A practical online course for sailors
Know the clouds.
Notice the change.
Learn to recognise ten cloud types and spot sky changes worth checking before your next sailing decision.
Six illustrated lessons turn unfamiliar names into visible clues, using real cloud photographs, short quizzes and practical exercises.
Start the course for US$67One payment · All six lessons available immediately · Learn at your own pace
The sky changes before your plans do.
A thin veil spreads. A cloud tower grows. A landmark disappears behind rain. You can see the change without yet knowing what it means.
Reading clouds for sailors gives you a simple way to describe what you see, recognise the likely cloud family and ask a better question of the marine forecast.
You will learn why one cloud is only a clue, why sequences matter, and why a squall's wind can arrive before the rain.
Six lessons. A useful habit aboard.
1. Start observing
Recognise fibres, layers and heaps. Begin a cloud log that separates observations from assumptions.
2. Read high clouds
Distinguish cirrus, cirrostratus and cirrocumulus. Follow wisps, veils and tiny ripples as they change.
3. Compare middle clouds
Tell shaded altocumulus patches from an altostratus sheet. Connect them with the upper sky.
4. Check visibility
Identify stratus, stratocumulus and nimbostratus. Separate low cloud, rain and visibility at your boat.
5. Spot vertical growth
Compare cumulus and cumulonimbus. Recognise development that calls for an earlier reassessment.
6. Put it together
Test your recognition and work through a passage scenario using cloud clues alongside a forecast.
Built for curious sailors, without the jargon overload.
You do not need a meteorology background. Each lesson includes written explanations, photographs, a practical task and feedback you can use yourself.
This is an illustrated reading course, not a video series. It draws on NOAA, WMO and Met Office educational sources, with links for further study.
You also receive six short lesson emails: the first welcomes you with a course link, and the others guide you through the remaining lectures. You can work faster or revisit any lesson.
Your questions, answered
Will this replace a marine forecast?
No. The course teaches recognition and observation. Use current forecasts, warnings, vessel limits and the skipper's judgement for sailing decisions.
Can I study on my phone?
Yes. The lessons and photographs have been checked in phone and desktop layouts. You need an internet connection to access the course.
Do I have to wait for each lesson?
No. All six lessons are available after enrolment. The email sequence provides a gentle daily reminder.
Is this a sailing qualification?
No. The quizzes and final scenario are self-marked learning exercises. This is not a professional seamanship certification.
Is there a recurring charge?
No. The course costs US$67 as a single payment.
Read the next sky with better questions.
Get the complete six-lesson course, real photographs of ten cloud types, practical exercises and the companion emails.
US$67
One-time payment
Start reading cloudsCourse access is delivered after checkout. Sign in with the email address you enrol with.