Quote:
Originally Posted by fatlazyless
"...In my opinion, one of the better sailing aids are those wind vane directional pointers as opposed to a simple yarn tell-tale. They take a lot of the mystery out of sailing, by defining the wind's direction with an easy-to-read directional pointer..."
|
One of those arrived on a catamaran I'd bought—and was "powered" by a feather! (A "primary" feather, for those who've
got to know.
I found that it was not sensitive enough! 
In lake sailing, winds are often described as "flukey". (Not so much in
ocean environments).
Though it's usually only durable enough for a week or so, my latest setup involves the use of a one-foot length of a mylar strand from a tattered tarp: tied to a breast feather from a duck, it picks up the slightest of zephyrs.
Any bird's feather works well—Loon or Seagull—just check downwind from a few that are preening.
Even when the lake appears to be a "flat calm"...there IS wind out there.
(So you
can start sailing much earlier in your day).
