"Knots"?

[Srpulpo]

Originally Posted by Welti

Reading some miscellaneous posts, and mentioned going such and such knots, I wondered: do people generally mean SOG knots or STW knots if not specified?

SOG is speed over ground which is the true speed where the other is through the water which is not the same because you can be going with or against tides and current. racers use the through the water speed to verify that they are in a positive current or in the right place to avoid a negative current. here in SF bay its how we race and avoiding current is the way to win, a difference in the two speeds shows the speed of the current and we will know when we are away from it when the speeds are close to each other.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by Hasbeen

I had a paddle wheel speedo & on a few occasions towed a walker log. I have crossed the Coral sea 6 times, & sailed well over 30,000 nautical miles around the pacific islands.


In tropical waters I don't think I ever got more than 4 hours without a bit of seaweed stopping the things working.


Life would have been so easy if sat nav had been available at affordable prices in the 60s & 70s.

I still have the spinner style log that may have been installed when the boat was new 60 years ago and it has a direct drive cable. As long as the blades are clean that thing is still accurate!