Should I bother with wind instruments?

Rivers & creeks

Rivers & creeks

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This is part two from last week on tricolour's (thanks for the replies, very helpful). The mast has been taken down for some routine work on our Heavenly Twins 27 (catamaran), and the tricolour and wind gear were broken. A new wind instrument package is about £200 and that is a big wedge of the available money, but how useful are they really? This is the first I've had and as it's a catamaran I was glad to have got wind instrumentation with the boat beacuse I was worried about over pressing her in strong winds. Now that we've been out in a big 6 and worked out that cruising cat's don't actually capsize, I was trying to decide if it's worth the money replacing it? We use the sail tell tales for sheet adjustment and I can tell from the windex where the wind is coming from, how important is it to know how strong the wind is?

Thanks as usual for advice and suggestions.
 
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Now that we've been out in a big 6 and worked out that cruising cat's don't actually capsize, I was trying to decide if it's worth the money replacing it? We use the sail tell tales for sheet adjustment and I can tell from the windex where the wind is coming from, how important is it to know how strong the wind is?


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"... don't actually capsize" - hmmm. Debatable. But certainly not in a F6. Should be safe as houses - but much bigger winds and seas might (will /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif) re-awake your misgivings.

You will begin to develop a 'feel' for wind strength as you gain experience, and other than interest, or tales in the bar, wind speed reading will become less and less important.

Unless like me, you like measuring things: noting speed through water Vs SOG, apparent and true wind speeds etc for me make up a part of the fascinating jigsaw of working a sailing boat,.

Then there is another side to this - a long difficult passage, you are tired, and wanting to get in. Exhaustion and possibly a touch of the old MdeM are beginning to affect your judgement as a skipper. You and your crew are too fatigued to want to get off your butts and start hauling ropes. And the wind is slowly rising.... that last gust is overpressing her quite a bit, but it was only a gust.... or was it? Apathy prevents you taking action until a really big gust comes along and you realise too late that things have crept up on you and you have a much more demanding job to reduce sail than you would have half an hour ago....

Thats the scenario when having an 'ani-ani wotsitmeter' as my younger son christened ours, pays off, because (if you glance at it) you will KNOW the wind is rising and will realise that you need to do something about it, before it has become a task for an Olympic gymnast!
 
Whilst I agree with Old Harry for the most part, I feel you would be better spending your hard earned on summat more useful. the noise of the wind in the rigging, will soon alert you to what the wind is doing as will the sea state and what you are feeling whistling aound your ears.

There is far too much reliance put on electrickery these days in my opinion, learn to listen to what your boat is telling you, and if in doubt reef early, you can soon shake 'em out again if it proves to have not been necessary.

Just my two pennarth worth, but then I am a self confessed luddite, who strongly believes that the old ways are the best ways. Why? because sailors have been doing it that way for thousands of years! that's why /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
It might not be a necessity but a wind instrument is a useful tool, especially on longer passages for the reasons that Oldharry gave. On long passages I go down below and zzzz and stick my head up every 20 mins or so. When I stick my head up to make sure I'm not gonna get run down I always check the wind speed readout against my SOG as well as making my own judgments. This is especially useful when the winds more aft because it is difficult to gauge how much it has picked up when im a bit drousy and a similar readout to before, and a similar general feel to the boat allays any worries I may have about overpressing, which I seem to get more when I'm dozing.
 
Each to their own chap, personally, I thinks it's better to learn how to sail, without all that electrickery, wether you be tired or not, you will be a better sailorman for it /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

It's mostly expensive and unreliable, and most folks don't have a need for it.

Charlie.
 
I know it's easy to fool yourself that the wind isn't getting up - when in fact it is - I suppose I've never really used the information on the display, that's why i'm wondering about the worth of replacing it. A cruising cat has never been capsized by the wind, but like monohulls, a few have gone over because of very large waves.
 
If your budget is limited, then I guess there's better things to spend it on. I sailed for 40+ years withut any sort of wind speed meter. Now I have one, cos it came with the boat. Its fun 'cos I like to know wind speed. And I dont get a stiff neck peering up at the windex on the masthead anymore. I dont go any faster, more safely, further, or out in any worse weather, and I dont drink any more than I did and have not put on any more weight, because I have one.

So its a pretty useless bit of kit when all is said and done. But I will fit one to my next boat, if it is not already fitted /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 
I know where you're coming from. I had my mast down last winter and thought while it's down I had better fit a wind instrument as it would be easier to do while the mast is down than up. Boat launched with new instrument this Spring. I'man ex-dinghy sailor and all my ex-dinghy mates asked why I needed a wind instrument. Began to wonder myself, but as I'd taken the trouble to fit one, thought I'd better have a cast iron reason as to why I had.

After a season's sailing I can honestly say it is a gismo I could have easily done without. I do look at it, but it never tells me anything I can't tell from looking at the windex, looking at the waves, etc. etc.

Best reason I can give my mates is that it it completes what would otherwise be an empty space where my row of electronic instruments is!
 
It's of fairly academic interest, though some help second-guessing the gusts can aid reefing decisions.

You could always tie a few lengths of increasing weight / thickness material to the backstay (eg Ribbon, mousing line (3mm) reefing tie (5-6mm) etc.)). You should soon find out what sail is required when each starts to fly
 
Hi Bernie! you would have been better off fitting a "Teasmaid"!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Charlie.
 
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A cruising cat has never been capsized by the wind, but like monohulls, a few have gone over because of very large waves.

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How about that Hirondelle in the Solent some years ago - and didn't Tightwad Sailor's Iroquois take a tumble too?

I sailed a Prout Ranger for years without any concerns, not least due to being in the pub whenever it blew! You might consider a quick-release device on the mainsheet - Prouts have such an imbalanced sail plan that it didn't seem to make sense.
 
I haven't bothered to stump up the £200 or so for a 'proper' wind instrument. Instead I have a portable one for <£50 which does all I need to. It has the proper spinning cups, so irrelevant of direction (windex for that), max gust, average wind speed, current wind speed. There is a thread in the bottom for mounting. I am going to mount it on the coachroof, and then when not using it, remove it and put away again. The battery also claims to last for 10 years... I await to see that /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Link here for more information

0969740_o1_HW01ig.jpg
 
I'm no expert on cats but understood that, of all craft, cat skippers sail by numbers ie the windspeed, 'cos they don't have the heel/spill effect that saves monos from most embarrassments.
 
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Quote:
A cruising cat has never been capsized by the wind, but like monohulls, a few have gone over because of very large waves.


How about that Hirondelle in the Solent some years ago - and didn't Tightwad Sailor's Iroquois take a tumble too

[/ QUOTE ] Heavenly Twins, Catalacs, Prouts etc etc don't have dagger boards, therefore the wind slides them rather than tips them. I agree about the Prout - an amazing sail plan. Seems to work though?

Thanks for all the views. When I asked the questions I expected people to say no Tricolour and definately fit wind instruments; quite the opposite views on the whole and i am pretty sure I've changed my mind as a result.
 
Chortle! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif.......what about a chambermaid to keep the skipper warm in his berth these cold nights?

Not sure you would be able to fit her in your console when not in service though?

Where's that Sooooozywuuuurrrzywhotsit woman, she'll know?

Charlie. (now heading for nearest fallout shelter!) /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
 
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