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Text Box: Instructions and Help for Virtual Passage 2.0 INTRODUCTION Virtual Passage is a sailboat simulator system that lets the user experience actual weather conditions while taking armchair voyages around the world. The sailboat simulator allows realistic performance characteristics for a variety of sizes and types of boats. A weather data set constructed through a combination of observations and mathematical weather assimilation models recreates in a consistent fashion the best depiction of actual world weather available. The user can pick a starting location and destination anywhere around the world. A starting date can also be chosen from the data available. Currently 20 years are available (1979-1999) eventually a 40 year data set is expected to be available. The sailboat simulator lets the user set course, trim sail, take reefs and set a spinnaker. The program allows the user to see angle of heel, position and course track. An engine is included for the days the wind is not cooperating. Nautical charting is supported using Force9 a full function navigation system. All background maps can be zoomed in or out using rubber boxes or quick zoom buttons. Weather maps of wind, pressure, temperature, clouds and rain are provided which can also be zoomed. These maps are selectable. Also weather at the boat’s position is provided including a weather window depicting sky condition and day/night. In addition to the weather data, a seasonal ocean current data set is used to provide current drift effects on the boat’s heading and speed. Also, a world ocean topography data is included to give depth. Wave heights are generated based on wind duration and fetch. Tropical cyclone tracks are included so that winds and pressures associated with the named storms are provided. A tropical storm icon with the storm’s name tracks across the simulation screen giving location and movement of the storm.