Wind Speed indicators - Do we really need them?

There's a wind speed indicator in every copy of the almanac - called the Beaufort scale. That's what it was invented for. I'm finding it amazingly useful for confirming my worst fears in my first boat without an indicator, after fifteen years of fancy racing boats with every gadget..

BTW, my worst fear is confirmed by the mirror like smoothness of the surface!
 
I'd go along with snowleopard, for similar reasons. When passage making rather than day sailing or racing, I prefer to have the boat under its peak performance for the simple reason that on our boat at least motion is easier and less wearing. It is true that you only learn by stretching the limits of your experience but personally, I wouldn't want to do that on a long passage.

I am constantly surprised by both the strength of the wind indicated on the instruments vs my own guess. When the sun is out my instincts would tell me that it never seems to be blowing as hard as when there is a grey sky and rain, a look at the instruments tells me otherwise.
 
Essential, if only to temper the exageration later in the bar.

But for this you do need a witness so no use at all if single handing, or you could take a photo to show the instruments as evidence of when its particularly breezy?

Also possibly useful whilst moored up waiting for wind to ease before you poke your nose round the corner, although the howling in the rigging is usually a good indication to stay put.
 
Yes, they're a convenience. But mine packed up at the start of the season and I can't say I missed it except for reassurance. And a season without has made me a better judge of what the boat 'wants' by way of reefing -- and 'feel' isn't subject to electrical failure. I wouldn't be without a Windex indicator, though.
 
You're probably both right and I may be a bit simplistic in the way that I sail. I ask myself whether I think I've got too much sail, or not enough for the wind/waves and how hard I want to sail the boat , and don't worry a great deal about the actual wind speed, although I can't help making guesses based on lines of foam etc.
 
Unless trying to eek out the last % of performance the only useful reason I can think of is to link to the auto-pilot. I don't have one & can only hold a reasonable auto-course to windward by freeing off a little. Otherwise it won't be long before I get headed and the genny is backed.

For those who do have one - does it+autopilot really react that fast enabling you to stay right on the wind?

Strange to use one for direction though. It's rather like aiming for "that cloud over there". Guess what the wind can change direction.

On the wind - sail by watching the luff of the foresail. Off the wind - use the compass or a landmark. What's the problem.

Mmmm - knowing when to reef. Boat's tending to fall over too much - time to reef. Big black clouds comming up -time to reef. etc etc. When to reef doesn't only depend on the wind speed but on the point of sailing too.

Sounds really like people are starting to rely on the gizmos rather than knowing how to sail properly. By the way I do have few gizmos. I just don't rely on them.
 
"For those who do have one - does it+autopilot really react that fast enabling you to stay right on the wind?"

Not quite as good as a helmsman does, but you can "tweak" them to your requirements. I am still tweaking mine for wind response. The steadier the wind the better.

I don't rely on these toys at all, I can sail without any of them and judge the wind on my face or take a look at the sails. However, they are nice to have and in long passages can be an extra "crew" since there are only two of us. Also holds you directly into wind while you faff with sails etc if required. It's a Raymarine ST4000 with ST60 wind and I like it.

Pops
 
The particular uses we make of the wind direction indicator are;-
when running, to give an accurate indication of exactly how close to dead astern the wind is, and
when changing course but not tacking; we adjust the sails according to the apparent wind direction, and then trim them according to the tell-tales. It makes life easy when you have guests aboard who aren't so au fait with helming. Just tell them to steer at x degrees to the wind.
Then there is sailing at night, when you can't actually see the sails; the instrument is great for maintaining a constant angle to the apparent wind, especially when close-hauled.
Sailed tight on the wind across Biscay in very heavy conditions and used the wind direction indicator to get as close as we could to the apparent wind while still making reasonable way, we were too reefed for the tell-tales, and then set the wind vane to get on with things. It was a bit rough to spend time fiddling around, it was more a case of hiding under the spray hood for a couple of days until conditions improved.
 
I once read a "Cruiser's Beaufort Scale". It went something like this:

F1 - Not enough wind. Drop hook & put kettle on/start engine
F2 - Nice breeze - Full sail
F3 - Too much wind - put a reef in
F4 - Much too much wind - stay home/run for cover
F5 - Discover religion
 
Ah, you've reminded me that I'm not such a purist after all. I would definitely add an autohelm to my list of must-have electronics and have missed having one when when doing long passages without.

I did have one irritating experience on a day sail when taking my current boat on its first slightly tricky (for me) sail from Felixstowe ferry to Ramsgate - the autohelm looked fine, seemed to work when I checked it before buying the boat but had been installed on the Port side so steered the boat in a circle when I hit Auto. That was 9 hours of very variable weather for me hand-steering on my rather belated first solo sail.

I wished there was a way of texting the forum because I knew the answer would be simple but probably unguessable.
 
I've just taken mine off - mainly because it wasn't working, but I have no intention of replacing it.
I have been sailing dinghies for years and like to think that I don't need an electronic thing to tell me what the wind is doing.
Also I would prefer the helmsman to have a good all-round awareness of what's happening, rather than eyes-down into a display.
Mike
 
Re: Why does anyone care

I assume you missed " As forecasts give wind speed predictions it can refine your ability to make a decision about whether to leave the fireside." in my post?
I care, if you don't that's up to you of course. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Re: I work in real time meself.

Forecast wind speeds are as much use as blotting paper buckets. The reaction of the boat and crew to wind pressure is much more entertaining than watching some whirly thing pretending it's relevant to anything.

There are only three wind strengths. Not enough, just right and too much. The signs are not much happening, big smiles and wet and clinging on. Anyway I've driven two and a half hours to get to the boat. We're going sailing unless it blows the car down the car park.
 
Re: One thing I\'ve noticed . . .

Is that skippers with no wind speed indicator regularly report encountering much higher wind speeds than our instrument measures . . .

- Nick
 
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