[quote=southstars2012][Note: this post is a longer review of various speed/heading displays -- 100% personal opinion]
For the 2017 Race to Alaska (long-distance race including night sailing), a good bowsprit-mounted speed/compass display on our Nacra Inter 20 was critical, so I spent a lot of time researching my options. Here's the run down, in case you are considering a similar display:
[b](1) Best all-around GPS speed/heading display: NovaSail NS360 Pocket v2 (MSRP $529)[/b]
(see here: [url]http://www.nova-sail.com/en/NS360%20Pocket%20V2.php?buy=129832[/url])
This is what we ended up using for R2AK, and I loved it (would absolutely reuse the same again). Not the best-looking display, but by far the most functional and flexible. The only standalone display that I know of that can do all of the following:
- GPS speed (speed over ground)
- GPS heading (course over ground)
- Magnetic heading
- Start timer
- Ability to simultaneously show any 2 of the above 4 data fields (for example: GPS COG + magnetic heading, if we were in a high current spot to determine drift; or GPS speed + COG, which we used most of the time to figure out our best speed/angle)
- Other features: Backlight for night use; long battery life (30-36hrs in our experience)
- Missing features: distance/time to start line (for racing)
- Note: probably not race-legal in most classes (uses GPS data) -- unless you show only magnetic heading + start timer (no GPS-based data fields), but then the class would have to trust you not to misuse the GPS fields while racing.
Full disclosure: Florent from NovaSail very kindly lent us the display for R2AK. It's a great product so I'm not shy of recommending it. He's a French guy running a tiny operation out of Hong Kong, so he's not well known in the US, but he was very responsive, and has more traction in Europe -- his display was used on the winning Diam 24 trimaran in this year's Round-France Regatta (Tour de France a la Voile).
More NovaSail links:
- Picture of the display (being tested in our car): [url]https://www.facebook.com/TeamKetch/photos/a.1878140009097918.1073741832.1878119705766615/1903893136522605/?type=3&theater[/url]
- NovaSail Facebook page (better than their site): [url]https://www.facebook.com/novasail.hk/[/url]
- NovaSail display feature comparison table: [url]http://www.nova-sail.com/en/Compare.php[/url]
[b](2) Runner-up GPS speed/heading display: Velocitek Pro-Start (MSRP $599)[/b]
(see here: [url]https://www.velocitek.com/pages/prostart[/url])
Very similar to the NovaSail above (and better looking), but less complete:
- No magnetic heading
- No backlight
Additional feature: distance/time to start line (stand-out feature, but probably not race-legal in class racing)
I have less to say about the Pro-Start as I've never seen it in person...
[b](3) Best heading-only display (no GPS): Velocitek Shift (MSRP $699)[/b]
(see here: [url]https://www.velocitek.com/pages/shift[/url])
Only 2 display features (no GPS speed/course):
- Magnetic compass
- Start timer
- Other features: Backlight; built-in solar power
- Note: probably race-legal since no GPS (depending on the class)
We bought the Shift for R2AK as our back-up to the NovaSail display (since our must-have feature for R2AK was compass heading + backlight at night), but in the end we didn't use it since the NovaSail display did the same and more. It's a very nice looking display overall, very legible, with a great backlight. If anyone is interested, I'm selling it brand new on Ebay for $600 ($99 under MSRP) -- I can arrange a bigger discount if you message me so we avoid eBay fees (plus I'll pay classified fees to BeachCats).
Runner-up race-legal compasses: Raymarine (ex-Tacktick) Micro Compass T060/T061 (MSRP $499) or Race Master compas T070/T071 (MSRP $849) - more expensive than Velocitek Shift for a given feature set (though you can find discounts at online sites like Defender and even Amazon).
[b](4) Best entry-level GPS speed/heading display: Velocitek Speedpuck (MSRP $339)[/b]
(see here: [url]https://www.velocitek.com/pages/speedpuck[/url])
Only 1 data field at a time (vs. 2 fields with the NovaSail or Pro-Start):
- GPS speed (SOG), or
- GPS course (COG)
- Note: may not be race-legal as a compass heading display since it uses GPS
I suspect the Speedpuck is Velocitek's most popular display - simple and easy to use, and many people are happy to just display speed (while judging heading by eye). If anyone is interested I have a second-hand one (barely used) that I'll sell if you PM me -- since I'm boat-less right now I don't need it, and if I get a boat I'd probably invest in the NovaSail...
There are certainly other options -- cheap tablet like Ericrayl suggested, or a GPS watch -- but I don't think these really compete with the ease of use and battery life of marinized displays like the ones above.<!-- editby --><em>Edited by southstars2012 on Sep 04, 2017 - 10:19 PM.</em><!-- end editby --> [/quote]
