Beaufort scale.
The Beaufort scale of wind force is a very useful means of converting wind speed in to a sea state.
The whole scale can be tricky to remember, however there are several points that are easy to identify.
- Force 3
At force 3, white water will first appear.
- Force 5
At force 5, spray begins to splash on the deck.
- Force 7
At force 7, the surface of the sea develops distinctive white streaks.
With these reference points, it becomes fairly easy to assess wind forces between these points.
A useful quick calculator of Beaufort scale is to divide the wind speed in knots by 5 then add 1 to find the force.
20kn ÷ 5 = 4 + 1 = Force 5.
30kn ÷ 5 = 6 + 1 = Force 7.
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