Near-surface wind over the ocean is a key variable for studies of climate variability and change. Millions of ship reports of near-surface wind are now held in computerized datasets like the Comprehensive Ocean-Atmosphere Data Set (COADS). These data are potentially well suited to many climate studies. However, the reliability of the record is controversial. In particular, the reality of an upward trend in reported wind strength since the 1940s has been questioned and attributed by some to an increasing fraction of anemometer readings on-board ship, compared to reports based on estimation of the sea state. Analyzing the COADS record for 1949–1988, this paper provides evidence on the reliability of the data, corrects the trends in the data, and finally presents some analysis of the multidecadal variability that remains in the data after correction. These multidecadal analyses are offered as a preliminary assessment of the revised wind data and the impact of the corrections. The reliability of the ... Abstract Near-surface wind over the ocean is a key variable for studies of climate variability and change. Millions of ship reports of near-surface wind are now held in computerized datasets like the Comprehensive Ocean-Atmosphere Data Set (COADS). These data are potentially well suited to many climate studies. However, the reliability of the record is controversial. In particular, the reality of an upward trend in reported wind strength since the 1940s has been questioned and attributed by some to an increasing fraction of anemometer readings on-board ship, compared to reports based on estimation of the sea state. Analyzing the COADS record for 1949–1988, this paper provides evidence on the reliability of the data, corrects the trends in the data, and finally presents some analysis of the multidecadal variability that remains in the data after correction. These multidecadal analyses are offered as a preliminary assessment of the revised wind data and the impact of the corrections. The reliability of the ...