Embedded Files
Reading
Setting up
Detect a larger than before lift
Videos
Read the compass http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4I5IcsrpYxw
Setting up the compass http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzkmBOKJ7iY
Detect a larger than before wind shift http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iq--v_xOOqk
Under construction: Comparisons with e.g. Velocitek Shift, Tacktick
The compass has white vertical pointers mounted at the edge of the compass card. When the boat changes course these pointers move sideways.
On the outside of the compass are two movable colored markers. See animation above.
The colored markers are set to mark best lift on each tack.
Then you read the wind shifts as shown with animation above left.
Setting the markers before use
Setting the markers before use
Sail close hauled on starboard tack with trim and attention to steering as when racing.
The picture shows the white pointer of the compass and the two movable yellow markers.
Move the windward (right) yellow "best lift" marker, until it seems to touch the pointer, as shown in picture.
After a while you will probably get better lift and the pointer goes behind the yellow marker.
Again move the windward marker until it seems to touch the pointer
The world's fastest skate sail, 120 km/h (75 MPH) is another of my top performance designs.
By repeating the last two operations when needed the windward marker will after a while indicate best lift.
When doing these adjustments and there is no lift on starboard tack (the pointer is away from the windward marker) you tack to port and adjust the left yellow marker, now the windward marker (left in picture) in the same way, to mark best lift on port tack.
Later with no lift on port tack you tack to starboard again and continue adjusting the windward marker, and so on.
As you may have noted it is always the windward marker which is adjusted.
When the two yellow markers have been set to mark best lift on their respective tack the compass is ready to use.
If you don't have time to set up before the race this method can be used while racing. This is unlike the electronic compasses which require you to sail in the Maximum Headers to get the Mean Wind Direction.
This setting up takes in the order of half an hour because you must sail through several oscillations of the wind direction to get a fair set up as the oscillations are never uniform.
The compass is adjusted without the need to note figures and do calculations! And the method can be used while racing!
Compare this with how the typical electronic compass is set up, near the the bottom of this page.
After the start you read the compass like this on starboard tack
After the start you read the compass like this on starboard tack
When the pointer is at the windward marker you sail in best lift. (That's where did set it.)
When the pointer is right between the two markers the lift is zero.
When the pointer is at the leeward marker you sail in worst header.
Now when you know the pointer positions for Best lift, Zero lift and Worst header you can easily judge the relative size of the lift or header for other pointer positions. E.g.: Almost best lift. Little lift. Small header.
You read the compass in the same way on port tack. You have best lift when the pointer is at the windward marker etc.
Animation shows starboard tack
At a glance you see where the direction of the wind is between best lift and worst header. No figures to note, read or compare!
The compass signals if the average wind direction is possibly shifting!
The compass signals if the average wind direction is possibly shifting!
It means that the lift is larger than before on this tack. The reason can be that the mean wind direction is changing. Or it is just a larger best lift than before.
If you sail with an electronic compass you must keep notes of best lift and compare these with the current reading to see if the lift is better than before.
Now let us say you have sailed once around the course and is starting on the second windward leg. When you look at the compass it looks like this: The pointer has gone beyond the best lift marker. You won't miss this if you just look at the compass now and then.
Readjusting the compass after the average wind direction has changed
Readjusting the compass after the average wind direction has changed
markers by moving the windward marker to the new position for best lift. Thereafter you move the other marker the same distance in the same direction.
If you decide that the larger lift than before on one tack means that the average direction of the wind has changed you adjust the
When the wind shifts are very large there could be a risk of using the wrong pointer. The compass has a system to ensure this doesn't happen. E.g. every other pointer is marked with a dot.
And there is an indicator on the compass which is set to show or not to show a dot depending on if you are using a pointer with or without a dot.
Comparison with setting up of electronic compasses
Comparison with setting up of electronic compasses
Comparison with Velocitek Shift, Tacktick Race master, Velocitek Speedpuck
Comparison with Velocitek Shift, Tacktick Race master, Velocitek Speedpuck
Under construction
Under construction
Comparison with Velocitek Shift
Comparison with Velocitek Shift
Under construction
Under construction
Abstract
The Velocitek Shift Manual, my bold font: "There are two reference angles, starboard reference angle and port reference angle. The reference angle is a user input heading that is the optimal heading on a given tack." What they call reference angle is commonly known as Mean Wind Direction. To get the Mean Wind Direction you have to sail to windward for some 30 minutes and take notes and make calculations.
The Ansar 2 and 4 compasses have a Revolutionary simple Set Up and Readjustments while racing - just move the markers!
The Velocitek Shift Manual, http://www.velocitek.com/assets/files/manuals/Shift/Velocitek%20Shift%20User%20Manual.pdf , avoids telling you the cumbersome, about half hour procedure needed, with paper, notes and calculations, to get the Reference Angles for each tack, which are the Mean Wind Direction courses, for each tack. So no major advantage with Velocitek Shift.
From Velocitek Shift Manual, my bold text:
"Reference Angle
There are two reference angles, starboard reference angle and port reference angle. The reference angle is a user input heading that is the optimal heading on a given tack."
I don't know what "the optimal heading on a given tack" is. And a Google search does only come up with those words in this manual.
A. What is needed, for the reading results they claim is, "input the mean wind direction for each tack". And as I write just above this requires the cumbersome procedure, about half hour needed, with paper, notes and calculations, best done before the race.
B And then, during the race, one have to look at the compass readings and compare them with the noted maximum lift for each tack. If there is a change, up or down, one has to recalculate the new mean wind direction and input it into the compass.
Comparison with Tacktick Race Master
Under construction
Abstract
The manual, my bold font: "Sail upwind for several minutes to determine your average close-hauled heading on each tack."
I would say at least 30 minutes. You have to take notes and make calculations. And imagine you don't have time before the start "to determine your average close-hauled heading on each tack" To be able to set up the compass this way while racing you have to sail also in the maximum headers. Certainly not the way to win.
The Ansar 2 and 4 compasses have a Revolutionary simple Set Up and Readjustments while racing - just move the markers!
From Tacktick Race Master Manual, http://www.tacktick.net/pdf/tacktick-RaceMaster_ug.pdf
"Setting up the wind shift display
1. Sail upwind for several minutes to determine your average close-hauled heading on each tack."
First: This method is useless if you don't have available about half an hour of sailing to windward before the start.
Second: This method is useless for readjusting the compass on e.g. the second beat as it requires you to sail on the headed tack to get the maximum headers. (That's how you loose. The Ansar 4 and Ansar 2 compasses, on the other hand, only requires sailing in maximum lift for adjustment. This you can do while racing without losing.)
Comparison with Velocitek Speedpuck
Comparison with Velocitek Speedpuck
Under construction
Under construction
Abstract
The Speedpuck is absolutely not able to (automatically) show "how far you’re up or down." when sailing in oscillating wind shifts. Because its automatics, looking for 20 seconds, does not get the Mean Wind Direction needed for this. To get the Mean Wind Direction you have so observe the direction for some 30 minutes. Instead it gets an arbitrary Mean Wind Direction and because ot this displays useless information! Crap in crap out!
The Ansar 2 and 4 compasses have a Revolutionary simple Set Up and Readjustments while racing - just move the markers!
From Velocitek's site: http://www.velocitek.com/speedpuck/features/#see_feel My bold font.
"Features Speed puck
Automatic shift tracking.
The SpeedPuck’s shift tracker locks on to the mean heading for your tack and then shows deviations from that heading with an easy-to-read bar graph. If you tack or jibe again, the shift tracker detects this, resets the bar graph and locks on to your new tack.
All this happens 100% automatically; you don’t need to press any buttons to make it happen. The SpeedPuck constantly crunches the numbers for you in the background so that, whenever you happen to glance at the instrument, you can see how far you’re up or down."
It reads "resets the bar graph and locks on to your new tack." If it shall be able to show you how far you’re up or down from the Mean Wind Direction it has to know the Mean Wind Direction.
But that isn't something you find out after a 20 seconds on a tack. (Speedpuck 1.3 manual: http://www.velocitek.com/assets/files/manuals/SpeedPuck/SpeedPuck_1_3.pdf reads: "The trim angle is set when the sailor is trimmed at a heading for over 20 seconds.")
I say it is common knowledge that it takes at least some 30 minutes to find out the Mean Wind Direction in an oscillaltling wind stream. Some in the know says the oscillations can be with a frequency of 30 minutes....
So the Speedpuck does not dispay what you want. It just shows you an deviation from an abitrary automatic setting.
The typical instruction for adjusting an electronic compass suggest you sail close hauled on both tacks and note the courses for the best lifts and the worst headers. Thereafter you calculate the average course on both tacks and enter these figures into the compass.
The instruction doesn't say how you get the new figures you need
to enter when the mean wind direction changes while racing. The method that requires you to sail in the worst headers can certainly not be used if you want to win. The Ansar 4 and Ansar 2 compasses, on the other hand, only requires sailing in maximum lift for adjustment. This you can do while racing without losing.
Setting up a tactical compass in oscillating wind shifts takes about half an hour!
Setting up a tactical compass in oscillating wind shifts takes about half an hour!
Some manufacturers say you set their tactical compass by heading the boat into the wind, others tell you to briefly sail close hauled, and push a button on the compass or take a reading.
That's a nice and quick method - but useless as the set up you get most probably is totally wrong, as it will be anywhere between Best Lift and Worst Header!
To get the compass correctly set up you must take your time and observe several oscillations of the wind direction.
Here in northern Europe where I sail this usually takes at least half an hour.
Things from my desk. Sailing boats I have raced and sailed. My humble abode.
100 MPH?, 160 km/h? My design High Speed Wing Skate Sail. Sailor in wing The only one in the world, as far as I know.
75 MPH, 120 km/h. My design Course Racing Wing Skate Sail
I think I was first to show that skate sailing in wings is much faster that its predecessor with the sailor standing to leeward of a fabric sail. Top speed is some 75 MPH, 120 km/h. That is 30% faster than its predecessor.
Photo:The wing hangs on the shoulders and I wear ice skates.
It sails 4 times faster than the wind.
Boats that I have sailed and raced A C-class sailing canoe (local Swedish design). An Elvström Trapetz two man dinghy. A Star Boat. Two Tornado Catamarans, once an Olympic class. Two Laser dinghies.When I sold my first Tactical Compass, Ansar 1, to sailors I was engaged as a tactician on a 6 m R-yacht and a very successful Scampi Half Ton Class, Lady Luck.
Photo. Camping trip in a Laser Dinghy This was on large Lake Saimaa in Finland for half a month with a friend in his dinghy.
This is a small area wing sail and should therefore be able to reach higher speeds before you are over powered.
With this wing over powering should come around 100 mph, 160 km/h.
Wing still in modification and testing phase - and right high speed conditions are very rare - about once a year.
My Four Record Speed sailing projects
Some 100 have been built world wide. I have designed, built and raced some twenty of these wings.
Small boat sailing to Iceland on the cold northern Atlantic OceanSailed with a friend, Lennart Berglund, in his 28 ft boat. A very rewarding three months trip: From Stockholm, east coast Sweden, Kiel Canal in Germany, west of England, Scotland, Faeroe Islands, Iceland, (from there by airplane to Greenland, Kulusuk), Shetland Islands, Norway, Goeta Canal from west to east through Sweden, Stockholm.
At night 39 F, 4 C, approaching Iceland.
On the west coast of England we got a Gale Warning. As the nearest port we had a chart for was Liverpool we headed there. (As charts were expensive then, USD20, we only had a few). We got in before the storm hit....
The view from my humble abode in central Stockholm, Sweden. Beyond the water, a bay, lies the Karlberg Palace.
The bay is connected to the oceans. There is a public jetty just outside my abode so you can arrive by boat for a visit.
The castle dates back to the end of 1640.
My Tactical Compasses for Sail Racing.Wind shifts At-A-GlanceAnimation: The position of the central pointer gives you the wind shift information At-A-Glance! Wind is here from the right.
"It helped me to gain at least three or four places in each major regatta", writes Ed Baird, about the Ansar 1 compass.
Other famous buyers are Iain Murray, Australia, Peter Norlin, Sweden.
Karlberg Palace.
Freelance photography and writing. E.g. my E-Book: 100 steps to Ultra Light Luggage and Less Heat StressPhoto: No-Bag-Travel. All in the pockets for weeks! After decades of traveling light on the world's hot roads in sixty countries, several circumnavigations, minimizing, testing and eliminating gear - finding ways to manage without, I have writen the above E-Book.
(My note: Latest version of this table is here on IW page, 9 Jan 2018)
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Modified Jan. 2018.
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