New Version of Wireless SailTimer Wind Instrument
Launch Announcement for 3rd Generation of the Solar-Powered Masthead Anemometer
SailTimer Inc. manufactured the first masthead anemometer in the world that could transmit to mobile devices, and the SailTimer Wind Instrument™ continues to set new standards. This is not your father’s anemometer -- the entire design has been rethought. The Wind Instrument is small and portable, with a vertical orientation. It has a 2-jewel mechanism for bearings that turn with virtually no friction in the lightest breezes.
Traditionally, anemometers have used a voltage sensor called a potentiometer to measure wind direction, although that causes a blank zone of around 7 degrees at the end of the rotation where the voltage starts over. Instead, the SailTimer Wind Instrument is the first anemometer with a digital compass built right in to the wind direction arrow. No dead zone. The arrow knows which way it is pointing, and does not need to be calibrated with the bow of the boat when installed. The entire electronics are right inside the wind direction arrow; that’s how minimalist the design is.
The electronics are encapsulated in solid plastic, so there is no worry about condensation inside a case, or leaky gaskets. It is submersible (and there is no 12-volt battery required), so now you can even have wind electronics with GPS tracks and chartplotting on your mobile device in sailing dinghies. Mobile devices in waterproof cases are changing sailing for small boat sailors.
The Wind Instrument is wireless (Bluetooth 4), so there are no wires to install down the mast. This is the only anemometer that you can raise from deck level on a halyard without needing to lower or climb the mast, until you get a chance to install it on the masthead. It is compatable with the industry standard NMEA 0183 data format and works with third-party iOS and Android apps.
But perhaps most important of all is the wind cups, which are the first anemometer cups designed for sailboats. Standard hemisphere cups have not changed in centuries and were intended to be mounted on a building, not on a mast that heels over. When you are sailing along heeled over, standard hemisphere cups cannot turn properly because the wind hits them from underneath. But the blades on the SailTimer Wind Instrument function like cups when the boat is upright, and like a propeller as the wind hits them from underneath (patent pending). They are designed for sailboats, and maintain their accuracy whether upright or heeling.
The new version for 2016 is available for ordering now has some impressive new features and improvements:
● The tail has been re-engineered to be amazingly thin and more aerodynamic, reducing the thickness of the solar panels by 40% and getting the thickness on the rest of the trailing edge down to just 3.5 mm (0.138").
● New submersible off-switch for storage, with an LED light to indicate when it turns on.
● Arrives with battery charged and ready to use.
● Tail is 3/4” (19 mm) taller for more sensitive wind direction in very light winds.
● More precise digital compass.
● Main electronics and battery moved to the leading edge of the tail, to create more of an airfoil shape with a fine trailing edge.
● New black & white design. White circuit board and battery in the new version reflects sunlight and minimizes heat better than the previous dark colors. (The photo above shows a prototype with the previous colors.) The wind cups in the new version are black for better UV resistance.
● Improved antenna arrangement to give longer transmission distances for tall masts and keel boats.
● Advanced encapsulation technology on tail reduces weight with very thin, smooth surface.
In addition to these new features, we have reduced the price for advance orders from $499 to a special discount price of $449.99 US. Compared to the usual cost of masthead anemometers that have wires installed down the mast, this is excellent value. Better features AND lower price.
The new inventory is expected to begin shipping by mid-December (although delivery may take a few weeks beyond that). It looks like the first inventory will be sold out by the holidays, so get yours now. Check out the optional mounting accessories, and get the discount with the button below.
