Please verify you are a human
Access to this page has been denied because we believe you are using automation tools to browse the website.
This may happen as a result of the following:
- Javascript is disabled or blocked by an extension (ad blockers for example)
- Your browser does not support cookies
Please make sure that Javascript and cookies are enabled on your browser and that you are not blocking them from loading.
Reference ID: 9501c64a-a6ac-11ef-941f-2a59d3932553
Powered by PerimeterX , Inc.
The Perfect Gift for Every Sailor - Shop Holiday Offers
- Call Us +1-503-285-5536
- Sign in & Register
- Recently Viewed
- General Parts
- Accessories
Wind Indicators
We offer wind indicators manufactured by Hobie, C-Vane, Optiparts and more. We have full set wind indicators or if you just need a replacement vane, we have those too! These will help you know exactly your wind angles while you're out sailing.
- Qty in Cart
Hobie Telo Cat Wind Indicator
Windex Sport 15 Wind Indicator
Windex Dinghy Wind Indicator
Windex Dinghy 6 Wind Indicator
Telo Cat Replacement Vane
Hobie Island Wind Indicator
Opti Wind Indicator (Blacksmith)
ILCA / Laser Wind Indicator (Blacksmith)
Davis Blacksmith Wind Indicator (Large)
Davis Blacksmith Wind Indicator (Small)
Great Hawk Wind Indicator
Hawk Wind Indicator
C-Vane Pro ILCA / Laser Bow Wind Indicator
C-Vane Wind Indicator
C-Vane Wind Indicator (Sunfish)
Little Hawk (MK2) Wind Indicator
- Total: items /
- Add all to cart
Adding your products to cart
Subscribe to our newsletter.
Sign up for our newsletter to receive exclusive discounts, new product announcements, and upcoming sales.
- New Sailboats
- Sailboats 21-30ft
- Sailboats 31-35ft
- Sailboats 36-40ft
- Sailboats Over 40ft
- Sailboats Under 21feet
- used_sailboats
- Apps and Computer Programs
- Communications
- Fishfinders
- Handheld Electronics
- Plotters MFDS Rradar
- Wind, Speed & Depth Instruments
- Anchoring Mooring
- Running Rigging
- Sails Canvas
- Standing Rigging
- Diesel Engines
- Off Grid Energy
- Cleaning Waxing
- DIY Projects
- Repair, Tools & Materials
- Spare Parts
- Tools & Gadgets
- Cabin Comfort
- Ventilation
- Footwear Apparel
- Foul Weather Gear
- Mailport & PS Advisor
- Inside Practical Sailor Blog
- Activate My Web Access
- Reset Password
- Customer Service
- Free Newsletter
Tartan 37 Used Boat Review
C&C 33 Mark II Used Boat Review
Island Packet 350 Used Boat Review
Beneteau 393 Used Boat Review
How to Create a Bullet-Proof VHF/SSB Backup
Tips From A First “Sail” on the ICW
Tillerpilot Tips and Safety Cautions
Best Crimpers and Strippers for Fixing Marine Electrical Connectors
Are Wrinkles Killing Your Sail Shape?
Superlight Anchors: Not Just for Racers
Refining Furling Line Fairleads
Revive Your Mast Like a Pro
Diesel-Electric Hybrids Vs. Electric: Sailing’s Auxiliary Power Future
Sailing Triteia: Budget Bluewater Cruising
How To Keep Pipe Fittings Dry: Sealant and Teflon Tape Tests
How Much Does it Cost to Own a Sailboat in Quebec,…
Anode Basics: Dos and Don’ts
What’s The Best Bottom Paint?
Boat Hook and Fender Hacks
Product Hacks: Velcro, Bounce, Anti-Skid Mats and Pool Lights
Stopping Holding-tank Odors
Giving Bugs the Big Goodbye
Galley Gadgets for the Cruising Sailor
Cold Weather Clothes to Extend the Sailing Season
Five Best Gloves: Sailing and DIYing in All Weather
Sailing Gear for Kids
What’s the Best Sunscreen?
R. Tucker Thompson Tall Ship Youth Voyage
On Watch: This 60-Year-Old Hinckley Pilot 35 is Also a Working…
On Watch: America’s Cup
On Watch: All Eyes on Europe Sail Racing
Dear Readers
- Sails, Rigging & Deck Gear
- Marine Electronics
Deck-level Wind Vanes
Not just for small boats, these sensors put the fun back in shifty winds.
There are two primary wind indicators on a sailboat. First, we watch the sails. Sailing to windward we watch the jib for luffing and for flow on telltales.
On the main we watch for backwinding near the luff and for good flow on the leach ribbons. Off the wind we are more likely to watch the masthead fly, leading to an epic crick in the neck. More importantly, when sailing in a real breeze we like to keep our eyes near to the water, watching for other boats, the dip of the bow when pressed hard, and scanning for approaching gusts. Theres no time for more than a glance at the masthead. Ribbons on the shrouds help, but often they are too strongly influenced by dodgers and the sails themselves.
Single sail boats, such as Lasers and Optimus dinghies often clamp wind indicators on the forward side of the mast (see Practical Sailor, January 2018, Top Notch Wind Indicators ). Without a jib to interfere with windflow or to luff at every wind shift (thus serving as a wind vane), they give a real-time estimate of wind direction. Thirty years ago Frye developed the habit of watching a Davis Telo-cat indicator that hung suspended under the forestay bridle of his beach catamaran. There it was safe from sheets and sails and directly in sight as he watched the lee bow for signs of submarining, one of the greatest concerns of a beach cat sailor on a fast reach.
As he moved on to larger catamarans, he always found a place to mount the indicator on one of the bows. On his Stiletto 27, the conventional masthead flies mounted at the end of the bow worked fine. That was because, unlike many monohulls or other catamarans, the bows on the Stilletto are far outboard and extend three feet forward of the forestay, where they are relatively undisturbed by air flow.
It was a fast boat and the spinnaker was jibed inside (the sheets passed between the tack and the forestay) like a jib. As is the case with most performance cats, the boat moved so fast off the wind that the apparent wind was rarely if ever dead astern. Instead, the fastest course to steer in terms of velocity made good (VMG) often involved tacking downwind.
When he moved up to a cruising catamaran (PDQ 32), he developed an unbreakable wind indicator ( PS January 2018 ) that could withstand a regular flogging from spinnaker sheets. With his current trimaran (Corsair F-24) he has settled on a pair of wind indicators, port and starboard, since the deck-sweeping genoa blocks the view of the indicator on the off tack. This dual arrangement also ensures at least one of the flies is working in relatively clean air, undisturbed by the jib. On many boats these flies would be vulnerable to sheets during tacking, but in the case of the Corsair, they are protected from reacher and spinnaker sheets by the up-haul used to raise and lower the hinged bowsprit. As the sheets cross the bow, the up-haul keeps them clear of the flies.
Are these sensitive sensors affected by air flow over the jib? Certainly, but they are still extremely useful for adjusting to gusts and shifts. The mounting arm holds them out in front of the jibs luff, and by mounting them low on the bow rail, they escape most of the disturbed air. Even when the jib is close hauled, the distance between the fly and the sail on Fryes boat is at least two feet. On many cruising boats they can be mounted well below the jibs luff, allowing even greater clearance.
Observations
The primary function of these bow vanes is not fine-tuning or fine steering adjustments. These are made based on sail-mounted telltales and the look of the sails themselves. Their true value is showing gross changes in wind direction. As you pass through a tack or jibe, what is the approximate wind angle?
A leeward wind shift has stalled the sails, but how big an adjustment is ideal? You’ve just born away in a strong gust to stall the sails, but how far aft has the apparent wind moved?
Sure, you could glance at the masthead, but when things are happening fast, thats not where your eyes should be. When bearing off you should be watching the bow. When attacking or jibing at speed, the movement of the headsail across the foredeck, the motion of the boom, and the position of other boats are more important than looking up.
Just as importantly, new crew and beginning sailors love them. When anchoring or hoisting sails they don’t need to split their attention; Just keep that vane pointed forward. When sailing they avoid disorientation by looking in too many directions. Remember teaching your kid to drive and watching in horror as the car began to turn every time they turned their head to check a blind spot?
Other than preventing them from fouling with ropes, the greatest challenge can be reading them. It’s easy to judge the angle of a masthead fly when looking up, and bow flies are easy to read on a dinghy or beach cat because they are close. But when they are 20 feet away and viewed from the same level, judging the exact angle is difficult. Indicator arms help.
Deck-level Windvane Options
Weve tried several different brands and models and found something of merit in each of them. Our main criteria was durability, but we did not discern a great difference. All of the vanes are vulnerable to a hard wack, so in the end, the best vane for you will be the one that fits your installation needs.
DIY unbreakable
The do-it-yourself yarn indicator that we featured in January 2018 is perfect for locations where a sheet or sail may find the indicator. It bends rather than breaks. On the other hand, the yarn is sometimes plastered down by rain or spray, sometimes tangles, and the direction can be hard to read.
Bottom line: This is the Best Choice if everything else breaks, but otherwise inferior.
Sailsteady Indicator
Designed by a Laser sailor, the springy Sailsteady is the only vane sensor weve seen that can withstand the abuse of slatting sails and dragging sheets.
We mounted it on the deck of our Javelin and found that a jib will hang up on the vane in light airs, but if theres a good breeze, the vane flops down, lets the line or jib pass, and springs back into action undamaged. It is most useful on small one-designs that have clear foredecks.
Bottom line: Made in the United Kingdom, the Sailsteady offers an option for small boat sailors concerned about deck-sweeping jibs. It comes with one extra vane.
Davis Black Max
Based on the very successful Telo-cat, this black and yellow indicator has proven its durability over may decades of rough use. The clamp is optimized for a 1 -inch mast, but adjusts down to 3/4-inch pulpit rails. We wish the strut was steel rather than carbon, allowing it to be bent for leveling.
Bottom line: Recommended.
Davis Telo-cat
We started with this one over 30 years ago. Specifically designed for beach catamarans, it attaches to the forestay turnbuckle, though the bracket can be adjusted to other configurations. This location is safe from sheets on a beach cat, even with a chute. We used these for decades, always getting multiple seasons from them.
Bottom line: Recommended for beach cats.
Schaefer Marine Little Hawk MK II
Easy to mount, extremely sensitive and highly visible, it looks a little fragile. That said, we havent been able to break one in two seasons. It remains the most sensitive after a year of blasting through waves, even more sensitive than our masthead fly.
Bottom line: Our personal favorite and Best Choice.
Schaefer Marine Cat Hawk
Like the Telo-cat, the mounting is designed for the forestay turnbuckle of a beach cat, but we screwed it to a home built rail mounting block and took it sailing. It was more responsive than the Black Max, steadier than the Little Hawk MK II, and easier to read accurately. We wish the tail was more conspicuous; we may spray the tail yellow. The indicator arms were a little too easy to move, but were also the easiest to read. We wish it came with the Little Hawk Mark II mounting, though you can always bend the wand and secure it somehow.
Bottom Line: Recommended.
While not as unbreakable as the DIY version, it is easy to read and the top-and-bottom stays make it quite damage resistant. Bottom line. We wish it were more responsive.
We’ve been sailing with bow wind indicators for 35 years and we’ve yet to figure out why they are not popular outside the world of beach cat and dinghy sailing. They don’t replace a masthead fly or tell tales, but we all use the same wind and what could be more valuable than knowing where the wind is coming from?
Mounting options is clearly a consideration when choosing a deck-level vane. Several of the models we tested have deck mounts as well as spar mount, and rail mounts.
- The the blue up-haul line protects the sensors on Drew Fryes boat.
- The C-Vane easily attaches to 1-inch rail
- The mounting arm on the Schaefer Cat Hawk keeps in clean air.
- The simple Mini Hawk II is perfectly balanced. Its large vane responds well in light winds.
RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR
Leave a reply cancel reply.
Log in to leave a comment
Latest Videos
J Boats J/9 Sailboat Review and Boat Tour
3 Tips for a Dry Boat – DIY Boat Maintenance 101
Jeanneau’s New Rule Breaking Sailboat – Sun Odyssey 350 Boat Review
A Fiberglass Cleaning Boat Hack You Have To Try!
Latest sailboat review.
- Privacy Policy
- Do Not Sell My Personal Information
- Online Account Activation
- Privacy Manager
Comments are closed.
JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to utilize the functionality of this website.
Simply Designed Better
- Products - by Category /
- Mast Fittings /
Wind direction indicator
- Shopping Cart
- Shipping Info
- Terms & Conditions
- Suppliers and Stock
- Meet the Staff
- Environment
Quick Overview
Wind direction indicator. Light, robust & free moving. Bright yellow vane for easy reading.
Choose from:
Standard version with plain bearings for 65 Class and other micro classes (75 x 25 mm vane)
Standard version with plain bearings - IOM/M/10R/A classes (100 x 42 mm vane)
De luxe version that has ball race bearings - IOM/M/10R/A classes (100 x 42 mm vane)
Product code. 100
Availability: In stock
* Required Fields
- | Add to Compare
- Product Description
Standard version with plain bearings for 65 Class (75 x 25 mm vane)
The vane can be trimmed down in size with scissors if required. Re-balancing will be needed with some care.
Attach to the mast head using tape or an O ring, ref. 82-010 as shown. SAILSetc mast head fittings ref. 23-110 and 23-127 have a special lug for attaching the wind indicator. The lanyard and clip hook is a safety device to avoid loss of the wind indicator.
Sometimes known as: burgee (mis-spelled as burgie), windicator, wind indicator, windex.
100-ST, 100-BR, 100-65.
- Products - by Class
- Hull Appendages
- Boat Building Materials
- Mast & Boom Spars
- Booms & Boom Kits
- Standing Rigging
- Running Rigging
- Mast Fittings
- Goosenecks/Vangs
- Swing Rig Fittings
- Boom Fittings
- Rigging Fittings
- Other Hull Fittings
- Hull Appendage Fittings
- RC Installation
- Vintage Style
- Sail Identification
- Sail Making Materials
- Rig Storage
- Transmitter Cover
- Sailing Aids
- Countersunk Head
- Socket Head
- Hexagon Head
- Self-Tapping
- Int. One Metre Class
- Int. Marblehead Class
- Int. Ten Rater Class
- Int. A Class
- Six Metre Class
- 36" Restricted Class
- Other Classes
- Products - Spotlight
Windex® 10 C | 10-20 feet sized boats
437.00 kr
Windex ® 10 C was designed as a smaller version of the well-known Windex ® 15. Windex® 10 C will be the perfect choice for smaller cruising and racing boats from 3-6 meter (10-20 feet). Although this is a smaller model, it obviously has the same superior saphire storage as Windex ® 15.
Description
- Windex® 10 C will be the perfect choice for smaller cruising and racing boats from 3-6 meter (10-20 feet).
- Windex® wind vanes for sailors that need exceptional performance at the best value of any wind indicator worldwide. The secret is in the sapphire jewel suspension bearing, large fin-low inertia vane, and easy-to-read, fully adjustable tacking tab system.
- Reflector tape on the vane and tacking tabs make Windex® 10 C easy to see day and night. Windex® vanes are sturdy and when installed properly, offer many years of use. They have been wind tunnel tested to wind speeds of 40 m/s.
- Windex® wind vanes remain the top performing wind indicators in the world and offers exceptional performance with great value.
- Provides accurate apparent wind direction information for cruisers and racers.
- Saphire jewel suspension bearing makes the device sensitive in light air and responsive in heavy air.
Windex® 10 C data:
Vane length 250mm (10”) Height 270 mm (10,5”) Weight 31 gr (1,2 ounces)
Assembly instructions for Windex 10.
IMAGES
COMMENTS
Explore top-quality wind vanes for sailboats. Find durable and precise options to enhance your sailing experience at West Marine. 6LchHDMbAAAAAGPRKfV4mVX9FPM_gdroO62T7nWA. ... While most wind vanes are mounted at the top of a mast, others like the Davis Instruments Telo-Cat, can be installed on the head stay bridle of a catamaran. ...
The windex wind direction indicator is an indispensible tool for sailors of all levels. It allows instant and accurate wind information. ... The different WINDEX models are found at the top of masts on every type of sailboat from Americas Cup boats to racing dinghies, and everything in between. ... The solution was a plastic wind vane with low ...
The WINDEX Dinghy Wind Indicator s designed for dinghies and smaller sailboats with quick attachment for the mast. Ideal for boats 10 to 20 feet in length. The quick fix allows easy removal of WINDEX Dinghy without using any tools. ... Davis Instruments introduces Blacksmith Wind Vanes, made from super lightweight 3D carbon fiber and ...
Learn how to use wind indicators on the bow of your sailboat to help you sail faster and easier. Compare different models and brands of deck-level wind vanes and their advantages and disadvantages.
Windex offers a range of masthead wind indicators for sailboats from 15 to 100 feet. Windex vanes are sturdy, responsive, and easy to see at night with reflector tape and adjustable tacking tabs.
Windex® 15 BirdSpike included will be the perfect choice for all cruising and racing boats from 5-12 (15-40 feet) meter that have some problem with birds on their mast. The WINDEX Wind Indicator offers exceptionally good performance. The secret is the needle that rests in a safari layer, which means that Windex 15 finds the shifts even in extremely weak winds. With the carbon BirdSpike ...
The vane can be trimmed down in size with scissors if required. Re-balancing will be needed with some care. Attach to the mast head using tape or an O ring, ref. 82-010 as shown. SAILSetc mast head fittings ref. 23-110 and 23-127 have a special lug for attaching the wind indicator. The lanyard and clip hook is a safety device to avoid loss of ...
Windex® wind vanes for sailors that need exceptional performance at the best value of any wind indicator worldwide. The secret is in the sapphire jewel suspension bearing, large fin-low inertia vane, and easy-to-read, fully adjustable tacking tab system. Reflector tape on the vane and tacking tabs make Windex® 10 C easy to see day and night.
Sailboat Wind Vane, Marine Weather Vane Wind Direction Indicator in 304 Stainless Steel Sailing Wind Vane Sailboat Windex. 3.0 out of 5 stars. 2. $44. ... Windex 10C 955-1 Boat Wind Indicator | Vane Unit | Supporting Rod | Index Arms | Mast Socket | Suspension Bearing | for 10-20 Feet Sized Boats. 5.0 out of 5 stars. 2. $41.99 $ 41. 99. FREE ...
HAWK RACE APPARENT WIND INDICATOR (for larger single-handed Dinghies) - mounts at front of mast at gooseneck height. $29.76 $ 29. 76. FREE international delivery. ... Sailboat Wind Vane, Marine Weather Vane Wind Direction Indicator in 304 Stainless Steel Sailing Wind Vane Sailboat Windex. $39.57 $ 39. 57. List: $43.69 $43.69.