The Should I sail today? briefing

The card at the top of Home is a short read of the day, written from the live conditions and the forecast for your harbor. It is meant to answer one question quickly, and then get out of your way.

Reading the card

The badge at the top right is the verdict:

• GO: nothing in the forecast argues against going out.
• CAUTION: sailable, but there is something to plan around, such as wind building later, a gusty afternoon or a lumpy sea.
• ASHORE: the numbers are past what most boats in the harbor would choose, or the Weather Service has a warning in effect.

The two or three sentences underneath say why, in plain words: what the wind is doing now, what it is expected to do, and anything to watch for.

The bands behind the badge are fixed. Sustained wind of 20 knots, gusts of 25 or seas of 4 feet anywhere in the window earn CAUTION; sustained wind of 28, gusts of 33 or seas of 6 feet earn ASHORE.

Expanding the full day

1. Tap the card, or the link at its foot. The link reads How the day shapes up during the day and Rest of today & tomorrow AM in the evening.

   

2. The detail paragraph opens below a divider. Tap Show less to fold it back.

What it takes into account

The briefing reads the same numbers you see on the Conditions tab: the live wind at the Santa Monica station, the hourly wind and gust forecast, the wave height, and any active marine advisory. Then it looks at the clock.

• In the morning and afternoon it looks ahead within today, and will tell you if the wind builds, eases or shifts, and roughly when.
• In the evening it notes how much daylight is left and adds a line about tomorrow morning.
• At night it reports the conditions now and then turns to tomorrow, since that is the window you are likely deciding about.

The badge follows the window the words describe. A calm morning with a strong afternoon in the forecast reads CAUTION, not GO, because the day as a whole is what you are asking about. At night the badge reflects tomorrow.

A warning from the National Weather Service (a gale warning, for example) always pulls the verdict to ASHORE.

What it does not know

The briefing is written by an AI model from the forecast. It does not know your boat, your crew, where you are going or how long you plan to be out, and a forecast can be wrong. Treat it as a first read, then check the marine advisories, look at the current conditions and look at the water. The note under the AI Briefing settings in Profile says it in one line: the briefing reads the forecast, not your boat or your day. Look at the water, know your limits, and sail to your ability.

If the AI service cannot be reached, the card falls back to a shorter, rules-based read of the same numbers, so it never goes blank.

The AI Briefing settings

Profile has an AI Briefing section with an Experience level (New, Club or Pro) and a Briefing length (Short or Full). Experience level is saved to your sailing profile, where Crew Finder also shows it. In version 1.0 the card reads the forecast the same way for everyone, so these settings do not change the briefing yet.

Still stuck? In the app, open Profile, then Help & Support, and use Send to support. Otherwise email support@slipside.app.