Douglas Sea Scale

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Douglas sea scale

The Douglas Sea Scale was devised by the English Admiral H.P. Douglas in 1917, while he was head of the British Meteorological Navy Service. Its purpose is to estimate the sea's roughness for navigation. The Douglas Scale consists of two codes, one for estimating the state of the sea (fresh waves attributable to local wind conditions), the other for describing sea swell (large rolling waves attributable to previous or distant winds).

The Douglas Sea Scale is expressed in one of 10 degrees.

  • Degree 0no measurable wave height, calm sea
  • Degree 1waves >10 cm., rippled sea
  • Degree 2waves 1050 cm., smooth sea
  • Degree 3waves 0.51.25 m., slight sea
  • Degree 4waves 1.252.5 m., moderate sea
  • Degree 5waves 2.54 m., rough sea
  • Degree 6waves 46 m., very rough sea
  • Degree 7waves 69 m., high sea
  • Degree 8waves 914 m., very high sea
  • Degree 9waves >14 m., phenomenal sea

It was difficult to relate the existing wind scale designed by Sir Frances Beaufort in 1805 to a ship's features, especially as sails were replaced with the rigid structures of powered ships. The Douglas Sea Scale standardized the many variations being used by ship captains from many nations.

See also Beaufort wind scale; Wave motions

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