hull speed

Most boats use a little paddle wheel as a speed sensor, even the expensive racing sailboats. Someone probably makes a small one suitable for an oc-2. If you are competent with electronics you could probably make your own, it's the same idea as most bike speed sensors. The one problem with this type of sensor is it only measures the forward component of velocity. So any side slippage due to wind, waves or current won't show up.

#1 Fri, 09/09/2011 - 2:27pm

I think this is the one I have. but its great keeps you honest, when you slow, it tells you. people say this will work or that will but this shows you what is working. they say you can hook it up to the computer later on and get specific . and take it hiking and it will tell you how to get back. it tell you how far you went and how fast , average speed max speed and its only 100$ I sound like a commercial.

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=144&pID=8705

#3 Fri, 09/09/2011 - 5:48pm

Nappy uses a ping pong ball and a piece of clear PVC tube :-)

Higher up the pong goes = faster

#5 Fri, 09/09/2011 - 7:36pm

I have a speedmate that was installed on my hulls some years back. I have since gone GPS. An impeller mounted on your hull...I think it had to be within 25 inches of the deck mounted unit. There are no through the hull wires. THe signal is sent wirelessly. It worked fine. I had packaged it up, intent on selling it, but I never got around to it. If anyones interested in it, I'll sell it. I have to find it first. PM me.

#7 Sat, 09/10/2011 - 2:37am

Depends if you're interested on speed over the ground (use a GPS) or speed through the water (via a speed log). For a GPS there are plenty of options such as the Garmin 310XT or globalsat 625. You can add on a heart rate monitor as a training aid with some GPS units.

As mentioned in the thread you can get the hull mounted knot-meters as well. They'll tell you speed through the water (for example you'll see what the effect of punching into a current is), but they also cause some drag on your hull as well. you could perhaps look at see if you can find one of the older units that streamed behind a yacht. They'lll be just about antiques now, but you could stream if off a kiato and drop it in the water only when you need it.

#9 Sun, 09/11/2011 - 2:19pm

And after reading you post Rambo the first thing that came into my mind is the next step. The wind speed is pulling the skin on your face back and you end up looking like a bloodhound whose head is stuck out of the car window down the motorway. but a bloodhound with a mo' of course :-).

#11 Mon, 09/12/2011 - 10:00am

This forum has its useful moments.

I've been looking for a replacement for my Speedmate (the log with the remotely mounted impellor), but the company doesn't make them any more. The Speedpuck is 50% more expensive but the readout is larger and easier to read. IT isn't quite the Speedmate; The Speedmate gave you your speed through the water (better for training) rather than speed made good, but it seems no one makes the perfect item for our small market.

Made my day. And Velocitek is a bit richer.

#13 Tue, 09/13/2011 - 5:42am