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Add Comment to Herb Hilgenberg
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About 3 hours/day, 365 days/year, since 1987, providing customized weather routing to sailors at sea at no cost, from his radio station in Canada, this man deserves a knighthood or sainthood.

Herb kept us to the south, and out of harms way.  On one day we had a 50 knot storm just to the north of us, but we were fine, thanks to his advice and direction.

We missed the exhilaration of our northern crossings in the 1980's,  between Bermuda and the Azores, up at latitude 40oN, surfing down the huge trade wind swells, with poled out gennys and a stiff following breeze, but our safety was worth it and I will certainly follow Herb's advice again and again. Apparently, every year, there are casualties or breakages on boats that take the northerly route.

Log in with Herb between 1940 and 2000 UTC on 12359KHz SSB and give your position and local conditions. He will call you back, as he does the rounds in geographic sequence, and give you a customized weather routing report for your boat and position.

It helps to listen in on the radio before you leave the dock to understand the protocol.

Go to www3.sympatico.ca/hehilgen/vax498.htm for further info.

Like many other sailors that subscribe (at no cost) to Herb’s dedicated service, we are all deeply indebted to him.

Although Herb does all this at no cost and,  I believe, many boats send donations before or after their crossings to help offset his running costs,and as a thank you for this wonderful service. Commercial weather routing services charge hundreds of dollars for similar services, and few would have Herb's wealth of experience.

You can email Herb at : hehilgen@sympatico.ca  or by regular mail at: 
                 Herb Hilgenberg
                 5468 Hixon Ave, Burlington,
                 Ontario, Canada, L7L 3S2

"Have a a good watch!"


Howard and Jayne [ Just Imagine ] 20-Jun-2005