Expert Navigator Tips: How to Master Weather Models for a Winning Edge

Professional skipper Will Harris explains to Andy Rice how to make a navigation plan using weather models to win a sailing race

Will Harris at the nav station of the IMOCA Malizia in the 2023 iteration of The Ocean Race. Photo: Antoine Auriol/Team Malizia/The Ocean Race

When he’s working up a weather and routing plan for an offshore race, Will Harris likes to build up the information in layers. The work can start weeks in advance for a big race like the Rolex Fastnet Race, but the homework...