Site Characteristics

FaBTest is a pre-consented, 2.8km2 test area situated within Falmouth harbour, between three and five kilometres offshore in Falmouth Bay. The site is sheltered from the prevailing wind and swell direction, enabling high levels of accessibility, yet giving exposure to significant sea states from the East and South-East. The site offers water depths of 20m-50m and seabed types of rock, gravel and sand.

A wave buoy has been on site from 2009 until present (see live & historic data here. Average, maximum and extrapolated data from these measurements are shown below.

  • Annual mean significant wave height = 0.9m;
  • Maximum wave height = 9.6m; 11th November 2018, during southerly (191deg) swell, 9s peak period
  • Mean wave period = 5.9s;
  • Mean wave direction = 173deg;
  • Mean wave power = 3.5kW/m;
  • Mean wind speed = 8.0 m/s;
  • Maximum wind speed = 26.5 m/s;
  • Mean (depth-averaged) current speed = 0.2 m/s (-0.19/+0.48);
  • Maximum current speed = 1.4 m/s;
  • Maximum tidal range = 5.5 m;

    • Click on the images to enlarge them. Detailed report here

    Seabed

    The seabed at FaBTest consists of rock, gravel and sand, ranging in depths from 15-55 meters.
    Geography

    FaBTest is sheltered from the prevailing westerly and south-westerly weather.
    Weather Windows

    (no. of 4 hour windows per month)
    Significant Wave Height
    Lights

    Directional significant wave height
    Peak Wave Period
    Nature

    Directional peak wave period
    Wave Power
    Fjords

    Directional wave power
    Energy Distribution
    Lights

    Energy Distribution
    Monthly Variations
    Nature

    Monthly Variations
    Yearly Variations
    Fjords

    Yearly Variations
    Power Probability Density
    Lights

    Power Probability Density
    Exceedance Probability
    Lights

    Exceedance Probability
    Return Period

    Return Period
    Current 3D Polar

    Current 3D Polar
    Current Profiles
    Lights

    CurrentProfiles
    Directional Current Speed
    Lights

    Directional Current Speed
    Directional Wind Speed
    Lights

    Directional Wind Speed
    Table 1: Significant and maximum wave heights for return period events, including uncertainty
    Return period (years) Significant wave height (m) Maximum wave height (m)
    1 4.5 (-0.34/+0.34) 8.0 (-0.99/+0.63)
    10 5.5 (-0.97/+0.44) 9.9 (-2.24/+0.81)
    25 5.7 (-1.16/+0.56) 10.4 (-2.64/+0.97)
    50 5.9 (-1.28/+0.68) 10.7 (-2.89/+1.10)
    100 6.0 (-1.39/+0.80) 10.9 (-3.09/+1.23)
    Table 2: Summer significant and maximum wave heights for return period events, including uncertainty
    Return period (years) Significant wave height (m) Maximum wave height (m)
    1 2.8 (-0.17/+0.24) 5.4 (-0.64/+0.45)
    10 3.7 (-0.58/+0.39) 6.4 (-1.40/+0.49)
    25 3.9 (-0.74/+1.10) 6.6 (-1.58/+0.64)
    50 4.0 (-0.83/+1.94) 6.7 (-1.67/+0.77)
    100 4.1 (-0.93/+3.16) 6.8 (-1.76/+0.93)