Wind & Water Atlas and Tide Table

The Wind & Water Atlas is an updated, easier to use, version of the originally compiled 2010 PDF,..

Almanach Tribo / Winds, Streams & Waves for Vsk5

Gaining local knowledge is one of the most important advantages yacht racing. Understanding how tides, currents, wind behavior, and sea state interact with a race venue allows a tactician to make smarter decisions with greater consistency.
For Virtual Skipper 5 (VSK5), the Wind & Water Atlas and Tide Table tools provide the same depth of insight, giving players a professional level of situational awareness across all standard (non-tropical, non-Nordic) game venues.

Together, these tools form a complete venue-study system that can be used at any time—before racing, during practice, or while analyzing replay files.

Tide Table: Identify the Tidal Phase Immediately

The Tide Table allows sailors to determine the exact tidal phase for any given moment of the in-game tidal cycle. This information is essential because tides drive water flow patterns that strongly influence:

Layline offsets

Favored sides of the course

Downwind VMG and surfing potential

Gate-rounding strategy

Start-line timing and positioning

Once the tidal phase is known, the Venue Atlas provides a visual representation of how the water behaves during that phase.

Wind & Water Atlas: Detailed Maps for Every Tidal Phase

The Venue Atlas functions as a complete tidal, wind, and sea-state atlas for each standard VSK5 venue. It displays phase-specific maps of:

1. Tidal Flow

Direction and strength of current

Acceleration zones around headlands

Back-eddies behind islands and promontories

Current relief areas close to shore

2. Wave Height

Areas of higher or lower sea state

Regions with increased surfing potential

Zones where wave height affects pointing and speed

3. Wind Flow

Geographic wind bends

Compression and acceleration lanes

Shadowed regions and disturbed air

Shifts influenced by local terrain

These layers allow sailors to understand how the physical environment interacts with the racecourse in ways that are not obvious during normal gameplay.

Using Both Tools Together

When used in tandem, the Venue Atlas & Tide Table apps provide a complete tactical overview of any of the standard Vsk5 venues:

1. Determine the tidal phase using the Tide Table.
   
   

2. Open the matching tidal-phase map in the Chart Viewer.
   
   

3. Study how water, wind, and waves behave on each leg of the racecourse.
   
   

If the user has the race track file stored locally, the tools can be used to analyze the exact layout of any course at any time:

Identify which side of the beat is naturally favored.

Evaluate whether cross-current or down-current legs require early layline compensation.

Choose gate options based on pressure and current.

Plan start-line techniques depending on whether the current pushes the fleet over or holds it back.

Anticipate downwind instability or increased boat speed from wave-driven surfing.

This approach mirrors how real tacticians prepare for major regattas—by studying charts, tide tables, and local weather patterns well before the fleet ever leaves the dock.

A True Local-Knowledge Advantage

These tools allow VSK5 sailors to prepare for any venue with the same analytical methods used by professional teams:

Study conditions offline

Build pre-race strategies

Practice venue-specific scenarios

Understand underlying patterns rather than reacting blindly

The result is a significant competitive advantage. Decisions become deliberate, not reactive. Positioning becomes proactive. And race outcomes become more consistent as players learn how each venue behaves beneath the surface.

Wind & Water Atlas

The Wind & Water Atlas is designed to display the static wind flow, tidal flow, and wave height patterns for the 14 standard locations used in Vsk5. Unlike the Tropical and Nordic locations, the patterns for the 14 standard locations remain constant and cannot be modified in the Track Editor, making this tool essential for strategizing races.

1. Navigating the Interface

• Dropdown Selection Menus:

  • Location Dropdown – Select one of the 14 available racing locations.

• • Category Dropdown – Choose between:

    • Winds (wind flow direction patterns)

    • Tides (tidal flow direction patterns)

    • Waves (wave height and direction patterns)

• • Direction Dropdown – Allows you to select different directions depending on the category.
    
    

2. Viewing the Charts

• Once a location, category, and direction are selected, the corresponding chart will be displayed.

• The chart provides a visual representation of the chosen condition at that location.
  
  

3. Interactive Features

• Zooming: Use your mouse wheel to zoom in and out.

• Panning: Click and drag to move the chart around.

• Resetting: To change locations or categories, simply select a new option from the dropdown menus.
  
  

4. How to Use the Charts for Racing Strategy

• Wind Charts: Help you anticipate shifts and plan tacking strategies.

• Tidal Charts: Show how currents will impact your boat’s speed and heading.

• Wave Charts: Help you adjust your sail trim and boat handling based on wave height and direction.