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Forum Index: DISCUSSION: Dock Talk:
Looking for race committee wind equipment 		Team McLube

 
 


Chip Mann
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Dec 7, 2009, 7:37 AM

Post #1 of 11 (3405 views)
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Looking for race committee wind equipment Log-In to Post/Reply
I am looking for a digital wind direction and velocity devise to be used for RC work. It must have the ability to read the wind direction from an anchored boat and have the ability to be moved from boat to boat. I have found some equipment from TactTick which costs over $2,000. I am hoping to find something that will be around the $1,000 price point. If there is such a product, I believe it will help race committees set a better course with more accurate and constant wind readings.

Chip Mann, RRO
US Sailing Area K Director
Chair, Race Management and Judges Committee, Inland Lakes Yachting Association


Matt Bounds
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Dec 7, 2009, 8:20 AM

Post #2 of 11 (3366 views)
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Re: [Chip Mann] Looking for race committee wind equipment [In reply to] Log-In to Post/Reply
What exactly are you looking for, Chip?

Sounds like mast-mounted velocity and angle with time recording capabilities = $$$$.

For $1000 you can buy a bunch of Windtronic 2s.

Not much can beat a dedicated wind recorder (person) on the signal boat and savvy weather mark BIMBO feeding you velocity and direction at the top of the course.

It's difficult to replace common sense with gadgetry.

Matt Bounds, RRO
US Sailing One-Design Class Council Chair
Hobie Class Assn. Race Director




suer
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Dec 7, 2009, 9:34 AM

Post #3 of 11 (3360 views)
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Re: [Matt Bounds] Looking for race committee wind equipment [In reply to] Log-In to Post/Reply
I was just looking for the same thing. Found this. It's worth a look: http://www.weathershack.com/...truments/wm-300.html


Matt Bounds
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Dec 7, 2009, 1:36 PM

Post #4 of 11 (3336 views)
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Check the second specification:
"Wind speed accuracy: ±3% when aligned with wind's axis"

It has to have it pointed directly into the wind for it to be even remotely accurate. You'd need to hold it up with a wind stick to make sure it was pointed in the right direction.

The Windtronic 2 wind meter doesn't need to be held directly into the wind. It's got a tripod mount threaded hole on the bottom so you can permanently attach it to a pole, etc. It's waterproof and it floats.

And it's only $100.

http://www.windtronic.us/

But I bet neither one is what he's looking for. The stuff he's looking at does continuous time averaging over several minutes (avg speed / direction previous X minutes).


The Publisher
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Dec 7, 2009, 4:44 PM

Post #5 of 11 (3315 views)
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Re: [Matt Bounds] Looking for race committee wind equipment [In reply to] Log-In to Post/Reply
As posted on the Scuttlebutt Fan Page:

Rande Wilson Kestrel 4500 Pocket Handheld Weather Tracker - Weather & Wind Speed (Anemometer) Meter - PN# 0845 Retail $400.00 It can be bought for ~$300.00 Gives wind speed and magnetic bearing.


bowman
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Dec 7, 2009, 7:06 PM

Post #6 of 11 (3289 views)
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Re: [Chip Mann] Looking for race committee wind equipment [In reply to] Log-In to Post/Reply
I have used the Windtronic. Good for wind speed because it reads from any direction.
I have used the Speedtech. Tough to get an accurate reading. The direction indicator is tiny. The temperature sensor is really cool.

My stick (bought a dowel from home depot and cut to 8 inches long) with a telltale (bought a pack from West Marine) and a hockey puck compass work great for me.
I have compared the above to a $10,000 Ockam on a race boat on two separate occasions. My readings were +/- 2 degrees with the Ockam. Ockam will display a strip chart, which is great for seeing oscillations and average direction reading over some defined time.

I set my $40 Timex watch to count-down repeat every 3 minutes and take another reading. If you record this, you are going to have your own strip chart.

Good luck, let us know if you find anything.


Bird
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Dec 8, 2009, 8:23 AM

Post #7 of 11 (3209 views)
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Re: [Chip Mann] Looking for race committee wind equipment [In reply to] Log-In to Post/Reply
I like the Windmate from Speed Tech. The new 350-S has all the wind features, temp, humidity, average wind speed but it also has a data recording feature that will allow you to see trends with the wind. They sell for about $250. Talk with the folks at KO Sailing www.kosailing.com, they've helped me out on plenty things.





Mike Levesque
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Dec 8, 2009, 10:55 AM

Post #8 of 11 (3181 views)
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I agree with Matt. Chip, can you give us a bit more info on what you’re looking to do (or at least, what $3000 device you’d like us to compare)?

I would assume that you’re looking for an instrument to send up a mast? There is definitely a time and place for this. If you’re short of staff, are in rough conditions and don’t want to send someone onto the bow, etc.

Another situation where we want to get wind data from “up high” is when running regattas for big boats. The wind gradient aloft is much more important, since most of their rig doesn’t see the surface wind (which is all we really can read with handhelds). In these cases, I’ve been trained to simply ask a competitor. They tend to have lots of expensive toys and are more than happy to share information with the RC so we can give them better sailing.

If you are looking for something handheld, I’ve used all the ones mentioned above, and hands down, the Windtronic is the best.





chipmann
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Dec 8, 2009, 2:22 PM

Post #9 of 11 (3155 views)
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Re: [Matt Bounds] Looking for race committee wind equipment [In reply to] Log-In to Post/Reply
I appreciate so many people chiming in on my quest for a digital wind direction devise for RC work. I too have a hockey puck compass and an old radio antennae with a piece of yarn that I have used for years to get the wind direction. Very accurate, very dependable and very cheap. Two of my friends have the digital devise that instantly shows the wind direction in degrees. One is from Tacktick which works great. It takes 4 of their components to give you what you want including a digital compass. The 4 components cost about $2,200. It is wireless and takes very little time to set up. I have talked to a Tacktick sales person, but they have not gotten back to me about packaging the 4 components in to something with a more reasonable price tag. Another one of my RC friends has a more sophisticated devise that also gives you the 10 minute average.

As all of you know there are many things happening on our RC boats that we coordinate. The ability to instantly look at the wind direction is extremely helpful. The ability to keep one eye on everything else going on while you have one eye on the wind direction makes us better race officers. Have been on boats that have this, I can tell you that it is great. My issue, is finding something more reasonable in price.

Does this explanation help?
Chip


SeptimusFry
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Dec 11, 2009, 4:24 AM

Post #10 of 11 (3049 views)
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Re: [Chip Mann] Looking for race committee wind equipment [In reply to] Log-In to Post/Reply
Hi Chip - well, as far as technical spec is concerned, here is a package to warm your heart (main site here). Wind measurements plus interface to computer, means able to do what you want, real-time, with the data. Plus a handheld to boot. Smile

Problem is that it is not quite as portable as you want. As an ex-RO (RYA) myself, I wouldn't have a problem with some adaptation to make it into something one could carry from one venue to another.


____________________
Any offence taken, please accept my apology in advance.


chipmann
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Dec 14, 2009, 5:46 PM

Post #11 of 11 (2992 views)
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Re: [chipmann] Looking for race committee wind equipment [In reply to] Log-In to Post/Reply
I finally got some great technical help from Tacktick. They are saying that combing a T120 and T070 will give us what we are looking for. I have priced these two items out from several places. The list price for the equipment is $700 and $1,000 respectfully. They can be purchased for about $1,350. Please let me know if you need further details or pictures which Tacktick sent me.
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