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The webcam trained on Manly Beach has changed.
It provides weather information, as well as an idea of how busy the beach and water are – this is valuable to paddleboarders, windsurfers, fishers, sailors and other beach users.
The system is located on Manly Sailing Club and the club says recent changes have improved the service. However, Greg Moore who previously operated the free service, is angered at what he sees as a takeover.
Since 2016, weather information was provided free by Moore’s windsurf.co.nz system, sponsored by NZ Sailing.
Windsurfer Moore says it was a labour of love, with only some costs covered by advertising on the site.
He says he was approached by subscriber-based service Predict Wind, which wanted to buy him out.
“I wanted to keep it free and for the community,” Moore says.
He found out a few months ago that his system would be removed as Manly Sailing Club had done a deal with Predict Wind.
“I was gutted, and have had users contact me who are upset,” Moore says.
The same happened at his Kohimarama and Takapuna Sailing Club sites, leaving him with 12 sites, including one at Ōrewa Surf Lifesaving Club.
Predict Wind founder and director John Bilger has produced weather forecasts for the America’s Cup, and is well known to Manly Sailing Club vice commodore Harold Bennett.
However, Bennett says the change was made because Predict Wind has a better, more modern system.
“It’s brought us into the 21st Century,” he says. “The data will help us a lot when we get back to running races.”
He says the club’s main sponsor, UP Real Estate, was dissatisfied with the weather webcam.
“We asked Greg if he could upgrade it over a year ago, but he was not able to do that,” Bennett says. “We approached Predict Wind as a number of us have known John for a long time and they were happy to install the new camera and provide real time weather free of charge.”
Although Predict Wind is subscriber-based, a free 180° image of Manly, just a few seconds less than real time, is on the sailing club’s website along with real time wind information.
“The watersports community can still get all they need free from the website,” Bennett says. “There’s more there if you want or need it, via subscription.”
He says Predict Wind requried the removal of the windsurf.co.nz system as part of the deal.
The new system was installed on September 29. Judge the change for yourself at www.manlysailingclub.org.nz
