What does everyone use for instruments ie gps wind speed and such anyone got recomadations ? soeery cant spell
thanks
instruments
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Posted: Jan 26, 2018 - 10:08 PM
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Posted: Jan 26, 2018 - 10:45 PM
Tell-tales are my primary go-to, telo-vane on the bridle. For some unexplained reason whenever I mount ABBA metal cassette tape on shrouds/bridle the boat goes a lot faster! Musik i vinden.
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Todd
Virginia
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Posted: Jan 26, 2018 - 11:41 PM
I guess what I meant was digtal ie a readout on the side of the mast something hooked to a ipad or phone nav apps used -
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Posted: Jan 26, 2018 - 11:52 PM
I use a speed puck that is mounted to my mast and a waterproof GPS on my wing seats.
Maybe I will get a chartplotter in the future is I ever embrace this digital age.....
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Bill 404 21SE
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Posted: Jan 27, 2018 - 07:17 AM
I use a Garmin ETrex, mainly because I already had it for hiking. It’s pretty no nonsense and holds up to the elements well enough, but I keep it in its own dry pouch regardless. It’s a small screen, but I really wouldn’t want any bigger unless I was going to fix mount and I don’t like to clutter my boat. It mainly stays tucked away other than an occasional speed or posistion check on longer runs. I mainly have it for safety if I need to report my position in an emergency, which has yet to be necessary(fingers crossed). The built in map is more than adequate for my sailing on the east and gulf coasts of Florida -
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Posted: Jan 27, 2018 - 10:33 AM
look at speedpucks, tick tacks and similar
you can't use a ipad/phone - they are not waterproof, the screens are about impossible to see with sunglasses on and you can't use the touchscreen through a dry bag (i mean you can but it will not work well and will slow you WAY down messing with it).
Todd is correct with tell tales (although i would think speed metal would sail faster than 70's disco)
having a big screen gps is great to help you find the fastest line .... or settings but since there are soooooo many variables (wind, waves, direction, weight, other boats, etc)
who cares what your actual speed is - you relative speed to other sailors is what really counts -
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Posted: Jan 27, 2018 - 10:36 AM
I have an iPhone with i-regatta app. You need a third hand to watch the speed so it’s only good for recording your track. It can make polar plots but for some reason it’s not working (who cares..). You can enter wind direction by marking close hauling tacks each side. I just did it once and hated being dealing with iPhone instead of sailing. Bottom line, I still will bring the cellphone to be able to call, i would like to have a gps watch as speedometer, not yet in priority though.. downside of I-regatta for logging tracks is that it doesn’t work with screen off so it eats your battery -
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Posted: Jan 27, 2018 - 03:48 PM
Electronically, IMHO sailing singlehanded and or far distances offshore/remote locations I always have VHF-FM radio and cellphone both having lat/long. Smart phone has nav/tidal/marine wx and VMG apps. I’ve learned after a period of using GPS to somewhat accurately judge relative speed. Determining wind velocity for me comes from time on the water and career Coastie. At this stage I’m more concerned with redundant safeguards due to the type of sailing. I’m a strong advocate for self reliance, but if SHTF Im sure to be the largest needle in the haystack and take the search out off search and rescue.
Back in the days of competitive weekend regattas, I might have longingly coveted one of those fancy-schmancy digital tell-all’s, but I was too poor to afford one. If I would actively campaign an F-18 or Phantom today, no doubt whatsoever I would ensure I had aforementioned gizmos beeping digits and tacking angles. Notwithstanding, I still rely on salty, sage advice of Old Timers about sailtrim and weight placement. TY RW.
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Todd
Virginia
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Posted: Jan 28, 2018 - 09:35 AM
I don’t want to hijack this discussion, but someone told my wife that I really should have a marine radio beacon with me when I sail. Dunedin sailors, what do you think of that? If I should, what does everyone recommend?
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Dana, Holly, Emma & Hannah
LJ/Stu's Dart 18 (Sold! :( )
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Posted: Jan 28, 2018 - 11:53 AM
a (charged) waterproof vhf in a dry bag - is a good call they start around $100
most of locals just carry a cell phone in a dry bag as we stay within a mile or 2 of land, and the smart ones carry a paddle or 2
use caution with off shore wind - where a demasting can = a night adrift in the gulf (sail with others)
I learned from Zack this lesson. a day after 9-11 he and his friend were the only 2 people in N America out sailing and demasted in the gulf. no water, anchor, vhf. sunscreen, paddle (they had beer) ... and spent the night wrapped in jib/mainsails for warmth. they were "found" by a shrimp boat who towed them in the next day
i carry ALL those items but the vhf every time i sail -
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Posted: Jan 28, 2018 - 12:40 PM
There has been a lot of discussion through the years of the usefulness of electronics on boats. Here is an article on the pro's and con's:
https://www.sailingworld.…ng-away-from-electronics
The short version is that electronics do not replace experience and ability and that reliance on electronic information can easily have a negative effect.
In an attempt to make myself a better sailor I have found it much more helpful to use one of the many telemetry tracking information apps such as http://raceqs.com or http://sailracer.net to do after-sail reconstruction and analysis. I am not distracted while sailing trying to see and react to real time info. I can concentrate on sail trim, steady helm, and all the rest of the things that create velocity made good.
Brad in Jax
100% agree MN3: I never sail my own boat or go on someone else's without my own personal handheld VHF radio in a drybag. I learned this lesson the hard way when we got struck by lightning (before cell phones) and lost the boat mounted VHF, all lighting, and the engine on a trip between FL and Bahamas. A quick and easy 60 mile night transit turned into a 2 day survival situation that would have been easily solved with a handheld VHF. -
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Posted: Jan 28, 2018 - 01:15 PM
My electronics on board are pretty much all safety related.
- A waterproof (IPX7 or IPX8) handheld VHF radio. The modern handheld radios carried by West Marine are actually waterproof. It's a long story, but years ago I was frustrated with them NOT being waterproof as advertised, and took it to the executive level of the company who had manufacturers redesign their radios. You don't need the bag with the newer radios. I've been using Icoms and Standard Horizon radios over the past 8 years or so fully exposed with no issues. Latest is an Icom IC-M73.
- A Handheld GPS. Mine is a GPSmap 76Cx. It is advertised as waterproof but is not. The battery compartment took on water but I was able to dry out and save the device. I'm too old and don't have the time and patience to fight this stuff anymore, so I asked a salesman at West Marine if they had a drybag that would fit it. He said he had the perfect one, and pointed out that the box had a picture with the exact same unit in the bag. I didn't even have the inclination to point out the irony of that, and bought the bag,
- An older model ACR Rescue-Fix personal Epirb. The newer ones are about half the size and a third of the price of this one. I've had the battery serviced once, and can get that done once more, right before the device turns 12 years old at which point the service centers can't touch them.
- A Spot personal locator beacon. This is carried primary on my long channel crossings, just to let loved ones know I am OK. My primary emergency device is the Epirb. This is a secondary back up.
- A Kyocera Duraforce cell phone. Waterproof and shockproof. Carried in the chest pocket of my drysuit.
- A Casio ProTrek PRW2500-1. This watch has a nice tide table display I can use for timing beach landings at the islands, and a good count down timer for race starts.
The Epirb and Spot were purchased primarily for channel crossings to the Channel Islands. But I still carry them on day sails. Once you have this stuff, it just doesn't seem prudent to leave them behind.
The Speedpuck looks very interesting. It would be a "nice to have", but I've spent so much money already on the stuff above, I have to draw the line somewhere. I don't see the bang for the buck on this one.
Edited by mattson on Jan 28, 2018 - 01:19 PM.
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Bill Mattson
Prindle 19 "Gelli Bean"
Prindle 19 "Cat's Pajamas"
Nacra 5.2 (Will sail her a bit and let her name herself)
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Posted: Jan 28, 2018 - 02:16 PM
What, no blender?
If you are a serious racer or REALLY care about improving your speed/vmg, these "toys" are valuable (yet pricey). If you are a casual cruiser, and/or only occasionally enter handicap sailing - save your money for something important and forever like rum or a new jib :)
i think your sailing style/conditions will dictate how much you need to invest in electronic safety gear
My type of sailing is inshore (bay and sounds) and within 1 mile or so from the west coast of florida - we don't need epurbs or spot tracker (unless doing a serious race that requires that gear). A vhf is best but a cell phone will work too (but they don't float and are very susceptible to the elements so not optimal)
Edited by MN3 on Jan 28, 2018 - 02:18 PM. -
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Posted: Jan 28, 2018 - 03:12 PM
Good point on the need for these devices is based on what type of sailing you do.
On the cell phone vs. VHF radio: The big difference here is when you make a distress call on a VHF, it's a single button and you are talking to everybody within range of you. A cell phone is at least 12 or so button presses to get one person, and you hope they answer the phone. My first waterproof handheld VHF radio was $400 about 15 years ago. Today you can get a SH 5 watt submersible floating radio for 100 bucks.
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Bill Mattson
Prindle 19 "Gelli Bean"
Prindle 19 "Cat's Pajamas"
Nacra 5.2 (Will sail her a bit and let her name herself)
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Posted: Jan 29, 2018 - 04:41 PM
iPhone 5s in a Lifeproof case and Lifejacket tethered to the boat. Icom M24 tethered to my PFD.
Wind vanes at masthead and bridle. When I remember to put them on.
The wind vane at the bridle comes in real handy for telling when the wind is dead ahead for raising and lowering the main when the wind is shifting around.
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'82 Super Cat 15
Hull #315
Virginia
Previously owned: '70 H14, '79 H16, '68 Sailmaster 26, '85 H14T
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Posted: Jan 29, 2018 - 05:03 PM
I am really surprised by all the cell phone users. Here in the Big Bend of Florida you can't count on a signal off the beaches I sail. I didn't have much luck with my lifeproof case either. Glad its working for some -
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Posted: Jan 29, 2018 - 08:12 PM
we have great reception all around the tampa bay area
north and south for as far as a beach cat will sail
i have seen at least a dozen phones fall in the drink
i lost 1 radio, 1 brand new gopro and one new iphone in my day ...
a cell phone is not a great option ... but works .... until it doesn't and you wish you spent the $100 on a waterproof vhf
maybe i will go buy one tomorrow -
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Posted: Jan 29, 2018 - 08:35 PM
You can always get a cheap phone. I’ve lost many, mostly forgotten on my pocket while launching the boat. Now that i have a cheap one for the boat ir happens less often... happily i found a cheap used iPhone 5 with a good battery -
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Posted: Jan 29, 2018 - 08:45 PM
HAHA!
that's actually a great idea!
i have an old eyeeeephone 5
i should look into getting a signal to it for sailing - it already has a dry case
(so did the last one that sunk like a stone right after i was taking AMAZING pictures of my brand new 6.0, reefed main in 30 knots)
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