Hobie Cat Forums

Ran across this product and am thinking it would be fairly easy to rig to the top of the mast and run down to spot above on the furling drum where the headphone jack connection would be made to the included Cateye Velo monitor mounted to the top of my gps or somewhere else. Wireless would be nicer but I can't find any cheap options.

http://www.inspeed.com/anemometers/Flex ... ometer.asp

Anything I'm overlooking that would make this setup not work?

Thanks,

Motti

Without wireless, you will have huge problems when furling the sail, unless you can disconnect the bicycle computer beforehand each time, which could become a pain.

But really, the issue I see is that measuring wind strength accurately for a recreational, rather than competition, sailing vessel is hardly necessary. The sensation you feel on your face, together with clues from the environment such as heel, sail shape and wave action, will tell you 90% what the wind speed is doing without your needing to read it on a dial.

I believe a far more useful item to attach to the masthead is an accurate wind direction pointer, as this will greatly help to sail efficiently.

My $0.02

Must agree with Tony. The Beaufort Scale remains a reliable and fairly accurate way to estimate wind speed. Why mount it on top of the mast? How about clamping it to one of the akas? The wind speed will be higher on top of the mast, but that doesn't make it any more valid.

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I have had a hand-held anemometer for years, and never once bothered to use it while sailing. The wind on your face is just as informative IMO

It's a more useful tool for kitesurfers, I think, who need to carefully choose the right sized kite.

I would 2nd (or 3rd?) the comments regarding wind direction being more helpful for us plastic yachtsmen.

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"You can avoid reality, but you cannot avoid the consequences of avoiding reality."
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