The marine environment is unforgiving. The wind and sea conditions can be tough. Have you ever been caught on the wrong side of a storm system? A torn mainsail, broken hardware, lost cargo, and physical injury are risks that can be mitigated by obtaining the latest weather update prior to and after leaving the dock. 
Tactical forecasts have proven valuable to the racer. Our first customers were Robbie Haines and Stan Honey, long time project manager and navigator on Roy Disney's RP 73 Pyewacket. WeatherGuy.com provided weather data for TRANSPAC 1997 race on Pyewacket's record breaking run. Since then, Robbie and Stan have been highly satisfied customers. Here's what they had to say recently:
"Rick is one of the best meteorologists that I have ever worked with."
Stan Honey
Navigator, S/V's Pyewacket & Playstation

" Rick is one of the best. In a recent race, we had three weather forecasts and Rick's was the most accurate. He is very easy to work with and, because he is a racing sailor, knows the kind of weather information racing sailor's need."
Robbie Haines, 
Project Manager, S/V Pyewacket

"Rick is the guy we go to for marine weather forecasts. When the tough calls have to be made on route recommendations, he consistently provides us with a clear, concise outlook so a more informed decision can be made."
Jim & Sue Corenman,  S/V Heart of Gold

John Jourdane is without the question the most experienced yachtsman of our time. He has over 200,000 ocean miles and 100 yacht deliveries including over 40 Pacific crossings, and 10 Transpac Races. He is a veteran of 2 Whitbread Round the World Races and various racing campaigns throughout the world. 
"I know the North Pacific Ocean, and Rick is the best Pacific Ocean weather man I have encountered."
John Jourdane
Racing Navigator, Whitbread Veteran

"Before leaving Hawaii we discussed with Rick Shema various timing options. Rick's initial suggestion, based on our wanting to get home, was to leave Sunday. As it turns out, that would have been a good call."
"Rick's second option was to wait until towards the end of the week to leave. The long-range models - GFS and NOGAPs - were both showing the high pushed down and favorable frontal activity. Looking at the MPC fax charts for surface and 500mb this morning indicates Rick's take on the models was right on."
Steve and Linda Dashew
Owners, MV Wind Horse
Honolulu, HI to Mainland, US - October 2005
For complete vessel passage chronology go to SETSAIL:

"  We just wanted to thank you for doing such a great job for us. Your weather forecasts were right on target, even the last one that we couldn't retrieve until we got home Monday. We docked at 1300 PDT at our slip in Emery Cove (Emeryville) safe and sound (19Days). Can't adequately express how valuable your services were! We were never surprised by the conditions we encountered, your updates were right on the mark. 

Thanks again! We are looking forward to our next opportunity to use your services."
Dave & Sandy Englehart
S/V  Compromise

"Rick's assistance on numerous Transpacific crossings have been invaluable. On our most recent doublehanded race nonstop around Oahu in arguably very difficult forecasting conditions, Rick's routing proved to be the absolutely right way to go."

Dan Doyle
S/V Two Guys on the Edge
TRANSPAC 2007

“We entrusted Weatherguy.com to provide daily weather support to deliver Hawaii’s new ferry service vessel from Mobile, AL to Honolulu, HI. Rick provided outstanding service and his forecasts were concise, timely, and accurate”.
Terry White, Executive Vice President - Operations
Hawaii Superferry
13 August 2007

"As a first-time navigator, after leading the entire fleet after 5 days in the ‘07 Transpac, I was actually embarrassed to be referred to as a “genius” by one of my crew members when all I did was plug in Rick Shema’s pre-race route into the G.P.S. and guided the helmsman to each of his suggested waypoints. Rick is a true “genius”! "
Andy Reid
S/V French Kiss
TRANSPAC 2007

"Thank you for the great weather routing services on our recent trip. We ran out of wind on the last 700 miles, but your forecasting was very accurate. We will definitely look you up for our next trip."
Paul Marsten
S/V Siren

"Sailors do not need to know where the weather "is". They need to know where the weather is going to be. This is where Rick shines." 
Bob  Dimond
S/V Lady Carol
Valiant 42

"Weatherguy gives us the comfort that someone is watching out for us on our passages. My wife especially feels better leaving on a passage knowing the Weatherguy has said it is OK to leave."
Kipp Gosewehr
S/V Samibella
Prout 39

"After the Pacific Cup 2000 I planned to bring the boat back to California myself.  I met Rick during the pre-race and after race activities and became aware of his services. As a result I contracted with Rick to provide me a pre-departure briefing and route planning package and to be available via SSB radio for enroute updates and advisories. The service met all my expectations and Rick was very easy to work with. I would recommend his service to anyone contemplating bringing a boat back from Hawaii."  
Jack McGuire
S/V Alcyone
Hinckley 42

"We used Rick Shema, the weatherguy.com, as a race router and he was right on the money. He told us to keep going out until we had + 30 knots of wind. So as we passed Morro Bay we were more than 60 miles offshore in constant 35 knots of wind.... We figured we either did really well or really bad and we didn't know which until Ventura when they told us we were first to finish and had broken the record. We were thrilled."
Steve Williams
SV Natazak, SC52
California Ventura Cup Race 2001

"Rick, from Weatherguy.com, provided us with a professionally presented, extremely useful weather routing for our recent 13 day passage from Hawaii to Santa Cruz, CA. The pre-departure package gave us an overview of the weather we could anticipate, and suggested a route, which had us making headway to the east much earlier than we would have thought possible. We emailed Rick twice a day with our progress and the weather/sea conditions we were experiencing. We requested routing updates every third day and he would refine the route based current weather predictions.

We estimate our use of Weatherguy.com services saved us almost two full days on our passage. In addition, having a professional analysis of the weather made our daily perusal of weather faxes received onboard much less time consuming and stressful activity."
Jim and Diana Freeland
SV Ariel SC-52

"Weatherguy.com provided us with peace of mind during our first ocean crossing.  Forecasts were always accurate and easy to understand. There is no doubt in my mind that we will use this service next year on our trip to Tahiti."
Fabio Cassini
SV Great White, Auxiliary Ketch 43

"Not only does WeatherGuy.com provide superb advice, planning and weather routing, he also offers a service that is 100% personal – tailoring the advice to the particular needs of the crew and the boat.  Rick’s attention to our particular needs and our experience level made all the difference, and gave us much more confidence in navigating the race."
Simon Crosby
S/V Coyote, Hawkfarm 28
West Marine Pacific Cup 2002

"Because of the excellent pre-departure briefing given to me by Rick, I really learned a lot about how and why to download and use the HF weather forecasts. Especially the 24 and 48 hour Sea Surface Analyses and the Wind and Wave forecasts.   Combining these downloads with the updates sent by Weatherguy.com made my navigation decisions much more productive. I also learned that the 96 hour HF Weather forecasts should not to be used for forward planning by amateurs like myself.  However, The long-range wind speed and direction forecasts provided by the Weatherguy.com were very helpful and very accurate. Everyone should learn to report position, boat speed and course, wind direction and speed, and sea state back to the Weatherguy.com on a daily basis via Sailmail or other email facilities."
Jack Mcguire
S/V Alcyone, Hinckley 42
West Marine Pacific Cup 2002-Delivery

"An invaluable service for the “less than expert weatherman/sailor”, especially for the first part of the trip to Hawaii. Helps you get well out quickly, concentrating on boat speed rather than the sometimes confusing task of figuring out the weather."
Sharon and Tom Alexander
S/V SAM, Paul Lucas 49
West Marine Pacific Cup 2002

"Thanks for your help. We dodged a stinker of a storm. 48 knots
in the marina at Half Moon Bay, direct from the South."
Bob Dimond,
S/V Lady Carol, Valiant 42

"Fast trip - thanks to the excellent wx support"
Steve Darden
S/V Adagio, Morrelli & Melvin 52 Auxiliary Catamaran
On a passage from Eden, Australia to Hobart, Tasmania

"I felt much better having a professional assist us in the planning especially since this was my first passage. The passage was fairly benign with no significant weather. However, it could have easily changed and it was very comforting to have Rick watching out for us."
Bob Wyka
SV Fast Reorg
Voyage from Honolulu, HI to San Francisco, CA

“We were East Coast mariners making a 2,300-mile delivery to Hawaii for the first time. WeatherGuy provided the comfort zone to do the job. Our delivery crew had a good trip.”
Peter Swanson of Mirage Manufacturing
MV HoOkele, Navigator 37
Voyage from Ensenada, MX to Honolulu, HI

A note to thank you very much for your services. You called it right on –  get outside and stay outside.  Count me amongst your satisfied and loyal customers. I won’t do a distance race without your forecast."
Dave Moore
SV Nessie,C&C 41
Ensenada 2004 Post Race Analysis

"Helpful, friendly, on time service providing a wealth of useful information, the suggested route was very good."
David Cattle
SV Black Adder
Ensenada 2004 Post Race Analysis

"Considering many of the crew were new to offshore racing, and thanks to the accurate weather prediction by Rick Shema, 'The Weather Guy', we did great in this year's Newport-Ensenada Race," 
Jim Halverson, Team CHALLENGED AMERICA crewmember
Ensenada 2004 Post Race Analysis

"Your advise going out to 20 to 22 nm was very sound--we got 20-24 knots pressure for a few hours once we got clear of Catalina's lee. Overall we ran a pretty competitive race with a lot of first time racers on the boat."
Joshua Ross, Team CHALLENGED AMERICA
Ensenada 2004 Post Race Analysis

"Any sail from Hawaii to the west coast is going to be a challenge but with your services at hand, we were able to cut our time significantly and have a firm grip on an unusual weather pattern.  This impacted not only our route planning but daily planning to handle an unseasonable low pressure pattern.  I would not only recommend your service to anyone planning a long distance voyage but go so far as to suggest that to not have it would border on the ridiculous."
Skip Winterbottom
Skipper SV Ikaika
Voyage from Hawaii to San Francisco

"It is always necessary to have more than one navigational aid.  The Weatherguy.com is one navigational aid I'll never leave port without!!"
Andrew Gromeeko
SV Natazak
Voyage from Honolulu to Santa Cruz

"I most appreciated Rick’s patience and thoroughness, especially when taking the time before departure to present possible routing choices, discuss weather considerations, and sharing succinct and pertinent background general weather information and about weather patterns for our route, all dispensed humbly and engagingly. I found Rick’s services professional and helpful, and also educational. Thank you, Rick!"
Captain Craig Campbell
120ft MV Kakela
Voyage from Honolulu to Seattle

"You have been so accurate with your predictions that when you said get there by 6:00 AM we took you seriously!  When the wind did clock around we were reefing the jib. We were at the harbor approach by 5 AM and so glad we were.  Just like that, we had 25 knots headwind.  Thanks so much!!"
Tammy & Eric
S/V Naia
Voyage from Nuku'alofa, TN to Whangarei, NZ

 "Our weather analysis, provided by Rick Shema, expected the eastern Pacific high to weaken and create conditions which would favor an inside approach to the 125 nautical mile race.  We figured that as the event progressed, on-shore wind conditions would be mitigated by off-shore land effects.  It would serve no purpose to go so far off the coast in search of heavier air and add miles to the race.  We expected a predominant light air, with spurts of heavier wind, race as we continued down the coast.  Everything Rick told us panned out exactly as expected.  We ended up sailing 129 miles which contributed successfully to our high place finish.  I overheard one guy say they sailed 160 miles by going to the "outside" course."
John Richard
Skipper, SV Jack's Place
Ensenada Race 2005

"Rick, Thanks for the weather info for our trip to and from Maine. The forecasts where right on all the way around. I really appreciate your help.
I will be in contact for our trip south in October.
The best.
Tom."
Thomas E. Moloney
M/V Dawn to Dusk
Newport, RI to Maine

"Thanks again, you made my first trip so much easier, I think I'm younger now!!"
Port Angeles, WA to San Francisco, CA
Dionne Tremblag, S/V Orca III