favorite wind indicator

[fred1diver]

hey everyone, what is your favorite wind indicator?
I need to replace my windex which I lost trailering the boat, I forgot to take it off

so since I need to replace my antenna at the same time, I was thinking of getting the windex that mounts on the antenna.
what do you use? it's for a small 23ft trailer sailer.
thanks in advance

 

[isaksp00]

I use a Davis SparFly, which works fine for me. The replacement plastic vane is not all that expensive, and yes it will eventually decay in the sun. If you use the side mount, the springy strap of metal, it is trivial to uninstall (assuming you remember).

 

[RussC]

Davis also, but I spot weld a ring top and bottom on the axle, so the vane can't blow off, and make a more secure mount to the mast. 2 boats done this way and they stay on the mast full time, travel and all. no need to remember to install or remove.
favorite wind indicator is still my face however

 

[CloudDiver]

I have the Davis Antenna mount, but quickly discovered that it will hit my anchor light unless I figure out a way to raise it up or get a shorter 360 white light.

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

I don't use one. My ex was blind in one eye and had little depth perception, so had a hard time figuring which way it pointed some times. Taught her how to feel the wind on your face.

Oh, and in the keys,, and Bahamas, cruising sailors call those things "destination finders" They always seem to point to where you want to go

 

[fred1diver]

peter how long is the pole for the sparfly?, just want to make sure it clears my anchor light
and how easy is it to read compared to a windex, I'm asking because it doesn't have the two tabs

 

[isaksp00]

If you mount it on the round base that is fixed to a top surface, such as the top of the mast or mast crane/fitting, the bottom of the vane would be about 6 in, maybe a bit less, above that surface. If you use the side mount, you'd have about an inch less, that is, the bottom of the vane would be about 5 in above the top edge of the side mount. That top edge would be about level with the top of the mast when screwed into the side.

I don't find it hard to read lacking those tabs. Maybe if you race, but I don't.

 

[GGordonWoody]

I was thinking of replacing our Windex with a pin wheel for all the good it does. The damn thing just seems to swing wildly or spin in circles. I think it needs some form of damping, or maybe a cover over it to block the wind and protect it from the trees.

 

[Apex]

i like the idea of the windex on antenna, in fact I bought one to install, but ended up moving to a different solution. The issue was antenna position, the base of the antenna sits below the masthead.