Fleet sails home during pandemic

In the wake of Covid-19, turmoil at the borders created a sense of urgency for vessels needing to cross the Atlantic ahead of hurricane season.

In early summer 2020, 180 boats set sail from the Caribbean and Eastern US destined for Europe. They were part of a mega-sized fleet, shepherded by the Ocean Cruising Club (OCC), to facilitate safe passage for sailors that were unable to stay in the Caribbean, and unwilling to leave their boats there, often uninsured, during hurricane season.

The PredictWind Offshore App, in conjunction with Iridium GO!®, used by most of the fleet, enabled them to maneuver around and through complex weather systems as safely as possible in very trying circumstances. Others had Iridium satellite phones connected to their on-board computers running the PW App.