Handheld Anemometers

[Cmh]

Good evening folks, I am considering buying a handheld anemometer for my Father as a Christmas gift.

I was just wondering if anyone here owns one and could give some feedback as to there accuracy and quality. I am looking to spend around £30 and those on amazon etc give mixed reader reviews.

Thanks in advance, Cmh

 

[johnalison]

We used to have one of those funnel things with a disc that went up & down. It worked fine for our purposes. I doubt if the fancy electronic ones work any better. I believe there is an app for the iphone to do this too.

The wind speed at deck level is about 30% less than at mast height so I used to regard the reading in gusts as the mean velocity I should be using.

 

[VicS]

We used to have one of those funnel things with a disc that went up & down. It worked fine for our purposes. I doubt if the fancy electronic ones work any better. I believe there is an app for the iphone to do this too.

The wind speed at deck level is about 30% less than at mast height so I used to regard the reading in gusts as the mean velocity I should be using.

Yep I have one of those ( Ventimeter). I had one years ago but lost it. Recently bought another on ebay for about £4. ( box a little tatty but the instrument itself looks unused)
2 on ebay up for grabs now but dont get into bidding war over them. The one at £10 is too expensive IMHO

They dont respond to low windspeeds ( 6mph is the first mark up the scale) but I see no reason why for yachty purposes its not good enough for stronger winds.

The type with rotating cups are probably the best for serious meterological use becuase the wind direction is not always constant but generally the one with a spinning " propeller" should give accurate readings. Also presumably the heat loss type. Both are used I beleive for air flow measurements in science and industry.

 

[davidej]

the one with a spinning " propeller" should give accurate readings. Also presumably the heat loss type. Both are used I beleive for air flow measurements in science and industry.

I think you will find that this type cost £60-70. They are advertised in model aircraft magazines.

 

[SHUG]

I have had a Kestrel for years.....very good with average winspeed , peak windspeed, Beaufort scale or knots.Its made by NK (Nielson-Kellerman) in the USA but the specification may help you in your choice if you can't track one down.
I got mine from RS years ago.
Tracked it down here:
http://tinyurl.com/dym66vy

Its priced at £68 which is abit out of budget but hey, you only have one dad and he would be so pleased!!!!
Cheers

 

[colvic987]

I also have one of those ventimeters, but have upgraded to a skywatch explorer, starting at around £29

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Skywatch-Xplorer-3/dp/B000NOOV7G/ref=pd_sim_sbs_sg_6

i also have a davis wind wizard, but wouldn't buy another, as i feel that it is overpriced bit of plastic.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias=sports&field-keywords=davis+wind+wizard

 

[VicS]

Force 4 have 2 in their current catalog

A Silva ADC at £39.95 ( Previously £69.95) which is the same as the Skywatch Explorer
http://www.force4.co.uk/3264/Force-4-Skywatch-Explorer-1-Windspeed.html


And something they just describe as "Handheld Windspeed" £24.95 ( RRP £34.95)

http://www.force4.co.uk/1931/Force-4-Handheld-Windspeed-indicator.html

Also http://www.force4.co.uk/8784/Force-4-Skywatch-Wind-Meter.html
and http://www.force4.co.uk/4407/Plastimo-Windy-Handheld-Anenometer.html

 

[Haven't-a-Clue]

I have a Skywatch 4. Good piece of kit, if I lost or broke it, I'd happily buy another. I got the '4' 'cos I'm a sad gadget freak, but the '1' would do just as well for what you want.

 

[orion50]

The OP was inquiring as to their accuracy? How accurate are they?

 

[VicS]

The OP was inquiring as to their accuracy? How accurate are they?

Skywatch ?

On their website they say ( for windspeed) a resolution of 0.1 unit and a precision of +/- 3%.

I suspect they mean an accuracy +/-3% ( the precision being 0.1 unit)

 

[Cmh]

Thanks for your help folks!

 

[LittleSister]

I seem to recall that either PBO or Sailing Today tested several different makes/models of hand-held anemometers a few years back and found them generally not very accurate. I don't have a link or detail, though, I'm afraid.

(I'm not sure what advantage great accuracy is, in something like this, though!)

 

[SAWDOC]

I seem to recall that either PBO or Sailing Today tested several different makes/models of hand-held anemometers a few years back and found them generally not very accurate. I don't have a link or detail, though, I'm afraid.

(I'm not sure what advantage great accuracy is, in something like this, though!)

What is the point of measuring something if it is not done accurately?

 

[LittleSister]

What is the point of measuring something if it is not done accurately?

Or to put it the other way around, what is the point of knowing what the windspeed is to two decimal places (or whatever), when
a) you don't have that fine a degree of sail, etc., control in response to it;
b) you don't have an equivalent degree of accuracy of knowledge of, say, wave height/shape, exact waterline length at any moment, etc.; and
c) the variation between windspeed in your cockpit and the top of the mast probably far exceeds any error in your hand-held anemometer?

I'm a great believer in precision, but greater precision is only really valuable as part of a feedback system that can make use of the additional accuracy.

To put it yet another way, what difference would it make if your meter read, say, 23.5 knots rather than 25.1 knots when then wind was about that strength (other than in the yacht club bar!)?

If you want great accuracy you probably wouldn't be looking at a hand-held, I would have thought. I would emphasise I have no problem with people wanting to know the wind speed, by whatever means and to whatever degree of accuracy. I'm just not clear what the advantage of great precision would be to anyone.

 

[johnalison]

If you want great accuracy you probably wouldn't be looking at a hand-held, I would have thought. I would emphasise I have no problem with people wanting to know the wind speed, by whatever means and to whatever degree of accuracy. I'm just not clear what the advantage of great precision would be to anyone.

I think you're right. I can't remember ever making a decision based on what I now know was called a Ventimeter actually said. On the other hand, I refer to my masthead unit often when wondering whether to reef or not, among other things. I used to harbour fantasies about telling people I'd been out in hurrricane-strength winds and so on, but I don't think I ever got it above 30kn, and that only in harbour.

 

[VicS]

Or to put it the other way around, what is the point of knowing what the windspeed is to two decimal places (or whatever), when
a) you don't have that fine a degree of sail, etc., control in response to it;
b) you don't have an equivalent degree of accuracy of knowledge of, say, wave height/shape, exact waterline length at any moment, etc.; and
c) the variation between windspeed in your cockpit and the top of the mast probably far exceeds any error in your hand-held anemometer?

I'm a great believer in precision, but greater precision is only really valuable as part of a feedback system that can make use of the additional accuracy.

To put it yet another way, what difference would it make if your meter read, say, 23.5 knots rather than 25.1 knots when then wind was about that strength (other than in the yacht club bar!)?

If you want great accuracy you probably wouldn't be looking at a hand-held, I would have thought. I would emphasise I have no problem with people wanting to know the wind speed, by whatever means and to whatever degree of accuracy. I'm just not clear what the advantage of great precision would be to anyone.

Of course you want both precision and accuracy!

33.4 knots for example is a mere force 7 .. not impressive in the YC bar, but 33.5 would be a full force 8 gale .. something to be reckoned with!

Therefore you want the 0.1 knot precision and an accuracy better than 0.3% to know that the decimal figure is correct.



I'll stick to me Ventimeter. Precision not much better than 2 mph. Accuracy totally unknown!


But if anyone were to give me a Skywatch as a Christmas prezzie I'd be very happy .. I expect I'll get socks and pants as usual.

 

[mjcoon]

.. I expect I'll get socks and pants as usual.

Maybe the Rowan and Martin's Laugh-in catch phrase "sock it to me" had something to do with panting, too...

Mike.

 

[LittleSister]

But if anyone were to give me a Skywatch as a Christmas prezzie I'd be very happy ..

Me, too. (I'm not quite sure what I'd do with it, though!)

 

[Burnham Bob]

thought there were only three wind speeds - not enough, just right and too much!

 

[LittleSister]

thought there were only three wind speeds - not enough, just right and too much!

So what's this 'just right' wind like, then?