Weems & Plath has introduced BrightWind, the latest addition to the company’s OGM Series of LED navigation lights.
BrightWind is reportedly a first of its kind, combining an ultrasonic wind sensor, LED tricolor and LED anchor light. It is built with a low-power-draw, non-mechanical wind sensor (created by Calypso Instruments) and incorporates Weems & Plath’s navigation light with a strobe and photodiode. BrightWind also can provide wind speed and direction data to any NMEA 0183 or (with a converter) NMEA 2000 display.
“The top of a mast is a small yet extremely valuable piece of real estate on a sailboat,” Michael Flanagan, president & CEO of Weems & Plath, stated in a press release. “By bringing the navigation light and wind sensor together as one unit, we’re not only reducing the footprint that’s required to mount these two vital pieces of equipment, but we’re also consolidating the wiring within the mast. It was a logical step to combine our acclaimed navigation light with Calypso’s innovative wind sensor.”
BrightWind has no bearings or mechanical parts, which typically wear out over time and can degrade performance. This design makes it suited for long-term, outdoor use in all conditions, according to the manufacturer.
In place of mechanical parts, the wind sensor uses four ultrasonic transducers that measure how fast it takes for sound waves to travel back and forth between each transducer. The sensor then uses the speed of the sound waves to determine the wind speed and direction.
BrightWind’s anemometer can measure up to 100 mph and provide full directional data with accurate measurements not subject to mechanical friction.
Weems & Plath says the LX TriColor/Anchor LED Navigation Light (LXTA-SP) is one of its most popular navigation lights in the OGM series, with use by riggers as well as coastal and offshore sailors. While the LXTA light is US Coast Guard-approved at 2 nautical miles for sailboats up to 65 feet in length, its actual brightness exceeds that distance and uses less than 20 percent of the power of comparable incandescents. When the light is used in tandem with the wind sensor, the power consumption is only 0.35 amps at 12 volts DC.
BrightWind is built using military-grade anodized aluminum and a UV-resistant acrylic lens. There’s a limited lifetime warranty on the light and a two-year warranty on the wind sensor.
How long has Weems & Plath been in business? Since 1928. The company is based in Annapolis, Maryland.
For more information: go to www.weems-plath.com/brightwind
