GPS or Shops log

[Graham_Wright]

I can't understand reliance on wind speed numbers, isn't how the boat feels more important? Downwind on flat water on a sunny day f6 can be fun and fast but very different to beating into a 4 with some nasty wind over tide waves. Some numbers on their own don't change how the boat wants to be set up.

But it is comforting to an inexperienced crew on the helm to "wake me if that number goes above N: rather than them having to decide on judgement. Alright, all of you know even when deep in the land of nod, that something is amiss except perhaps me.

 

[icarusbop]

Thanks for al the responses - so far a bit of an even spread, perhaps I shoud have included a vote with my post.
Wind is importament to me as I have an Itchy crew member who fixates on wind speed, she uses it to reassure herself that it really is not as windy as she thinks! And it's easier to keep into the wind for raising the sails without craning your neck.
The bulkhead on each side of the companionway has windows in it to the interior (desk saloon) so, nowhere there to mount extra instruments.
I'm not planning on buying any extra equipment, all the instruments I have are old (Cetrek) but work fine as I have refurbished them, thay all talk together quite nicely to give a good integrated set of readings.
The Autopilot has never worked up until now but I have fixed it recently. and will be useful to help keep the boat on required heading when doing long legs and when short handed, as the sail raising and reefing is done at the mast.
The ships GPS is a mushroom antennae whcih integrates into the instruments without a display, so you can get Real wind spped and direction and VMG, and it will assist with the autopilot and an extra feed to the radio for distress. If I add the display I can actually see the data for myself, lat-long, speed over ground etc, the GPS display can also increase the functionality of the autopilot (apparently) but I am unlikely to use this.
Because all the kit connects via Cetrek bus and there IS a cable from my binnacle to my Nav station in the saloon, I could perhaps (depending on the condition of the cable) mount one of the displays in the Saloon and connect it to the others on the binnacle, giving me all the displays and the networked data, but one of them will be inside and less accessible - so which one would be best inside?

 

[Vallich]

Put them all above the main sliding hatch where everybody can see them

+1 :encouragement:

 

[Twister_Ken]

The bulkhead on each side of the companionway has windows in it to the interior (desk saloon) so, nowhere there to mount extra instruments.

Oh yes there is! (Sorry, is the pantomime season over?)

Inside a saloon window facing out and back in to the cockpit. Or, really tricky, on a hinged flap so that it can be oriented indoors or out.

 

[Bav34]

I've not fitted the log paddle wheel for two seasons.

I got really fed up with it jamming up ... little shrimpy things would draw weed in and nest in there. Never grew big enough to eat

Can honestly say I've not missed it. I can tell when the boat is sailing well by looking at telltales and just the feel of it. I'm not racing.

What is important to me is my SOG as this gives me a (always changing) eta which for where we are based is essential as most of the harbours are tidal.

Post #2 is answered by the SOG number. If you're belting along under sail or motor and the SOG is 0 you have strong tide against you If you're creeping along under sail and the SOG is > 10 then you're in the Alderney Race

 

[KellysEye]

I meant to say I removed the log because I was fed up with taking it out to clean the paddle wheel. It made no difference because we could tell the speed through the water, and thus tides/currents from experience.

 

[lw395]

T..... but one of them will be inside and less accessible - so which one would be best inside?

Wind.
I rarely look at the others while down below in the marina.
If it's so windy you cannot nip below to read it, it's time to reef.

That's assuming it's windspeed only.
Wind direction is needed for steering at night if you don't have a windex illuminated by the tricolour.
Depth is essential visible at the helm.
Auto pilot probably cannot be engaged apart from at the helm?
I have to say I could live without the log, as I've done enough sailing on boats with no log, or a weedy log. But it goes against the grain.
If I needed to move around the Channel Islands in poor vis, GPS would be missed a lot more than the log.

 

[icarusbop]

It might be worth adding that my wind instrument is speed and direction, with VMG and corrected wind speed / direction.

 

[johnphilip]

Wind.
I rarely look at the others while down below in the marina.
If it's so windy you cannot nip below to read it, it's time to reef.

That's assuming it's windspeed only.
Wind direction is needed for steering at night if you don't have a windex illuminated by the tricolour.
Depth is essential visible at the helm.
Auto pilot probably cannot be engaged apart from at the helm?
I have to say I could live without the log, as I've done enough sailing on boats with no log, or a weedy log. But it goes against the grain.
If I needed to move around the Channel Islands in poor vis, GPS would be missed a lot more than the log.

Another vote for the usefulness of wind direction. Beating, particularly in light airs, can be assisted by the input from the wind needle used in conjunction with tell tales. It also aid trimming sails on a reach and when running it is much easier to guard against running by the lee by keeping an eye on the dial rather than craning your neck to the windex very few seconds.

 

[lw395]

Another vote for the usefulness of wind direction. Beating, particularly in light airs, can be assisted by the input from the wind needle used in conjunction with tell tales. It also aid trimming sails on a reach and when running it is much easier to guard against running by the lee by keeping an eye on the dial rather than craning your neck to the windex very few seconds.

Personally, I find most peoples systems are poor with a windex.
Too slow to respond.
Often errors and offsets.
But they do have uses.

 

[johnphilip]

Personally, I find most peoples systems are poor with a windex.
Too slow to respond.
Often errors and offsets.
But they do have uses.

Presumably you mean compared with a Windex. Take the time to set an instrument up properly and offsets and response time should be taken care of.

 

[lw395]

Presumably you mean compared with a Windex. Take the time to set an instrument up properly and offsets and response time should be taken care of.

Yes, I did mean poor compared to a windex.
I am mostly talking of 'other people's boats' so it really is not my place to go adjusting everything, I just turn up and take a watch or trim the sails.
Some people seem to think that because they've spent £400 or whatever, what they have must be better than a plastic windvane.
But the electronics can only delay and degrade what a plastic windvane sees.