WHY IS WINDWORK LIKE HOMEWORK?

First of all, what is “windwork”?  Well, windwork is a made-up word that describes the effort boaters put into offsetting the effect of the wind and current on their vessels while underway.  It generally involves paying attention, constantly adjusting course, and timing docking maneuvers to accommodate the movement of a boat caused by wind and current. 

As you may recall, homework seemed to be a constant drag on life during school.  If there wasn’t a daily math assignment, there was the soon-to-arrive test day, or even the ever-present term paper to ensure that there were no moments in a school year during which productive academic effort could not be exerted.  Sometimes it made you tired just thinking about the homework that you were going to have to complete.  But your grades and your permanent record would be in peril if you neglected to do it.

The same is true of windwork.  If you forget to do it, e.g., you don’t alter your course to avoid a channel marker the wind is pushing you toward, or you do not allow enough room to maneuver your vessel when nearing a sea wall or shallow water, you may find yourself in a situation that is at least an embarrassing if not dangerous.

Even when cruising in open water, ignoring your windwork can be dangerous.  Why?  Because of your crosstrack error.  Even though your compass may indicate that you are on the correct heading, the wind and current are constantly affecting your vessel’s position, thereby changing what constitutes the correct heading to a specific waypoint.  If left uncorrected for long periods of time, your crosstrack error will cause you to ultimately take more time, travel further and use more fuel than necessary.  Running out of fuel for any reason, including taking a circuitous route to your destination, can put your vessel and passengers in peril.

In order to consistently accommodate the effects of wind and current, you must be constantly thinking about the wind and current.  There is no holiday from windwork while you are on the water.  You must accommodate the effects of wind and current in every decision you make.  From cruising to anchoring to docking, everything that happens on a vessel is impacted to some extent by the wind and current.

The point is that windwork, just like homework when you were in school, is omni-present.  You can’t outthink it, wish it away or use magic to make it disappear.  You must deal with it constantly during your voyage.  Any attempt to ignore its necessity could result in disastrous consequences earning you an F for all of your navigational work that day.  So just deal with it.