Wind anemometer for Mobos - worth it or not?

[MAFWeiss]

I am wondering if it is worthwhile getting a wind meter for my 70 foot Prestige 680, which has been made even taller by the added hard top. Options are either (a) the relatively inexpensive hand-held option; there are ones that can even fit onto my Samsung smart phone or (b) the much more expensive route of having a much larger fixed unit fitted to the radar tower and which would link up with my Raymarine instrumentation.

I would be very interested to hear some views on this!

 

[prv]

I don't think there's any point at all having a portable one, you won't use it.

If you ever manoeuvre in tight quarters (marina etc) from an inside helm, then I reckon you need a wind instrument. If you always berth from an outside flybridge then maybe the feel of it on your face is sufficient?

Pete

 

[omega2]

By the time you get any useful info from it, it will be too late!! Although being rich enough to own what you have why not!!!!

 

[Nigelpickin]

I've got one on my roof mark; plugged into the ray marine and I love it but I'm not going elaborate until we get some first season words and pics on your amazing boat!!!

 

[Nigelpickin]

I don't think there's any point at all having a portable one, you won't use it.

If you ever manoeuvre in tight quarters (marina etc) from an inside helm, then I reckon you need a wind instrument. If you always berth from an outside flybridge then maybe the feel of it on your face is sufficient?

Pete

Agree with that but when you're traveling faster than the wind speed it's great to be able to see a & t wind so as to ascertain the likely conditions, (prevailing), before you arrive at the marina...

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

I added the Raymarine one when I did the refit a couple of winters ago, and I do find it a useful reference when berthing.

 

[jfm]

I wouldn't spec a boat without one. It is incredibly useful to know the true wind speed and direction. For example you avoid being lulled into false sense of security downwind because the thing will tell you in advance that when you change direction the wind is going to be bad. You also know if the forecast you're using is accurate, and if it isn't, by how much, and so on.

I always have one of my small displays permanently showing 4 little windows of wind data

It needs to be an integrated on obviously, otherwise you wont get true/ground wind. another benefit of integration is that you can set an alarm that wakes you up at night via the cabin MFD bleeper, if it gets too windy

Outside the med it would be nice to have true and ground displayed separately but inside the med that doesn't matter and you just need true or ground, and apparent

They're pretty cheap in the grand scheme of boating things

 

[Momac]

One of these is cheaper.........
https://www.roostersailing.com/pd/Falker-Racing-Burgee_105455.htm
.

 

[MapisM]

my 70 foot Prestige 680, which has been made even taller by the added hard top.

You can say that again! :encouragement:
I suppose you haven't been here in the asylum lately, and you missed this thread which I posted after a trip to Naples+Salerno area.
A massive vessel indeed, when seen in flesh.
The marina overview pic I posted there obviously doesn't give the idea, but when seen from the dock behind her, my neck reached its limit while looking at her top...!

Ref your OP question, I've got a handheld one, but I've also been on a few mobos with a fixed one fitted.
Now, if by "worthwhile" you mean of practical use in some circumstances, the answer is no, in my books.
Not only I never used mine for anything else than checking the wind speed during some blow purely out of idle curiosity, but none of the other folks who have a fixed one onboard told me to have ever used it for any other purpose.
Otoh, if by "worthwhile" you mean something to occasionally look at to satisfy your curiosity, then the answer is yes, of course...
But in this respect, a cheap handheld thingy is as good as anything else.
Your call!

 

[Hurricane]

Definitely fit a wind/anemometer if you stay at anchor for any length of time.
Think about it - what is the FIRST thing that will cause you a problem - it will always be the wind.

So, that means running the instrument at night.
If you have one fitted to your Nav kit, that means running your Nav kit overnight.
That means battery drain.

So, I recommend one of these
http://www.navis-anemometers.com/wireless_anemometers.php
Get the Windy - don't bother with the wind direction version - it won't do you any good - the boat turns underneath.
Just the speed sensor version.
Wireless so no complicated wiring.
Battery lasts years (literally)

Then fit it to your radar arch.
You can then read the wind speed on a smart phone (either iPhone of Android)
Then take the phone to bed with you - set the alarm and SLEEP without worrying.
Great bit of kit
We have had our for a couple of seasons.
Last year in Mallorca, we had some strong wind overnight.
The Windy always woke us up 5mins or so before the anchor drag alarm.
It didn't wake us this year - new anchor!!

Here is a pic of the display last year in Mallorca

And it also keeps a history

At just over 100 quid it is a no brainer.

 

[MapisM]

Not only I never used mine for anything else than checking the wind speed during some blow purely out of idle curiosity, but none of the other folks who have a fixed one onboard told me to have ever used it for any other purpose.

Errata corrige to my previous sentence above: add "- with the two notable exceptions of jfm and hurricane." at the end.

 

[MapisM]

We have had our for a couple of seasons.
Last year in Mallorca, we had some strong wind overnight.
The Windy always woke us up 5mins or so before the anchor drag alarm.
It didn't wake us this year - new anchor!!

Hang on a minute M, that's a non-sequitur.
The Windy didn't wake you up this year because you had no wind, surely?

 

[Hurricane]

Hang on a minute M, that's a non-sequitur.
The Windy didn't wake you up this year because you had no wind, surely?

Maybe - but we slept well anyway.

Up until this year, I had the Windy fitted to the top of our anchor light.
But it jumped off at "fridge door corner". (aka Barcelona when we hit a really BIG wave).
Luckily the Novurania caught it.

It is now fitted to a stainless steel bracket on the top of the radar arch.

 

[longjohnsilver]

It's the one instrument that is currently not working and I miss it. I'd rate it alongside the chartplotter and depth sounder as something extremely useful. It's the one instrument I look at all the time even when moored up. I have made a mental note to repair or replace it asap.

 

[Bouba]

Maybe - but we slept well anyway.

Up until this year, I had the Windy fitted to the top of our anchor light.
But it jumped off at "fridge door corner". (aka Barcelona when we hit a really BIG wave).
Luckily the Novurania caught it.

It is now fitted to a stainless steel bracket on the top of the radar arch.

How big was the wave?

 

[Nigelpickin]

Errata corrige to my previous sentence above: add "- with the two notable exceptions of jfm and hurricane." at the end.

Thing is if the OP is reading these responses with a view to deciding whether a weather/wind station is a worth while upgrade, hopefully he can sort the wheat from chaff in terms of the quality of response!

True wind, apparent wind, air pressure, air temp, graphic representation of wind and tide in realtime on the plotter - all very useful; esp when you are helming from the lower position...

 

[jfm]

... air pressure ...

Yup, these things tend to have an n2k atmospheric sensor built in. I therefore have one of my little screens permanently set to Barometer view. Much easier and better than faffing with a brass one going round by clockwork, with paper, in an oak framed glass box

 

[Hurricane]

How big was the wave?

Big enough for us to go airborne!!
Fridge door fell off and the contents of fridge went everywhere.
Hatches lifted under the carpets on the lower deck.
The port engine shut down - the little cork ball on its ignition key twizzled round and switched off.
The Aerial washing powder fell out of the cupboard in the companion way and went everywhere.
And the Windy anemometer jumped off its anchor light fitting - it had been fine for the last year!!

 

[MAFWeiss]

I've got one on my roof mark; plugged into the ray marine and I love it but I'm not going elaborate until we get some first season words and pics on your amazing boat!!!

Haahaa fair comment Nigel... and my apologies for the lack to attendance on the forum but sadly my life has been overwhelmed by matters non-nautical for the last six months and I just have not had the time or energy to keep in touch. Anyway the good news is that I have just completed a commission of two 1,500 words stories, with some great pics, for Hugo and the MBY on Artemisia's summer's cruising around the Amalfi coast and the Neapolitan islands which hopefully will get published in the very near future.

I will however in the interim post some additional photos and words for the forum over the coming weeks as a supplement the stories.

 

[MAFWeiss]

You can say that again! :encouragement:
I suppose you haven't been here in the asylum lately, and you missed this thread which I posted after a trip to Naples+Salerno area.

You are right Mapism, as just stated in reply to Nigel. Sorry to have missed you in Salerno and I hope that you - and other fellow ''asylum'' members - will take the opportunity to come and visit us in season and spend some time exploring this stunningly beautiful area. We love it here!