MARK A. THORNTON

Two years ago, Superstorm Sandy made landfall south of Atlantic City, New Jersey. The combination of sustained 70 knots winds and storm surge exceeding 10 feet over a wide area was a catastrophe for the region’s marine community. Although New Jersey and New York bore the brunt of Sandy’s fury, storm-force winds and towering waves associated with the superstorm also had a significant impact upon boaters in the Great Lakes.

Wind is the lifeblood of sailors; a breed of boater that relies on it as a driving force and is equally vulnerable to both too much and too little wind. Though not the case with power-cruisers, wind can have a huge effect on the comfort, direction and timing of your journey all the same. Here is how to better understand that which we cannot see...

Radars communicate in a language all their own. To get the most out of these devices it is important to familiarize yourself with the language and learnt to distinguish what is real and what is simply radar.

Take a deeper look at this summer's boating with esteemed cruiser and meteorologist Mark Thornton and understand how the warmth of Lake Erie can change the winds above it...