New boat extras - more questions

[david_e]

1 How useful are wind instruments, at present I use the tried and tested method of looking at the sea state, flags, tell tales, jib luff etc.

2 Is it OK to fit a NASA wind instrument with a Simrad log/depth unit? (alot cheaper) ie do they talk to each other

3 Should I fit a NASA DSC VHF now on new boat or carry on using Hand held as before, (hardly ever use it anyway) and retro fit when think might use it?

4 Can't decide on a whether a fully battened main is worth it or not?

 

[Chris_Stannard]

I have no view on 1) and 2)

3) If you are going off shore then a fixed VHF is worth while and the DSC sets can be connected to your GPS so that they send your position if you have an Emergency leaving to get on with sorting it out. You will also get better range from a fixed radio as a result of the extra power and better antenna.

4) I have used a jully battened main with a stack pack system for some years. As we usually sail two up, and I sometimes sail single handed, it makes life very easy since once the halyard is released the fully battened main falls into the cover and I do the zip up. The fully battened main gives the same if not better performance than a standard main so if you sail short handed and want an easy life go for it.

Enjoy you new boat.

Chris Stannard

 

[tome]

1) I sailed for 20 years without any wind instruments, but now that I have them find them quite useful.

2) The Simrad units (I use the IS15 range) are amongst the most versatile available for interfacing with other systems. They have several inputs/outputs including Roblink (their own 2 wire system) and NMEA.

Each instrument head can provide NMEA input or NMEA output but not both: if you require both input and output you'll need 2 heads (eg Depth and Speed). Provided the Nasa outputs NMEA MWV sentences, you should be able to connect this to the NMEA input/output on one of the heads for display. You can then select it by scrolling to the Wind menu.

3) Put in masthead antenna and power connection for radio so you can change any time you want.

4) Not enough experience too comment

 

[Rob_Webb]

1. I sailed fro donkey's years without wind instruments but certainly now find them useful to confirm what my instincts tell me. They are also a useful tool for helping a newcomer to sailing understand what is going on in terms of wind speed/direction - and why you are setting the course and sails in a particular way. And finally, they are also very useful for sailing at night when sails and masthead burgees can be difficult to see.

Rob

 

[tcm]

It is normal to be dead skinflinty before new boat. But, once ordered and sitting arnd waiting, I rang up and said - what the hell- we won't go bankrupt for the last few quid. Apparently, this is also normal. So, may as well get all the extras on - and do a good deal on those whilst the iron/wife/chequebook is hot! Also, when it comes to sell, yours wil be the one with all the extras, the others will be skinflinty poverty-packs. Some proper saily types scoff at anything but fully-battened sails. The wind things are great to look at, but not many say ooh no, the wind indicator says it is only xx so no need for a reef - they just put in a reef.

Hope this helps

 

[JeremyF]

1. Wind instrument is good for telling inexperienced crew what do, i.e. how to keep the nose into wind while you are raising the main. Also, to advise of danger sector for a gybe. Not that key if you have competant crew.

2. NASA have no NMEA output from their instruments, but do make repeaters. No NMEA means no talking to other devices. But the only uses of NMEA from a wind instrument are a)autopilot steer to wind, or from a log to give true wind speed and direction. Have you checked out the new Navman range - got a good write-up in ST, with Comms / NMEA and half way in price between NASA and Raymarine

3. NASA DSC fixed can be had for £250. A nice little unit. I wouldnt bother with a half-way house of a DSC ready unit at this price.

4. I wouldnt bother with fully-battened main for sail handling only. On the Hanse 301 I doubt you have a huge main. Do fit lazy-jacks, and a standard main should drop into the bag with a couple of tugs at the main.

Jeremy Flynn

 

[david_e]

Thanks Chris, Tome, RW and JF for your replies (will deal with tcm later!). The night sailing point is a good one, will go for the cheapo one and get a GPS with a map with (part of) the savings, also will get the VHF. Still not sure whether I want to flake the main and use a drop over type sail cover or take the easy FB & zip up bag route.

 

[david_e]

Your psychic powers prevail, having almost got the through part one am fast succumbing to part deux. Dealer is a nice chappy but no mention yet of free skipper for a year! The Yorkshire factor is having it's influence so automatic wallet restrainer kicks in. The thing about extras and a new boat is that put too many on and you could start to look at a bigger boat. Also, used skinflint type boats sell to skinflints who see no value in extras. Think that when I get better at earning brass I will become better at spending it)

 

[RupertW]

I've sailed a on a few boats in the last couple of years with lazyjacks and zip up bags and love them for that last minute sail drop before tying up. I would still lower the side-bags (or whatever they are called) and properly flake the sail before zipping back up again if I wasn't going to sail for a week or two.

Just done a transat with fully-battened main and loathed the thing. It added loads of extra weight to haul up and made decent downwind sailing impossible as you can't let a batten bend backwards against a shroud, forcing us to sail with the main in a close reach state. Ugh. I keep thinking we were missing a trick somewhere.


Rupert

 

[LeonF]

I sail a Sigma 33 that is set up for cruising. The FB main is superb and easy to handle--also dropping it in a loose heap means you are less likeley to get it creased. Hoisting it is not a problem if you are head to wind, but you could also slacken of the lazyjacks or hook them under the reefing horns. I've just upgraded and interfaced my instruments -Raymarine St60. Using the autohelm linked to the wind holding a constant angle is more useful than the ability to steer to a waypoint that was my primary intention. The stackpack system aroused great interest at my club and a couple of enterprising wives have made their own. I sail singlehanded often and this in the Thames Estuary

L.A.R.Ferguson

 

[Rob_Webb]

This month's Sailing Today inlcudes a review of wind instruments, from cheap to dear. It's worth a look, especially as some of the cheaper ones are the most accurate! They just don't have such fancy connectivity.

Rob

 

[pandroid]

Concur with the 'dont get a FB just for the ease of stacking'. You can do this with a normal main. We end up re-flaking our (heavy) FB main anyway, so there's not much saving. I bought it because it set and sails better, however in very light airs, there is more weight aloft to slam.

 

[david_e]

Thanks all for the reply's. Am off to Cork on a delivery trip where the boat has a f/b main so will get a better ides then. Conscenus at home seems to be divided, like the point about down wind sailing and slamming.

 

[david_e]

Re: Instruments

Good point about the instruments Leon, have asked for a quote on Simrad 'cause also thinking about Tillerpilot in future and if they are all the same then it MUST be OK.

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by david_e on 09/07/2002 12:20 (server time).</FONT></P>