What do people use? Smart phone compatible or just read the dial?

Im looking for a reliable device the will assist with guessing.

Are they worth it or just misleading?

Skywatch Weatherflow Kestral

Ive had one for at least 20years. Just died recently. Im a bit lost without it. It consistently read 2-3kts LOW. But a very useful tool to gauging windstrength.

Still got an analog Wind Wizard windmeter from 1990 for ?15, fairly accurate works with air blowing through the case past a wind vane wheel. No rusting , no batteries and has been round the world 10 times has a fold away handle, long may it last...

I have been using a Dwyer since 1972. Only one moving part, the ball in the tube. It has two ranges. Simple and inexpensive. Accurate.

www.dwyer-inst.com/Product/AirVelocity/Windmeters/PortableWindMeter

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segler said..
I have been using a Dwyer since 1972. Only one moving part, the ball in the tube. It has two ranges. Simple and inexpensive. Accurate.

www.dwyer-inst.com/Product/AirVelocity/Windmeters/PortableWindMeter

Wow! I am amazed those are still available after so long!



That was my first anemometer back in the late '70's. very simple and quite effective, although I later found it under-read a bit when compared with high end anemometer (as most low cost others I have tested also do). I tuned it up with a hot needle in the bleeder hole.

Since the early 90's I have had an analogue vane anemometer. German made. Instrument quality. Was actually quite expensive back then and I find, surprisingly, it too is still available: www.svb24.com/en/handheld-anemometer.html







I have tried and compared numerous other Anemometers over the years, and I still recon this is the best one for a number of reasons.

No battery required. No circuts to corrode or drown. In my view, it gives a better overall visual indication of the wind range than a digital number readout. Multiple scales simply by turning it around (Knots, M/s, Beaufort scale, Km/h). It is virtually non directional - many others read low if they are not lined up precisely with the wind direction (up or down and side to side). It large enough not to lose and small enough to keep handy. It has a nice protective clear guard cap.

The icing on the cake: It is extremely accurate! (tested against many other instrument quality anemometers).

But, it is important to note that, IMHO, accuracy is not the be all and end all most of the time. It's more important to know how to use the info to make a better choice of sail, board and fin sizes. Stick with something that works consistently and get used to it.

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segler said..
I have been using a Dwyer since 1972. Only one moving part, the ball in the tube. It has two ranges. Simple and inexpensive. Accurate.

www.dwyer-inst.com/Product/AirVelocity/Windmeters/PortableWindMeter

I still use one.

Have had a few over the years.

Started with the SVB. Expensive and bulky. Had to swap after I dropped it.www.svb24.com/en/handheld-anemometer.html

Had the Skywatch Meteos and it has multiple readouts, including wind chill which may not be needed in warm climates. Recommended but expensive. Not sure if still available in Australia. Had to swap after I dropped it.www.jdc.ch/products/handheld-anemometers/#meteos

Current one is the Kaindl Windtronic 2 (also showing as the Kaindl Windmaster 2). Small, multiple readouts, but not windchill. Recommended. Not sure if still available in Australia.windsurf.de/en/kaindl-windmaster-2

I prefer the types with a horizontal rotating cup, as they automatically compensate for changes in wind direction.

Hope this helps.

I also have a Vaavud windmeter for Iphone. Cup vane type. It is actually quite good because it shows a graph on the phone App screen with the wind speed trace over time recording, peak, average and mean windspeedand.

Compared with the Handheld above it read very close.

Horizontal vanes such as these are generally a lot better than propellor types, which are very directional and best avoided IMHO.

I like that the spinning cup accessory is 2 cup, flat and will sit in a pouch/box/glovebox/dashboard recess etc quite well.







www.amazon.com.au/Vaavud-Wind-Speed-Meter-Smartphone/dp/B00FOM5DBA/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Vaavud+Wind+Speed+Meter+with+Smartphone+App&qid=1567412256&s=gateway&sr=8-1

windandweathertools.com/the-best-smartphone-anemometers-wind-meters-with-iphone-android-apps/

Hard to beat that on price alone. Good enough for many, as you say.

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mikey100 said..
$20 on eBay and is close enough for what I need.
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=brokes%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com.au%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F282956715357

I wasted $20 on one of these. Apparently I do a lot of sailing in about 30 knots and I have no trouble carrying 7m of sail in 30 knot conditions

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Nelle said..

mikey100 said..
$20 on eBay and is close enough for what I need.
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=brokes%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com.au%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F282956715357

I wasted $20 on one of these. Apparently I do a lot of sailing in about 30 knots and I have no trouble carrying 7m of sail in 30 knot conditions

Often stand side by side with mates who have a variety of expensive ones... and they all are within 2kts of each other; mine in fact is the 'low reader'. As it's at least 5yrs old, I'm happy.
You must have got a dud!

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Nelle said..
I wasted $20 on one of these. Apparently I do a lot of sailing in about 30 knots and I have no trouble carrying 7m of sail in 30 knot conditions

It read way high??? That is very unusual. That really does sound like a faulty unit.

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olskool said..
Ive had one for at least 20years. Just died recently. Im a bit lost without it. It consistently read 2-3kts LOW. But a very useful tool to gauging windstrength.

I had one of these until I put it out the window at 130kph and the impeller destroyed its self so don't try that

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stroppo said..

olskool said..
Ive had one for at least 20years. Just died recently. Im a bit lost without it. It consistently read 2-3kts LOW. But a very useful tool to gauging windstrength.

I had one of these until I put it out the window at 130kph and the impeller destroyed its self so don't try that

Nice Strop, real nice. LOL

Im amazed no one has listed the Kestrels. Proper bit of kit, as used by NSW bush Fire brigade, each unit comes with a calibration test cert so they are pretty accurate.
Not as cheap as others on line but warranties and spare impellers available make sure they last for years, mine is at least 20.
Massive range from basic to very specialised and options for tripods and vains as well as data up load so you can compare wind velocity to speed achieved accurately.
kestrelmeters.com.au

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olskool said..
Ive had one for at least 20years. Just died recently. Im a bit lost without it. It consistently read 2-3kts LOW.

Why did you figure out it read low?

^^ ran it against more accurate anemometers. Many times. Used to be accurate til i did what Stroppo did n held it out the car window at 90kmh. Never was the same. Reading low suited my 110kg well.

Strange. How's the start up wind speed? Do the bearings feel like they are running free? Are any vanes missing or distorted? Had a set of 20 cup anemometers at work once. We had a small wind tunnel specially built to check startup speed and calibration. If the start up speed was OK and the cups looked OK they were usually pretty good to go. They had an LED shining through a hole in the shaft. I think most would be based on something similar. Not much to partially go wrong with the electronic side of things.

Two anemometers side by side in the real world always disagree of course. Maybe you used a longer arm when calibrating out the car window?