data without knowing who did the work, have a look at the top referrers. Lots of people are looking at the U's site because of BWD.

To the great folks at UW:
We users here at BWD are using the UW forecasts to stay safe doing the activities we love be they sailing, kayaking, boating, windsurfing, kiting, hiking, fishing, canoeing, surfing or .... I am confident that there are other users out there that I haven't listed. Dave's forecast format is very clear and easily understood by the lay person.

We greatly appreciate the work you do and thank you for providing the forecasts and other information that we use. This information has prevented many people from getting caught in weather that would put them at risk, has likely saved the time and resources of rescue professionsals from having to save endangered people and has definitely saved countless hours of wasted driving. I would hope that this fits the spirit of why UW originally began publishing the data on the web.

Dave's site is not for profit and you may notice that more often than not, any fundraising is done by other members on a volunteer basis (hats off to Kus especially). The meagre proceeds go back into hardware, webcams or bandwidth for webcams that support the community of wind sport enthusiasts and marine users.

Once again, my thanks to UW and BWD both.

Check out what money is raised in the fund raisers Maybe a couple of hundred dollars max. This website is a labour of love, not a profit centre.

seriously Mr. university jerk? We are applying your science to out fun and you are saying no? ...the #$%^ is this?

I check the wind model daily. Also, our dockmaster use it when docking vessels at the Shipyard. It is a valuable asset to BWD thanks for allowing access to the site.

I over use the model, now in rehab

I agree with above post concerning saving gas / time. It help a lot with planification.

The BWD Forecasts page has been the second page I look at since the day it began.
I open my browser, BWD home page. Then the Forecasts, and then the webcams. When there is time, everything else.
I remember the site without it. We survived.. but since the addition..

The Forecast page helps me know where to go, when to go. When to tell the wife in advance I'll be gone. (very important) When I'll need the car, and when I may be sick at work.. ha! (I mean... cough!)

Checking the Forcasts helps me to decide in advance "weather" or not to go to Nitinaht, drive up island, or stay put at home.

Choosing to have a hobbie that is dependent on weather, can be very frustrating. Knowing where and when to be, can be the one thing which keeps the stoke strong, or from just giving up.
There are too many reasons to put, on why and how the Forcasts page help us weather driven people.
Least of all, should be helping keep me out of trouble. From disapearing with no notice at home. To giving the scheduler enough time to replace me.. but those have been realities to.

So, the more we know about what may be on it's way, the better we can plan for the future.. The better we plan for the future, the less time, money, and resorces have to be used to acheive the same, if not less result.

There are other models.. yes, but this is the one I think, works the best.
With this model, the webcams, and my own eyes. It's a night and day difference to my sport, than without it.

As the Doctor perscribed already..
Please save our Top Model!

I use the model regularly for Kitesurfing, boat sailing and fishing. I know many other recreational boaters use this information as well. Even crews participating in the Swiftsure race use the model data. To be sure, this is NOT a profit generating site. Any donations collected over time have gone towards equipment that has built the site to what it is today. Dave has made all this possible as a personal project of interest. I sincerely hope the UofW allows our access to continue.

I use the forecast for predicating winds when sailing and kayaking in the victoria and oak bay area. I find it extremely accurate and useful.

As an aside, I do notice that the page tends to auto refresh and this probably causes unnecessary hits to their server if you forget to close the browser window. Perhaps you should disable this.

I use it several times a day, everyday. I would be very sad to see it go. I find it very useful to look at the maps to see the predicted wind trends throughout the day. I find it reasonably accurate too. Please keep allowing access UofW!

Cheers,
Alastair

Please let us keep this wind model. I check it multiple times a day to plan windsport activities for the end of my workday, and for my days off. It is an invaluable tool. I also use it to plan fishing and other boating activities, which helps keep us safe on the water.

This is to you from us on this island just north of you, this model is an invaluable tool which most of us use daily to decide whether we go to work, need a raincoat or to call in sick, but basically we wind junkies need this model and appreciate access to this model to aid in the direction our lives are going in, granted it is a model, soo not 100% all of the time, but it does help in a really big way. So, YES, we would really appreciate continued access to your model. Cheers and thankyou UW.

Nicely put everyone ... Dave I'm working on acquiring an " Information sharing agreement " template from the B.C. Government ...