My pricey circa 1990 anemometer finally caved in, I needed one for an upcoming article on boat ventilation, and I braced myself for the expence. And it was... $25 through Amazon with free delivery.
As far as sailing goes, it's not a substitute for a masthead instrument. You don't get direction, it doesn't interface with the autopilot, and deck level winds are always influenced by rigging and sails. But I actually wanted it for local readings, and should I want to extend it aloft, it has min and max recording and can be attached to an extension via a 1/4" USS mounting thread.
Already a few new projects have suggested themselves. I wouldn't call it industrial duty, but it works.
Can't wait for this. Which magazine is this going to be in? I had a similar idea about a year ago, and recently looking at the derelict "free" boat in my yard (it's trailer is much lower than the current one I have for my Rl24) I was about to go down this same path to figure out just how much airflow will dorado vents, mushroom vents, powered vents have and are they enough for the cabin volume per hour everyone quotes. But now my favorite trusted expert is doing it so I can chainsaw this eyesore and haul it to the dump.
ReplyDeletePractical Sailor Magazine.
ReplyDeleteI'm not finished, but let me offer these cheats:
* Location matters more than size or brand. Low profile vents in high pressure (stagnant) locations can drop as low as zero flow.
* Cowl vents do very, very little when facing the wrong way, and the wind is always the wrong way at the dock. It is a myth that a reversed cowl somehow "pulls" air out; it just functions as a hole.
Cowl vents serve a purpose underway in rough weather , but mostly, they were what we had before electricity and solar vents were invented.