[hpeer]

NASA Marine sells a relatively inexpensive transducer and display for ~$290 shipped to US: Nasa Clipper Wind System V2 (010.023)

Mark

You beat me to it.

My RM died and I replaced with a NASA wireless unit. About a year but so far so good. I run it through. Yacht Devices router and then it drives my ST-60 units. AND I get it on all my iPhone and Android chart apps.

Look ti buying direct from NASA in the UK. I found that the most coat efficient method.

 

[terrybuda]

From my research (calling the companies), the max distance the wireless ones go is 50 feet, and at times not even that far. For sure none would work on my 71' main mast;

That makes a lot of sense, especially if the wireless is Bluetooth. Thank you!

 

[terrybuda]

NASA Marine sells a relatively inexpensive transducer and display for ~$290 shipped to US: Nasa Clipper Wind System V2 (010.023)

Mark

@colemj Thanks for posting this. I never heard of the brand before you dropped the link. Reviews say that the cable is tender and is the weak point of this system. The wireless version, however, gets rave reviews and looks like it can be acquired in the US for around $300.

 

[terrybuda]

You beat me to it.

My RM died and I replaced with a NASA wireless unit. About a year but so far so good. I run it through. Yacht Devices router and then it drives my ST-60 units. AND I get it on all my iPhone and Android chart apps.

Look ti buying direct from NASA in the UK. I found that the most coat efficient method.

@hpeer Thank you for posting your experience with this brand. I am unfamiliar with these and doing research. Do you know what the wireless signal is? Bluetooth? 802.11x? proprietary?
I'd like to avoid setting up a router on my boat.

 

[hpeer]

Wifi, nothing special.

The wifi goes to a base station that outputs 0183 NMEA. They sell compatiable instruments, very reasonable.

I bought one, not sure the other set up would work, but it did just work. So I still have my RM 60+ master and remote.

I mounted it on my radar mast. Because I have a steel boat and may not reach the base. And because at 72 I don't need any more stuff on the mast head where I have to climb to fix. Seemsnto work just fine where it is, maybe reports a little less than mast head, but direction seems spot on.

 

[terrybuda]

Wifi, nothing special.

The wifi goes to a base station that outputs 0183 NMEA. They sell compatiable instruments, very reasonable.

I bought one, not sure the other set up would work, but it did just work. So I still have my RM 60+ master and remote.

I mounted it on my radar mast. Because I have a steel boat and may not reach the base. And because at 72 I don't need any more stuff on the mast head where I have to climb to fix. Seemsnto work just fine where it is, maybe reports a little less than mast head, but direction seems spot on.

@hpeer Perfect! That should be compatible with my navigation laptop. Thank you for posting this information.

 

[heinzir]

Can you post some details about your wind systems - especially if you added a system to a 40+-year-old boat?

$35 Hand held anemometer semi-permanently attached to backstay of my Montgomery 17 with 2 carabiners and a piece of shock cord to make it self leveling.

 

[colemj]

Does that also give wind direction, or just speed?

Mark

 

[terrybuda]

$35 Hand held anemometer semi-permanently attached to backstay of my Montgomery 17 with 2 carabiners and a piece of shock cord to make it self leveling.

View attachment 147082

@heinzir Really wishing I had a split backstay! Thanks for posting this ingenious idea!

 

[heinzir]

Does that also give wind direction, or just speed?

Mark

Just speed and temp. Unlike other hand-helds, this one does not have to be pointed into the wind. Surprisingly accurate considering it is mounted at deck level. Other eBay vendors have it in orange as well as black.

Digital LCD Anemometer +Thermometer Handheld Wind Speed Meter Gauge Air Velocity | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Digital LCD Anemometer +Thermometer Handheld Wind Speed Meter Gauge Air Velocity at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

 

[mal5033]

We've used a lot of stuff for wind direction and boat speed over our (approaching) 50 year sailing life. I remember using a drag behind knot meter that would pull a plunger to approximate speed at one time. I truly appreciated the keep it simple attitude but I admit I am spoiled by the newer stuff (including GPS, which was not always around to help)
The windex has always been a part of it and I had the stiff neck to prove it. Having had questionable performance with the instruments on our new (to us) boat, we scrapped it all and installed a 9 inch Raymarine Axiom MFD, an !-70, and a new autohelm. I am amazed by the performance of this setup (I probably am jinxing it by saying that). It does way more than I need and I am still learning its capabilities. I still use the windex and lower shroud streamers but am finding I use the display more now.
I used the existing mast-top and hull sending units with adapters. It cost a few boat-bucks but it was money well spent.

 

[terrybuda]

We've used a lot of stuff for wind direction and boat speed over our (approaching) 50 year sailing life. I remember using a drag behind knot meter that would pull a plunger to approximate speed at one time. I truly appreciated the keep it simple attitude but I admit I am spoiled by the newer stuff (including GPS, which was not always around to help)
The windex has always been a part of it and I had the stiff neck to prove it. Having had questionable performance with the instruments on our new (to us) boat, we scrapped it all and installed a 9 inch Raymarine Axiom MFD, an !-70, and a new autohelm. I am amazed by the performance of this setup (I probably am jinxing it by saying that). It does way more than I need and I am still learning its capabilities. I still use the windex and lower shroud streamers but am finding I use the display more now.
I used the existing mast-top and hull sending units with adapters. It cost a few boat-bucks but it was money well spent.

@mal5033 Thanks for posting this. In my "someday-life" I hope to have a modern, standard set of gear. For now, I have my toughbook, OpenCPN and whatever things I can figure out how to hook into it. Finding a budget-friendly wind speed/direction transducer is a real challenge. Windex, yarn, face, ears are all have now. Before I put the mast up for the summer, I'd really like to get a mast head unit mounted, if at all possible.

 

[mal5033]

@mal5033 Thanks for posting this. In my "someday-life" I hope to have a modern, standard set of gear. For now, I have my toughbook, OpenCPN and whatever things I can figure out how to hook into it. Finding a budget-friendly wind speed/direction transducer is a real challenge. Windex, yarn, face, ears are all have now. Before I put the mast up for the summer, I'd really like to get a mast head unit mounted, if at all possible.

As I mentioned, I have used many different methods of measuring wind/speed/etc. The common thread is that I have always loved the sailing!
My future may go the other way due to increasing costs of ownership. I am considering a switch to a basic cat-boat sans all of the electronic devices. So maybe I will go full circle...
Just enjoy the sailing, that's what matters. I will.