Mini Motion, should be less than AUD 200. Although it might be hard to get in NZ

Imax1 said..
I also suggest the minimotion , but you can't see what's happening until you download . On the other end , GW60 is a watch and is good to see what's happening on the water . It is expensive and fragile , $400 ish . There are others in between. Just make sure it is approved for speed sites , if that's what you want to do . I would suggest that . There are many cheaper non approved watches if it's just for you .

I would buy a gw60 but I have read that they are not very reliable and have weak straps that brake and can not be fixed.
How long would you expect a gw60 to last?

roj00 said..

John340 said..
Mini Motion, should be less than AUD 200. Although it might be hard to get in NZ

Dose the motion guy still do the one with a read out? If it was going to last for years I could deal with parting with the money.

He has been struggling with production of the LCD motion and has significant unfilled back orders. He's not taking new orders until these are filled. The mini Motion is available.

GW60 is probably easiest. The strap on my second one has been good for a couple of years. Both are still working.

Considering your first post, just buy a cheap second-hand whatever-you-like and see if you like the discipline first. (I make them Motions)

JulienLe said..
Considering your first post, just buy a cheap second-hand whatever-you-like and see if you like the discipline first. (I make them Motions)

There is no question about whether or not I will like gps speedsailing, I am very interested in your system with the read out, I sent you an email, I will wait for your email reply.

There's been a few threads in the last year or so on this, if you do a search using the button above (eg search on "watch") you'll find a lot of information on gps devices, suggestions on cheaper ones (Timex $100 I think, or Garmin models, starting around $250)

where do you sail? There may be others in your area that can help you decide on what one to go for

I'm Curious...
What's the difference between a dedicated GPS Vs. Using your phone. Better accuracy?.

WsurfAustin said..
I'm Curious...
What's the difference between a dedicated GPS Vs. Using your phone. Better accuracy?.

Many Android phones can record Doppler speeds using a windsurfing App. GPS-Logit is the best one I have used , but it was removed from the Google app store and is difficult to find now.
I understand that Windsport tracker app is also quite good, but I have not tested it. www.windsporttracker.com

Apart from variable accuracy, biggest issue with using a phone is that most are not waterproof so you must find a VERY good waterproof pouch or armband for it to prevent any chance of to being flooded which will likely kill it dead. The second issue is related, in that it is quite possible to smash the phone in a crash. I have smashed 2 that way when they were in my waterproof arm band and hit the boom in a crash.

So, if you want to use a phone for on the water feed back (I do ) buy the cheapest Android smart phone you can find and throw away the SIM card (dont need it). A few years ago I could buy them for $10!! Now the cheapest around here is more like $40-60.

I would certainly NOT recommend that you use your normal, everyday use, probably expensive, Smartphone.

All that said, you will get reasonable feedback info from a Phone with the app, (I love the 'speed talk' audio feedback ) but at times it can be a couple of knots out, so dont put too much weight on the speeds it displays and records. And it wont be accurate or reliable enough for use in speed competitions so you cant use it in GPSTC. For example, I use an Android phone with GPS-Logit for 'on the water feedback' in conjunction with Mini Motions. This last summer I had a day where the phone told me I had done a best 2 sec of around 41.5 knots. When I downloaded the THREE Motions worn in the same session, they all agreed within 0.05Kts that I had actually done just over 40Kts. In another example, I recently tested 4 cheap android phones side by side on the dashboard of my car for a short trip. The speeds they gave were all different, and varied in a range of over 1.5 knots! The bottom line is that the GPS in Phones have very small chip antenna which leads to intermittent and poor satellite reception, giving inconsistent and often erroneous results. I have tested some higher end phones with GPS-Logit, and they seem to do a little bit better, but are still subject to the same limitations and errors. And none of them yet are capable of recording the Doppler error data that the GPS-TC uses to help verify and validate the results.

I highly recommend getting a Mini-Motion which are extremely accurate, reliable, should last for many years are are backed up with excellent warranty and service from the manufacturer. Use a cheap GPS watch or Phone with it for on the water feedback if you want that. And when the LCD Motion is available again, get that. A second hand GT-31 would also be a good interim choice if you can find one.

sailquik said..

WsurfAustin said..
I'm Curious...
What's the difference between a dedicated GPS Vs. Using your phone. Better accuracy?.

Many Android phones can record Doppler speeds using a windsurfing App. GPS-Logit is the best one I have used , but it was removed from the Google app store and is difficult to find now.
I understand that Windsport tracker app is also quite good, but I have not tested it. www.windsporttracker.com

Apart from variable accuracy, biggest issue with using a phone is that most are not waterproof so you must find a VERY good waterproof pouch or armband for it to prevent any chance of to being flooded which will likely kill it dead. The second issue is related, in that it is quite possible to smash the phone in a crash. I have smashed 2 that way when they were in my waterproof arm band and hit the boom in a crash.

So, if you want to use a phone for on the water feed back (I do ) buy the cheapest Android smart phone you can find and throw away the SIM card (dont need it). A few years ago I could buy them for $10!! Now the cheapest around here is more like $40-60.

I would certainly NOT recommend that you use your normal, everyday use, probably expensive, Smartphone.

All that said, you will get reasonable feedback info from a Phone with the app, (I love the 'speed talk' audio feedback ) but at times it can be a couple of knots out, so dont put too much weight on the speeds it displays and records. And it wont be accurate or reliable enough for use in speed competitions so you cant use it in GPSTC. For example, I use an Android phone with GPS-Logit for 'on the water feedback' in conjunction with Mini Motions. This last summer I had a day where the phone told me I had done a best 2 sec of around 41.5 knots. When I downloaded the THREE Motions worn in the same session, they all agreed within 0.05Kts that I had actually done just over 40Kts. In another example, I recently tested 4 cheap android phones side by side on the dashboard of my car for a short trip. The speeds they gave were all different, and varied in a range of over 1.5 knots! The bottom line is that the GPS in Phones have very small chip antenna which leads to intermittent and poor satellite reception, giving inconsistent and often erroneous results. I have tested some higher end phones with GPS-Logit, and they seem to do a little bit better, but are still subject to the same limitations and errors. And none of them yet are capable of recording the Doppler error data that the GPS-TC uses to help verify and validate the results.

I highly recommend getting a Mini-Motion which are extremely accurate, reliable, should last for many years are are backed up with excellent warranty and service from the manufacturer. Use a cheap GPS watch or Phone with it for on the water feedback if you want that. And when the LCD Motion is available again, get that. A second hand GT-31 would also be a good interim choice if you can find one.

Good info, thanks

I always take my phone to listen to music anyway, so Ioad the gps tracker when I depart. Phone is waterproof (Galaxy S22). I have a Zhik lifejacket that has a nice huge velcro pocket right on the chest. Haven't crashed on it yet, but certainly a possibility.

BSN101 said..
DIY unit.

Thats can be a good option if you have the time, patience, skills and tools.

What would one pay for a cheap gps watch that is not compatible with the speed sites?

Garmin 245 Music on sale at Pushys for about $250. Bike shop is a reliable seller of items, mainly cycle related