wind vane sender unit in bow?

[captprogreso]

Birds keep trashing the sender unit in top of mast, i was thinking if any one have installed a wireless unit in the bow ?
so each time i can take it off when not in use.

[s/v Jedi]

yes, why not! I'm putting it up the stern arch because I don't care a little error from the sails ahead of it. If it turns out to bother me at all, I'll move it to the bow as well

[billknny]

That “little bit” of error iat the stern is not “little”, by a long shot.

If you are close hauled, by the time the apparent wind has been twisted by the jib, and the mainsail it is 30 to 40 degrees different from the “right” reading. Not only that, but the error will be very variable depending on the speed and sailing angle.

You’re going to be one of those people reporting that they can sail at a AWA of 15 degrees.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by billknny

That “little bit” of error iat the stern is not “little”, by a long shot.

If you are close hauled, by the time the apparent wind has been twisted by the jib, and the mainsail it is 30 to 40 degrees different from the “right” reading. Not only that, but the error will be very variable depending on the speed and sailing angle.

You’re going to be one of those people reporting that they can sail at a AWA of 15 degrees.

No, I will be one of those people who uses tell tales to trim the sails and knows our ketch doesn't like less than 35 deg apparent In my opinion, the value of a wind direction instrument is over-rated but it is autopilot control that may change my mind.
p.s. I have had a sensor between main and mizzen sail and I never saw an error larger than 15 deg. Your 30-40 deg seems to be an assumption, not factual?!

[tarian]

Must admit a wind direction , speed is really not that important in the long term , if you cannot tell were the wind is coming from on a compass rose scale then
You also with experience can tell most wind conditions, in regards to your own sails, sea state and other tell tale signs, a lot of the time the wind speed instrument seems to be used for people to come on forums and let us know the speed it shows during a storm
As for mounting at the bow ,
A. this will not give you as accurate reading as the top of the Mast (therefore why do you want one)
B. When Green Water comes over the bow I suspect the windvane might take a swim.

Life is a compromise

[guyrj33]

I would look for a way to protect the masthead unit from the birds

[fgd3]

A wind vane at the bow will be useless for steering downwind. A vane at the stern will have a clear view into the wind for any angle you can sail.


Fabbian

[guyrj33]

Originally Posted by fgd3

A wind vane at the bow will be useless for steering downwind. A vane at the stern will have a clear view into the wind for any angle you can sail.


Fabbian

It may have a clear 'view', but the wind direction it sees will be distorted by the wind coming off the main sail.

[captprogreso]

i only use the wind vane going upwind, and mostly because a can set the autopilot set to it. dead downwind or so i think is not so useful as the telltailes coming off the main.

[RogerD]

Mechanical wind vane self steering (e.g. Monitor, Cape Horn, etc.) all steer by sensing the wind at the stern. It works well on all points of sail. You set the boat up to sail on the course you want with the wind you have, then set the wind vane to maintain the course on that apparent wind at the location of the vane. Using an electronic sensor mounted in the same location should allow the autopilot to do the same.


Roger

[captprogreso]

Originally Posted by RogerD

Mechanical wind vane self steering (e.g. Monitor, Cape Horn, etc.) all steer by sensing the wind at the stern. It works well on all points of sail. You set the boat up to sail on the course you want with the wind you have, then set the wind vane to maintain the course on that apparent wind at the location of the vane. Using an electronic sensor mounted in the same location should allow the autopilot to do the same.


Roger

very true

[elandra65]

I bought a wind indicator with a spike on top. No problems since. However don't know if this is available for transducers. It should be . Birds are one of the main reasons I gave up on wind data at the helm. I hardly miss it at all. That is what the Beaufort scale is for

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by RogerD

Mechanical wind vane self steering (e.g. Monitor, Cape Horn, etc.) all steer by sensing the wind at the stern. It works well on all points of sail. You set the boat up to sail on the course you want with the wind you have, then set the wind vane to maintain the course on that apparent wind at the location of the vane. Using an electronic sensor mounted in the same location should allow the autopilot to do the same.

Roger

I was about to post this to the naysayers but you were way ahead of me Mechanical windvane steering has proven wind sensing at the stern.

Also, to those denouncing instruments at the bow: you do know that racers do exactly that right? You think they choose the position because it is especially bad for their results?