File - Canadian Wayfarer Association

2.12 The Beaufort Scale of Wind Speed
Based on a “Yachting Magazine” item that was posted in the Vallensbæk Sejlklub after we had
attempted to sail race 1 of the '89 Worlds in 22 m/sec, i.e. 44 knots!
Beaufort
No.
Seaman's
description
of wind
Wind
speed
in
knots
Description of sea
0 Calm < 1 Sea like a mirror
1 Light air 1-3 Ripples, no foam crests
2 Light breeze 4-6
3
4
5
6
7
8
Gentle
breeze
Moderate
breeze
Fresh
breeze
Strong
breeze
Moderate
gale
(high wind)
Fresh
gale
7-10
11-16
17-21
22-27
28-33
34-40
Small wavelets, crests have
a glassy appearance and do
not break
Large wavelets, crests begin
to break. Perhaps scattered
white caps.
92
Approximate
effect on racing
dinghy
Crew sit on leeward
side of boat or on
centerline.
Crew sit on
windward side of
boat
Crew ballasting on
weather gunwale.
Racing machines
like 5-0-5, FD may
plane.
Crew ballasting out
Small waves becoming
hard over weather
longer. Fairly frequent white
gunwale. Most
caps
dinghies will plane.
Moderate waves, taking a
more pronounced long form.
Many white caps, some
spray
Large waves begin to form.
Extensive white caps
everywhere, some spray
Sea heaps up and white
foam from breaking waves
begins to be blown in wellmarked
streaks along the
direction of the wind.
Moderately high waves of
greater length. Edges of
crests break into spindrift.
The foam is blown in weIlmarked
streaks along the
direction of the wind.
Light dinghies have
to ease sheets in
heavier gusts.
Start reefing main
sails small jibs
Very difficult to
sail, even under jib
only
Psychological
scale
Boredom
Mild pleasure
Pleasure
Great pleasure
Delight
Delight tinged
with anxiety
Anxiety tinged
with fear
Fear tinged
with terror