Re: [Paddlewise] WIND SPEED

David Burch's Fundementals of Kayak Navigation appears to contain everything
you ever wanted to know about kayak navigation, and then some.  It's been a
while since I looked at this book, but if wind spd can't be used per his
methods I wouldn't bother with getting the meter.  

My recolection of his methods is that the important part of the method is
the feedback you get when checking to see if you are on course.  At that
time you might determine, "the adjustment I made for wind change was not
enough and I need to increase my ferry angle".  The point when the wind 
changes and you decide to increase your ferry angle: that adjustment is
not calculated with trigonometry and is just a guess, so I'd say going by
feel (seat of the pants) is good enough.  You'll find out latter if you 
were right or wrong (that's where you learn).

And, I think you should learn to judge wind spd w/o a meter.  Look at flags
and feel the breeze, then listen to the news.  Read a decription of flag 
movement relative to wind spd.  I think they teach that in the military, or
did in the Navy in WWII. 

Here's some excellent commentary on wind spd.  Since you won't have a 
state or country flag on your boat this commentary is really better than 
the bluejacket manual descriptions I read as a boy.
	http://www.kites.org/jo/beaufort.html
The goal is not to memorize anything but to begin to evalute on your own
like this: 

Reading a book in a park the page turns occasionally with a soft motion
(2.5-3.5mph); the page snaps over and you have to hold a hand on it (4-6mph);
the page ruffles as you hold it 6-8mph; the page folds over your hand unless
you hold the book just right 7-9mph; can't keep the damn book flat going
inside 9+mph; can't get the box kite to stay up 10-13mph (they may be 
making them lighter now days); box kite can actually fly 14-17mph;  damn
batkite keeps breaking the string and fly across town 21+;  winds pretty 
hard in your face 24-30; really whistling and whipping 30-38; really have
to lean into this wind 38-44; walking between skyscraper downtown and the
winds channeling so hard I'm leaning so far into it my ankles won't bend
much more 44-62;  better get to a basement all hells breaking loose and 
the sky is black 62mph+.

It's better to just know than to refer to a meter.  If you live in CA
where it's calm, go outside when the Santa Ana's blow and then check the
weather channel.  Buy a gps that will allow you to get quicker feed 
back on the accuracy of your adjustment in ferry angle per a wind change,
but I don't think you need an anomometer.  2cents.


On Wed 05 Sep 2001, Rick Sylvia wrote:

> Hey, folks.  I need some advice.  I'm having a hard time estimating wind
> speeds (MPH, KNOTS, or BEAUFORT) for various uses in navigation.  Therefore,
> too help me get a handle on it, I'm thinking about buying a small
> inexpensive anemometer.  Cheapest I've found is roughly $50 (US).
> 
> For the fun of it (and I'm cheap), I'm also considering making one, but the
> instructions I've found on the internet are all too fragile or bulky to
> carry on a kayak, and don't look very accurate, even after calibrating them.
> 
> 1.  Anybody use one and can comment on them (any and all aspects)?
> 2.  Anybody got a used one they want to sell?
> 3.  Anybody ever make one and can share the plans?
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> Rick - Poquoson, VA
> 
> 
> 
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-- 

Mike McNally		mmcnally3_at_prodigy.net

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