Paddle log

Posts that appeared in the original forum have been transferred here. It's worth searching them for answers - it's a goldmine.
Post Reply
User avatar
Sabre27Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 244
Joined: Tue May 09, 2017 5:10 pm

Paddle log

Post by Sabre27Admin »

Ian-G
United Kingdom
4 Posts

Posted - 24/05/2013 : 12:39:21
Hi All,

I wasn't getting any speed read out on my Nasa Clipper Duet system - depth was working but speed alway 0.0kts.
After reading some posts here I took the plunge (literally) and pulled out the paddle wheel for inspection. Actually not as much water came in as I expected, quite managable actually. As expected the wheel was bunged up with all sorts of mud and crustaceans, but after a while I had it cleaned and spinning freely. It is mounted in the engine bay so quite easy to check it was registering by spinning it and seeing if any reading, which indeed there was. Reversed the process to put is all back, and yes ensuring it pointed the correct way!
However next time out the log still read 0.0knts! This was only the next day so no way it could have clogged up again ( I am all tidal mooring).
Question - could it be that the wheel isn't actually sitting deep enough through the hull for the water to pass over it? Or any other reason as to why this might happen? I have a twin keel but don't think that makes any difference?
Many thanks
Ian
Iain C
United Kingdom
181 Posts

Posted - 24/05/2013 : 16:43:06
Hi Ian

I'd check that the magnets are still in place. There's two on the paddle wheel...the plastic tends to crack and they can fall out or corrode, and you get a zero reading. The paddle wheels are available from NASA or eBay.

The engine room isn't ideal...you might find it over-reads under engine, and possibly under reads under sail, but only marginally so probably not worth the effort of moving it.

Castoffs
France
30 Posts

Posted - 26/05/2013 : 14:25:48 Castoffs's Homepage Edit Reply Reply with Quote View user's IP address Delete Reply
I've just bought a new wheel for the same reason although I didn't know about the magnets. I can see from the new one that the 2 rods? are glued in at the end of the tubes. Ours was reading zero, then after cleaning it was reading half speed so I bought a new new one but not had chance to fit it yet. I wonder if the half speed reading means only one of the magnets has gone missing?

Iain C
United Kingdom
181 Posts

Posted - 28/05/2013 : 14:37:24
Yes, quite correct.
=====================
Webmaster
http://sabre27.org.uk
=====================
Post Reply