Another One Bites the Dust

Norman_E

Norman_E

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I had to go up the mast today to repair the wind instrument. This is the third time that one cup has broken off the anemometer. This is my old VDO wind system, and I have now used the last spare set of cups and don't know if any more are available. The photo shows the broken cups attached to a spare masthead unit.

View attachment 42803

Its a pity nobody took a picture of me at the masthead, standing on my climbing device to reach over the mast crane and fit the new set of cups.

I think I will try to make a replacement using phosphor bronze shim for the cups and brass for the arms and centre, all silver soldered. I see no reason why square cups with deeply curved sides and back with flat tops and bottoms should not work just as well as domed cups.
 
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the (possible) increased mass may dampen the gust fluctuations. Should be easy to calibrate against neighbours' boat data though. and a lot tougher.

If you polish the cups and lacquer them, the device will have a pleasant and easily identifiable glitter - a sort of masthead bling, beating the usual underwater LEDs.
 
I've given up on wind instruments having had several fail over the years. I think they're a potent source of trouble in the most inaccessible position. I find I can manage perfectly well with a simple Windex.
 
I've often idly thought of a strain gauge connected to a small vertical pole at the mast head, and then to an accelerometer and inclinometer. Clever electronics would work out the pressure (i.e. wind speed (plus rain, I guess :) )) on the mini pole, the angle to the boat's fore and aft line, then integrate that with the heading and boat speed, via the heeling/pitch angle.

No moving parts :)


ANyone know a PhD research student with nothing to do but wanting to sail ?
 
sarabande said:
I've often idly thought of a strain gauge connected to a small vertical pole at the mast head, and then to an accelerometer and inclinometer. Clever electronics would work out the pressure (i.e. wind speed (plus rain, I guess :) )) on the mini pole, the angle to the boat's fore and aft line, then integrate that with the heading and boat speed, via the heeling/pitch angle.

No moving parts :)
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No moving parts.....They exist, various types. Here's one...
http://www.gillinstruments.com/products/anemometer/windsonic.htm
 
A sad end to the tale

I thought I had done very well swapping the wind cups at the top of the mast rather than bringing the whole thing down, but pride comes before a fall. In this case the fall was the wind cups falling off and vanishing into the sea when out sailing in about 20 knots! The cups are held on by a 3mm cap nut, and I thought I had tightened it fully onto the shaft end, but obviously not. The only good news is that Furneaux Riddall still list the spares.
 
30boat said:
I don't even have a Windex.It never stopped me from sailing the boat efficiently.
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My Windex has lost the port and starboard indicator arms but the weathervane part is still useful. Having always had a wind instrument I am used to seeing true wind direction, strangely I miss that more than I miss seeing the wind speed as I have a reasonable feel for that.
 
Norman_E said:
My Windex has lost the port and starboard indicator arms but the weathervane part is still useful. Having always had a wind instrument I am used to seeing true wind direction, strangely I miss that more than I miss seeing the wind speed as I have a reasonable feel for that.
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I agree.We can easily judge wind speed unless on a run but with a bit of commonsense even that is not a problem.Wind direction is much more important.
 
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