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LibertySky
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Postby LibertySky » Tue Oct 26, 2021 7:06 pm
Hello guys!
I’m considering buying a digital wind speed meter (HoldPeak 866B Digital Anemometer).
For now, I live in a place (Punta Cana, DR) where we have light wind conditions most of the year and as a beginner kite surfer i often mistaken with a wind speed - it feels like it's enough wind for my 15 meter but in reality it was not worth it to pump a kite. And the forecast is totally unreliable.
So I’m looking for advice. Can this kind of device actually help me? Is it worth buying it in general?
And if someone has experience with this particular mode, are you satisfied? Or recommend another inexpensive device for wind speed measurement.
Thank you!
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dave1986
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Postby dave1986 » Tue Oct 26, 2021 8:11 pm
Cheap anemometers are not accurate. But typically they reliable. So for example they might display 10knots when the actual wind speed is 15mph.... But as long as they are reliable then you will learn to understand that when the anemometer displays 10mph, then it's windy enough to kitesurf (when in fact if the true wind was 10mph then it wouldn't be windy enough).
If you pay for a more expensive anemometer then it will normally be more accurate and reliable. I find that the " Skywatch Eole" is very good. Also because it is a 3 cup anemometer with a vertical axis, it doesn't matter which direction you point it... shifts in wind direction will not affect the wind speed readings.
Accurate: - I.e. Displays the true wind speed at the point of measurement. (Hold the anemometer into wind and above your head to get the most accurate reading)
Reliable: - i.e. Gives the same reading every time (regardless of whether the reading is accurate)
In answer to your question : I believe that an anemometer is useful to get an idea of the windspeed. As you get more experienced you will learn to rely upon it yet.
A cheaper anemometer is fine... I don’t have experience with the anemometer you mentioned, but I expect it will be suitable for what you're looking for, just take the wind speeds which it displays with a pinch of salt.
Last edited by
dave1986 on Fri Oct 29, 2021 11:12 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Havre
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Postby Havre » Tue Oct 26, 2021 9:18 pm
Very very few use them. And I think that is for a good reason. I don't think it can hurt you though even if I think the value is limited. I guess only way it could somewhat hurt is if it reduces your ability to get a natural feel for the wind. We all go through this when we learn how to evaluate conditions. I still do whenever I go to a new spot where I'm just not used to "feel" how strong the wind is, how much movement you see in the trees, how much stronger/weaker the wind is on the water etc.
Best tip would be to watch those on the water. Of course what sizes people use will vary greatly depending on their weight, board, skill level and somewhat type of kite, but I still think that would be a better measure than a anemometer.
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windrider1
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Postby windrider1 » Tue Oct 26, 2021 9:44 pm
Yes it will help and Its a good start to get a windmeter it dosent have to be perfectly accurate . 10knts is ok to start with a big LEI think 17m. 14kns would be good conditions for kitesurfing with a 15 m. 16knts and up would be a 12m then 22knts and up think 9m . I had a couple throughout the years and after a while u dont need them as u will be able to figure it out by looking t your surrondings as others have said . If ever its blowing below 10 knts dont bother pumping the lei. unless u have a foil kite u can start in 8 knts.
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flaps1111
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Postby flaps1111 » Wed Oct 27, 2021 10:13 am
It is accurate for you if you always use the same anemometrer.
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AndersP
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Postby AndersP » Wed Oct 27, 2021 10:23 am
It's a good good way to get the feeling of windstrengh.
After a while you'll see that you can predict what the meter will show and then you don't need it any more.
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edt
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Postby edt » Wed Oct 27, 2021 2:44 pm
I like the hall wind meter the best. No batteries and just as accurate as a digital one (probably more accurate since you can see all the gusts, and the digital ones just give you some sort of average reading so it's hard to tell how gusty it is)
a lot of kiters can't tell you what the wind speed is they just say stuff like "12 meter conditions" or "7 meter conditions" and can't tell you if it's 20 knots or 2 knots so if you get a good grasp of what the wind speed is you'll be ahead of the game. Not really necessary though.
not only is the hall wind meter cheaper than a digital meter it's also better, more reliable and still works even if you drop it in the ocean
if I don't have my hall wind meter with me, I throw a leaf or feather in the air, then chase it down wind. If I can run fast enough to catch it, I go home or set up the hydrofoil. If I can't catch it, then I start pumping up. the one in the photo is in mph you'll want one in knots or kph
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OzBungy
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Postby OzBungy » Tue Nov 02, 2021 1:24 am
I think hand held wind meters are generally a complete waste of money. At the most basic level they measure the wind where you're standing, not out on the water where it matters, and not at the height the kite will be flying.
They're also horribly inaccurate due to user error and environmental factors. Holding the meter at the wrong angle and orientation hugely changes the reading you get. Compression and turbulence also have a huge effect on the numbers. The duration of your readings will give all sorts of numbers.
If you must buy one then the anemometer-style (turbine spins horizontally, not propellor spinning vertically) reduces the problem of pointing the thing in the wrong direction.
Far better is to use environmental cues and your senses. Listen for the sound of the wind in your ears. Throw leaves and grass and watch what happen. Check in more than one location, the top of the dune and down at the water's edge. Look at all the other water craft. Sail boats and other kiters and wingers. Even power boats show the size of the chop.
Have a passing knowledge of the Beaufort scale helps. It's not perfect but it gives you a head start in assessing the conditions until you build your own experience.
One thing almost everybody gets wrong is forgetting to take into account the shape of the coast. My local spots are open to the south, but the coast to the north curves around. Any northerly wind is coming off the land several km upwind. That means the fetch is short and the waves are small. Winds from the south push up widespread whitecaps in around 15 knots. Winds from the north need to be over 20 knots before whitecaps appear.
Similarly our SE winds are cross and very slightly offshore. Our local spot is sheltered by a boat harbour. That means we can get quite strong winds with glassy smooth water, perfect for foil speed runs.
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RTL78901
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Postby RTL78901 » Tue Nov 02, 2021 4:02 pm
I'm with edt's methods. I had a Hall years ago, but don't know where it went. It was my favorite. Now I have a Dwyer which is also a low tech, low cost option. I also got one that plug's into my phone on closeout for a low price but mainly just use it when I want to text the results to friend. I can get by w/o any kind of windmeter, but judging the water is not an exact science either. No two days with the same wind look the same due to the time of day, cloud cover etc. For example, it's harder to see whitecaps on a cloudy day than a sunny one, and glare can be a problem too. I also kitebuggy and windskate and I often don't have any water to read, so I go by sound, how it feels, flags (if any), what's blowing around and take a look at the Dwyer. Some guys I know have been windsurfing for 30 years and use a windmeter every day, others never use them. IMHO this is a case where the value is not proportional to the cost.
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airsail
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Postby airsail » Thu Nov 04, 2021 8:30 pm
As a foiler a wind meter is invaluable when chasing low end. With few visual cues in the ultra light, eg no whitecaps or tree movement it is often hard to judge if it’s go or no go. 1 knot makes a difference and as your normally the only one at the location you can’t go on what others are doing.
I stand in the same spot measuring the wind speed, if it’s 5 knots with the occasional bigger gusts, good to go, but if there are any lulls below 5, I stay on the beach, not worth a swim.
I never use it in higher wind.
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