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The Beaufort Scale
Murdoch University Art Collection
WINDFORCE
The original Beaufort Scale (1832) is a wind force scale of vivid description based on careful observation and designed for the clear and precise communication of information. The increasing force of the wind determines the amount of sail a fully rigged man-of-war can carry and proceed at speed to perform her mission without coming to grief. It is a scale of decreasing white as sails are reduced.
Detail: IN TERMS OF HER SPEED
CALM
50 cm x 50 cm
Beaufort 0
IN TERMS OF HER SPEED
50 cm x 200 cm
Beaufort 1 to 4
IN TERMS OF HER MISSION
50 cm x 250 cm
Beaufort 5 to 9
IN TERMS OF HER SURVIVAL
50cm x 150 cm
Beaufort 10 to 12
STATE OF THE SEA
As sail was overtaken by steam, the Beaufort Scale was adapted and revised to describe the force of the wind by observation of the state, or appearance, of the sea. It is a scale of increasing white as the ever escalating agitation of the sea fills the air with froth and foam, and visibility is lost.
2009
13 units
each 50 cm x 77 cm
oil on canvas
Detail: BEAUFORT 7
BEAUFORT 0
calm; sea surface flat and mirror-like.
BEAUFORT 1
surface ripples.
BEAUFORT 2
small wavelets; unbroken crests.
BEAUFORT 3
large wavelets; crests begin to break; scattered whitecaps.
BEAUFORT 4
small waves; frequent whitecaps.
BEAUFORT 5
moderate waves taking a longer form; many whitecaps; some spray.
BEAUFORT 6
large waves; white foam crests are more extensive everywhere; more spray.
BEAUFORT 7
sea heaps up; white foam from breaking waves begins to blow in streaks along the direction of the wind.
BEAUFORT 8
moderately high waves of greater length; edges of crests begin to break into spindrift; foam is blown in well-marked streaks.
BEAUFORT 9
high waves; seas begin to roll; dense streaks of foam; spray begins to affect visibility.
BEAUFORT 10
very high waves with overhanging crests; sea takes on a white appearance as foam is blown in very dense streaks. Rolling is heavy and visibility is reduced.
BEAUFORT 11
exceptionally high waves; the sea is covered with white foam patches; everywhere the wave crests are blown into froth; visibility is impaired.
BEAUFORT 12
The air is filled with foam; sea completely white with driving spray; nothing more is visible.