I am a sailing Newbie. I have a 12m Tahiti Ketch. There is no Wind Vane fitted so I have purchased a Davis Windex Wind Direction indicator. The instructions tell me to adjust the reference tabs angle: "55 degree for boats with extremely good windward performance, 60 degree for normal ocean racers, 65 degree for auxiliries and similar types". Ocean racer she is not; I suspect that the angle should be 65 degree, but can anyone confirm please,
Wind vane - angle of reference tabs
- Thread starter batami
- Start date
It doesn't really matter where you set the tabs, the windex is merely a redundant check if you have telltales on the sail. After awhile you will get a sense of the relative position of the indicator arrow in relation to the tabs wherever you choose to set them. Besides you will get a stiff neck if you keep looking up to the masthead.
I am answering myself, now that i have trawled Google. Seems that for a long keel Tahiti ketch, clause hauled might be, optimistically, 65 degrees. i am reading that set at 80 is probably a better idea ..... still looking for advice / comments from you experinced sailors out there
Bill
Bill
I am answering myself
Sure, set it at 80 degrees. It'll make you think your vessel can point like nobody's business. 
But seriously, if this is important to you, you'll be going up the mast to readjust the arms to your particular observations, don't you think?
But seriously, if this is important to you, you'll be going up the mast to readjust the arms to your particular observations, don't you think?
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Take the boat out, determine your best average tacking angle [by looking at your compass] from close-hauled to close-hauled on opposite tack by referencing tell-tails; e.g., if tacking on average through 130-deg set your Windex reference tab angle accordingly (i.e., 130/2 = 65 deg) then install it. Make sure it's on straight! If you ever buy new sails, you might have to change it.
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Not quite right..... tack-to-tack compass difference /2 gives you your TRUE wind tacking angle. The vanes are set to APPARENT wind tacking angle and that angle is always tighter that the true angle.
A boat sailing a course 50-deg off the true wind of 10 kt, making 6 kt, would have an apparent wind angle of 32-deg. So, we're saying the Windex reference tab would therefore be set at ca. 65-deg? Could this ketch really sail 32-deg off the apparent wind; even 40 deg (w/ tabs set at 80-deg)? Maybe 110-deg is the answer!
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Could it? Sure. That's pretty typical for AWA tack for most boats.
In 14 knots of breeze my First 260 sails into 37 degrees true wind and tacks through 74 degrees TRUE. 52 degree AWA. That's very weatherly. We use the very narrow settings.
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I'd have a permanent kink and a stiff neck if I was looking at a wind vane. Never had one, never wanted one. But I do look at the wind instrument display and find it useful.
No need to take out your slide ruler and get into extensive calculations nor be exact on the methodology to obtain the best angle as all you are seeking is a good enough calibration given the non-precision of the instrument. After all through repeated observations your mind in time will learn to better calibrate the results.