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Tacktick or Speedpuck
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Sam.Spoons View Drop Down
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Posts: 3398 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Sam.Spoons Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Tacktick or Speedpuck
    Posted: 21 Jan 17 at 9:24pm
Which should I buy? The Tacktick seems to be the standard choice but it's £50 more expensive and the internal (non-replaceable) battery is reputed to give trouble. Speedpuck seems to offer much the same functionality with field-replacable batteries and a speed display. The Tacktick is an electronic/magnetic compass, the Speedpuck uses GPS technology. I probably don't really need either but fancy having a compass for sea sailing.
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Posts: 1312 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Do Different Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jan 17 at 9:40pm
Can't say relative as I only know the Tacktick. 

Would it matter to you about class legal or not? Speedpuck with gps and speed readout may be allowed on fewer classes than an electronic compass.
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davidyacht View Drop Down
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Posts: 1345 		Post Options Post Options   Quote davidyacht Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jan 17 at 10:54pm
The more interesting comparison would be between the TackTick and the Velocitec Shift
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Sam.Spoons View Drop Down
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Posts: 3398 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Sam.Spoons Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jan 17 at 10:58pm
#do different :- That had crossed my mind, not a problem on the Spice as there is no class racing anyway but I would have to check up on what's allowed on the Blaze. The Speedpuck does allow you to disable certain features such as speed readout if they are prohibited in your class but the simple fact that it has GPS may be an issue, and, as they seem to be considerably less popular that the Tacktick, I wonder if that's the reason.

Edited by Sam.Spoons - 21 Jan 17 at 11:17pm
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Sam.Spoons View Drop Down
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Posts: 3398 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Sam.Spoons Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jan 17 at 11:09pm
#davidyacht :- The Velocetetk Shift is nearly double the price of the Tackick (and you need to hide much of the info it provides) so it's not really on my radar. Apart from speed the Speedpuck doesn't display anything more than the Tacktick (and you can set it to show time heading and shift info only). I suspect the shift is more designed for bigger boats where electronic instruments are the norm than dinghies where they seem to be considered the devil's work  Evil Smile

I think the Tacktick is probably the correct choice (and it seems to be the only game in town for most classes who seem to specifically allow it) but the web is full (well maybe not full) of instances of dying batteries (and on much electronic kit it's the batteries dying that consigns them to the economic scrapheap long before their usefulness is past) so if there is an alternative I would like the chance to consider it.


Edited by Sam.Spoons - 21 Jan 17 at 11:18pm
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Neptune View Drop Down
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Posts: 1313 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Neptune Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jan 17 at 11:56pm
The tactic, with its dual screen gives great visibility from both tacks, the others would depend more on where you could put them.  Any compass you can't see easily is pretty pointless
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davidyacht View Drop Down
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Posts: 1345 		Post Options Post Options   Quote davidyacht Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Jan 17 at 7:54am
The Speedpuck does not have a countdown timer, something that I use a lot with my Tacktick, so much so that I don't use a stopwatch.  The battery on my most recent Tacktick have way outlived the old one.

In my class (Solo) I understand that all of the functions on the Shift are legal, whereas the speed functions on the Speedpuck would be out of class (though can be disabled).

The Shift is pretty massive and expensive, so I have stuck with the Tacktick for the moment, but if you believe the blurb the way that the GPS heading works on the Shift is much more clever than the magnetic compass on the Tacktick.
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Sam.Spoons View Drop Down
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Posts: 3398 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Sam.Spoons Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Jan 17 at 8:58am
Originally posted by davidyacht

The Speedpuck does not have a countdown timer, something that I use a lot with my Tacktick, so much so that I don't use a stopwatch.

I thought it did but I guess I'm getting mixed up with the shift so that pretty much rules it out for me. 

The battery on my most recent Tacktick have way outlived the old one.

Good to know.

In my class (Solo) I understand that all of the functions on the Shift are legal, whereas the speed functions on the Speedpuck would be out of class (though can be disabled).

The Shift is pretty massive and expensive, so I have stuck with the Tacktick for the moment, but if you believe the blurb the way that the GPS heading works on the Shift is much more clever than the magnetic compass on the Tacktick.

Looks like a TackTick is still the only game in town for the average dinghy sailor then.
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Posts: 590 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Cirrus Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Jan 17 at 2:52pm
Sam ...

From memory you can use what you like on the Blaze (but still check with the CA maybe).  Those who have used them in the past seem to fare no better than before - and if its not helping you why is that additonal weight and hassle there ?   Personally in dinghies I think 'KISS' is the best philosophy .. and keep your eyes OUT of the boat.
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Sam.Spoons View Drop Down
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Posts: 3398 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Sam.Spoons Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Jan 17 at 4:01pm
Good advice as usual Mike. Just home from a light wind day at L&LSC and I seem to be able to spot wind shifts well enough without a compass. It's probably no help inland so, as I've just bought a very cheap Silva 103 I'll bung that on for the summer and see what I think before spending £200+
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