getting tired of the guess

J64TWB · Joined: 24 Dec 2013 Posts: 1685

I sail alone often so no one around to ask about sail sizes. Frustrating decision sometimes to choose. Anyone had any luck with handheld wind meters? Offshore it would be useless but onshore, standing out over the water on a dock, which is most of my sailing, thinking this might save me some aggravation. Getting tired of the guess.

westender · Joined: 02 Aug 2007 Posts: 1288 Location: Portland / Gorge

I used to have a wind meter. With enough experience you will be able to look at the water conditions and know what size to rig but will still be fooled sometimes.

Are there any flags or other indicators you could observe? Rig big.

manuel · Joined: 08 Oct 2007 Posts: 1158

I love wind gauges. I have a handheld one and used it very often if not at every session. Get the nice German one.

Now here I look at the wind gauge we have setup on the beach. Reading the water state is difficult because there's a big wind shadow on the bay, tides and light make it look quite different almost every day. Also, can you use any of the readings from weather stations?

Finally, experience is best, white caps is a key factor regardless of where you are sailing. Offshore is certainly the most difficult, you have to look "beyond," or at something not as sheltered. Then you need to remember how past sessions were. Each local spot has its own set of cues!

rswabsin · Joined: 14 May 2000 Posts: 444 Location: New Jersey

Try using binoculars to look at the water surface conditions offshore. They don't have to be expensive ones - $40 - $50 are good enough to see the water surface texture and notice if there are strong gusts or wind holes offshore. After a couple of observations on different days - you'll get a pretty good feel for what sail you should rig. You could also supplement a hand held wind meter with binoculars.

Rob

boardsurfr · Joined: 23 Aug 2001 Posts: 1266

I really admire all those who can judge wind by just looking at the water (perhaps excluding those who always have the same wind direction, like Maui or the Gorge). I have sailed several hundred sessions at my home spot, and "looking at the water" still does not work for me. Small changes in wind direction, water levels, and even where the sun currently is make very big changes to what the wind looks like. At times, 25 mph will have the same or fewer white caps and chop as 17 mph on another day - that's 2 sail sizes difference! Yes, I can hold my 17 mph sail in 25, but it's more fun if the size is just right.

So I'm a big believer in getting as much data as I can. I have tried the WeatherFlow meter that you just plug into the iPhone, but it works only some times, and rarely when it's really windy. We have iWindsurf meters at most spots where we sail, but at times, I wish I had an accurate wind meter. So I'd love to hear reports about how well handheld meters work, especially the cheaper ones.

Arrgh · Joined: 05 May 1998 Posts: 864 Location: Rio

I have an old gauge that is similar to this one. Works fine.

gvogelsang · Joined: 09 Nov 1988 Posts: 435

ONe other thing that saves aggravation is sails that are easy to rig. That way, if you make a mistake, it isn't as much of a hassle to come in and change up or down.

manuel · Joined: 08 Oct 2007 Posts: 1158

This is one is great:

http://www.amazon.com/Windtronic-Wind-Speed-Meter-Anemometer/dp/B000WHPL14

For off-shore winds, velcro it to the top of your mast Smile

!

U2U2U2 · Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2015 10:14 am Post subject:

This is a good question. If you sail at the same spot, the conditions 'should' look the same , you should be able to key in on size, just by experience.

Wind meter: I use a KESTRAL , small hand held, mine is 10years on for sure, they have various models, mine does, temp, wind chill, wind velocity, max speed and average speed for the duration in use. It has scales of mph kph and many more. Its small and works well. You still have to interpret
the reading into a sail size , it will give you an additional resource to make a preliminary choice.

I say you need one.

adywind · Joined: 08 Jan 2012 Posts: 665

Yes handheld wind meters are useful devices and compared to the rest of our equipment they're size and weight are negligible. I have one and I used every time in the beginning and I believe it tought me to make better visual guesses about my spots then before. I discovered that I tend to overestimate and rig smaller by guessing just by looking at the water.