The lake sailor's glossary
The concepts behind every number on this site — explained without jargon.
Thermal winds: why lakes breeze up every afternoon
The reliable afternoon lake breeze is a heat engine you can set your watch by.
Gust factor: the number that predicts jibe crashes
Sustained wind tells you how fast you'll go. Gust factor tells you how often you'll swim.
Reading Environment Agency gauges: what the level number means
Metres above a station datum — knowing what your gauge reports prevents bad launch decisions.
How the LakePulse UK sailing score works
A 0–10 rating built from wind, gusts, storms, and cold — and tuned to your kind of sailing.
Why wind direction matters more on lakes than at sea
The same wind speed is a completely different day depending on where it comes from.
Met Office warnings and when to stay ashore
What the warnings actually mean, and how to make the go/no-go call for your boat.
Cold-water safety: the 1-10-1 rule
UK water below 15 °C changes the math on every capsize. Know the rule that buys you time.
Fetch: why short lakes stay flat and long lakes get angry
The single physics concept that explains why identical wind days feel so different.
UKV vs GFS vs ICON: which forecast to trust on a lake
Every app shows a different wind number because every app uses a different model. Here's the cheat sheet.
Solunar theory: do moon phases really drive fish bites?
The astronomy behind solunar tables, what the evidence says, and how we use it without overpromising.