What if we could simplify the equipment at the top of our masts? Instead of a farm of devices, take an approach that cuts down not only windage, but also maintenance. How would that even look?
Weems & Plath paints that vision with their new BRIGHTWind, combining a Calypso ultrasonic wind sensor with a tricolor, strobe, and white anchor LED USCG-certified navigation light. This one device performs the function of four. And elegantly. There are no moving parts and just a single small-gauge 6-wire cable can be run down the mast. Furthering its efficiency, and like its predecessors in the LX collection, a photodiode automatically turns the anchor light on at dusk and off a dawn.
A summer of sailing with BRIGHTWind aloft yielded accurate wind readings from whispers of wind to gale force breeze, even when substantially heeled. It transmits wind speed and direction data through NEMA 0183 or NMEA 2000 (with converter) protocol, so BRIGHTWind integrates easily into existing instrument networks. The extremely low power draw (0.03 Watts: sensor only; 4 Watts: light and wind sensor combined) ensures it’s never a concern for even a small battery bank.
The unit, housed in black anodized aluminum, is heavier than just a typical masthead light, but when factoring in the components that it replaces, that should be expected. BRIGHTWind also exceeds the 2 nautical mile visibility requirement which means I not only feel seen while underway at night but can also quickly spot my boat in any anchorage. Weems-Plath.com $1599.99
