Check this out - vaavud.com/ developed by kitesurfers from denmark. i wonder when/if it will be available here?

We will be receiving some of these pretty shortly.

weatherflow.com/a-wind-meter-for-your-smart-phone/

Should retail between AUD $40 - $50

freedomtrail said..

Check this out - vaavud.com/ developed by kitesurfers from denmark. i wonder when/if it will be available here?

I supported this on Kickstarter
www.kickstarter.com/projects/vaavud/a-wireless-wind-meter-containing-no-electronics
Looked like a pretty good product. They are in their first product run now expect delivery in the next week, so I will let you know.

My facethometer is good to about 35 knots. Then its a question of 6m or go home.

Plummet said..
My facethometer is good to about 35 knots. Then its a question of 6m or go home.

That's something I had in mind too, but it's too bulky to carry on a backpack. We should design something mobile and easy to pull out when needed with an extendable pole or some other attachment. I am sure we'll br rich!

the truth said..

Why do you need a wind meter?

Observation of your surroundings and sea state are much more reliable.

Plummet said..

My facethometer is good to about 35 knots. Then its a question of 6m or go home.

apple will be all over that app plumms

I like it, as you can be at home go on their website and people all over the place will be sending in their wind readings for others & myself to decide where to go!
Instead of waiting every 15mins for an update on BOM and this site...
I like many others are foreva looking at the the trees whilst at work it drives me crazy!!

Now that's a winner!!

cauncy said..

sir ROWDY said..

the truth said..

Why do you need a wind meter?

Observation of your surroundings and sea state are much more reliable.

if you could of guessed the wind at my local last week i would of bought you a carton,

And you're saying that a anemometer would have given the correct readings?

I'll admit I've had a lot of practice over the years and it's mostly a no brainer these days, but relying on instruments that have various inaccuracies from both user error and position irrelevancies just to work out which kite should be used, when observe, feel, rig and go if suitable is buy far a better method to get some kiting in.

If you end up down wind then you needed a bigger kite or board.
if it is scary right from launch, land and drink beer or have a quick feel for it out a little and then decide.
Look at what others have out and look at how there kite is behaving- assess your own skills and rig accordingly.
Kites have a huge range if you treat them right, no need to over rig too much, a few walks up the beach can't hurt, or do a down winder

Guess what I believe is that a kite is the best wind meter you will ever buy, it will give vital information on the wind power and state of flow i.e. smooth to gusty, and wind ranges stated for kites - many based on an average 75kg rider can cause major head f@rks to the inexperienced. Same sized kites can be at either end of the scale too.

Sea state is not too hard to judge once you have some time on the water, and comparing what you experienced to what others thought the wind strength was to a few wind readings of wether sites will give you a feel for this. Might surprise you how Wrong your wind meters and mates can be or how right they can be. Inland lakes are trickier and maybe an anemometer could be more useful, but inland is generally gusty and unpleasant any way so make sure you have lots of down wind free area, and would rate putting a kite up as more effective here also

oh and eppo, in my observations people using wind meters generally do waste their time - some for 15 min. - some can evaluate for an hour.

Find some people have too many kites to choose from because they try to buy wind or sweet spots, when a big and a small can solve a lot of the need for any wind meter.

Anemometer websites are great for looking up to see if you should be coming down with a wind related sickness to abscond from work or chores, and give great stats that can help you pick good kiting conditions, but have yet to see much value on the beach at 2 metres height with obstructions (i.e. 3 times the height up wind and 7 times downwind at least- have seen much more) that can make observations so variable to be worthless.

I love the I'm to cool for a anemometer comments the fact is they give you a relative reading that you learn what kite to use for that reading, plus whenever someone has one on the beach everyone wants to know what it's reading.
Anyway this one has an app that seems to share your reading with others. Living somewhere where there are no weather stations on the beach this could be very useful.

At beach. windinface meter says good, observations tell me 18 knots... wind meter says 15knots. turns out good session.

Two days later. at home. internet says it is 15 knots down there. Based on this cross polenation of data i cruise to the beach with my face in the breeze out the window, tongue out like an excited doggy.