Well Blow Me Down, an Anemometer

[spartonboat1]

After getting caught out in two blows too many over 5 years I figure its time to get an anemometer (wind meter) installed on the boat this summer. Any brand preferences, any accessories I wouldn't think of, but should have. What's the wind speed knots on the Great Lakes that should keep me in? 22 and under?

[Maynard Rupp]

There are lots of different systems that sailboaters use. Realise though that the wind you see in the harbor will be a bunch lower than what you see on the lake. That anemometer will only tell you what exists where you are, it can't look ahead. I would suggest using XM radio's marine weather system. These report from all the weather bouys and show wind flags on the entire lake's system. That is a much better way to find out what is going on in open water areas from the safety of your dock.

[REBrueckner]

How will an anemometer help keep you out of blows. Wind speed where you may be sitting is usually unrelated to that out in open water. Rupp has the right idea: get some sort of weather reporting system...even the everyday NOAA forecasts are better than any reading you might get in a marina.

It's not only wind velocity but direction that is important....if waves have ten miles instead of a thousand feet to build up, for example, that's like night and day in terms of seas and could dictate where you'll want to move that day....

[Avenger]

Airmar makes a nice weather station / GPS antenna that outputs in NMEA code. It will tell you actual wind and apparent as well as a bunch of other stuff. But as other's have said, it's not going to predict the wind for you. However it is useful for bragging at the bar afterward.

http://airmartechnology.com/airmar20...05&Page=Marine

[TopHattandTails]

The anonometer is great for wind direction while docking. The speed is only fun during cocktail hour for seeing how hard it's blowing. I've registered 50 knots at the dock on more than 1 occasion. 25 knots is pretty typical at my slip- get something with higher readings than that. I think mine is a data marine with analog direction, but digital speed.

[solanderi]

Agree above. Whenever I fish off shore I want to know whats hapenning now and whats predicted for the forseeable time that I am out there. The more sources the better. Before a fishing trip I check the NOAA Marine site multiple times as it WILL change. Next, my i phone has an app for "The Weather Channel" that has local conditions, RADAR and forcasts for several days. On the boat we have SIRIUS Satellite Weather (very good), vHF alerts for severe weather, NavNet RADAR etc.

As cited above, wind direction is key. Off Miami you can fish in 20 to 30 knot North-West and West winds without a big deal as long as you arent too far offshore. Those would be Black Diamond days if the wind was from any other point of the compass.

IMHO the anemometer has only limited utility for anything I can think of, therefore I dont have one. My iphone is more powerful and it doesnt require any holes in my boat. Good Luck,

Greg
1985 45C
Hat Time
N. Bay Village, FL

[GJH]

The best 100 bucks we have spent on a gizmo has been for a La Crosse wireless weather station we got on special at Sam's Club. Provides relative wind speed (mph and Beaufort scale) and direction, wind chill, barometer with trend, inside and outside temp, humidity, date and time. The Lacrosse folks have outstanding customer service. The wireless aspect is really nice, we keep it mostly at the helm but also bedside if weather is really going. It also came with a rain gauge that I didn't hook up. Ours is basically this one:

http://www.lacrossetechnology.com/1516/index.php

It has stood up well to 2 1/2 years of cruising, other than when I dropped the temp sensor/sender; they were liberal on their warrantee, very nice folks. Highly recommended!

I saw a much pricier but more rugged unit by Davis Instruments at CES; about $350 or so as I recall.

http://www.vantagevue.com/

[stormchaser]

That's waht I was going to mention...why does everyone seem stuck on ones designed for "boats"? You pay 10x and get 1/10 the functionality. Look into an inexpensive WIRELESS weather station designed for home. I have a Taylor 2752 and I believe I paid about $50 for it (comes with a Anemometer).

The display of the Taylor 2752 has three sections. The large top section displays outdoor conditions. At the top is remote temperature, with degree digits a little over 1/2 inch high (tenths are smaller). Below that is wind direction in one of 16 compass headings, and wind speed (in your choice of average or gust) in 3/8 inch digits (tenths are smaller). To the right is wind chill, in 3/8 inch digits (again, tenths are smaller). Below that is humidity, in digits a bit over 1/2 inch. If you choose to purchase additional thermo-hygro remotes, the remote temperature, humidity, and wind chill fields can display the conditions at any of the remote locations (up to three, including the included anemometer/thermo-hygro). Optionally, the display can be set to scroll through the remotes, displaying each for 10 seconds each. By pressing the "memory" button, maximum and minimum readings for all values, since the last manual reset, may be displayed.

The second section of the display shows indoor temperature in 1/2 inch digits. Maximum and minimum reading since the last reset are available by pressing the "memory" button.

The lower portion of the display shows time (in your choice of 12 or 24 hour format) with hours and minutes in 1/2 inch digits (seconds are smaller). To the right of the time is the date and day of the week.

The bottom section of the display normally displays indoor temperature (in degrees F or C) and humidity, in 1/2 inch digits, or the temperature and humidity for your choice of remote locations. The temperature display can also display dew point for the selected location. Also displayed are temperature and humidity trend arrows, and comfort level. By pressing the "memory" button, you may also display the maximum or minimum values reached for temperature, humidity, or dew point for any of the locations since the last time the memory was cleared.

[DLCameron2]

Hi Quincy:

I have a SIMRAD unit and I like it very much. Direction and speed relative and actual at the push of a button. I don't remember how much it cost; I bought it because we got our @#$ts kicked in Lake Huron when NOAA said the winds were 15-20. I decided then and there I wanted to be able to know the actual wind at my location. My electronics guy did it all. Have fun choosing!

DC

[SKYCHENEY]

If anyone is interested, I have the wind cups for the Datamarine unit, new in a plastic package. DMI accidentally sent them with another order. You pay shipping and its yours. I think they list for $25.