Tacktick or Speedpuck
Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Dinghy classes
Forum Name: Technique
Forum Discription: 'How to' section for dinghy questions and answers
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12632
Printed Date: 18 Apr 24 at 10:02am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Tacktick or Speedpuck
Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Subject: Tacktick or Speedpuck
Date 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. |
Replies:
Posted By: Do Different
Date Posted: 21 Jan 17 at 9:40pm
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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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Posted By: davidyacht
Date Posted: 21 Jan 17 at 10:54pm
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The more interesting comparison would be between the TackTick and the Velocitec Shift ------------- Happily living in the past |
Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date 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. |
Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date 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 
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.
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Posted By: Neptune
Date Posted: 21 Jan 17 at 11:56pm
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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 ------------- Musto Skiff and Solo sailor |
Posted By: davidyacht
Date Posted: 22 Jan 17 at 7:54am
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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. ------------- Happily living in the past |
Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 22 Jan 17 at 8:58am
I thought it did but I guess I'm getting mixed up with the shift so that pretty much rules it out for me.
Good to know.
Looks like a TackTick is still the only game in town for the average dinghy sailor then.
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Posted By: Cirrus
Date Posted: 22 Jan 17 at 2:52pm
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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. |
Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date 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+ |
Posted By: fudheid
Date Posted: 24 Jan 17 at 1:16pm
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the speedpuck has its uses if you want speed, if you are tidal the GPS compass is not as useful as you might think. i have both and use them together to help calculate the tidal lift / header. on the new dinghy it will be just the tacktick that will be put on to start with as we can collect gps data for analysis after on my phone (not as accurate as speedpuck but good enough for testing settings). In conclusion lol tacktick is the best first purchase....we did us to use an app and waterproof phone taped to the mast for speed ------------- Cheers you only me from over the sea...... |
Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 24 Jan 17 at 2:31pm
| I have a Garmin Etrex handheld GPS that I use for sailing biking, windsurfing and walking. Displays all the usual GPS stuff inc speed so I already have that facility. I'll try the mag compass I have and decide if I like the idea before buying. |
Posted By: ColH
Date Posted: 06 Feb 17 at 6:52pm
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I'm familiar with Tacktick, but not with others. But I've found tacktick a great instrument - if nothing else its nice to have a countdown easily viewable on the mast.
I've used it - I think! - to good effect, even inland. Mind you, that was on a large lake (Rutland) - on a small fgravel pit then really the shoreline ought to be close enough to give you a good point of reference up a single beat. Less so perhaps from one lap to the next. But I agree with Cirrus about keeping eyes out. My first few outings of a season would be leaving it ashore - first off get yourself back in tune with the outside world. Technique and speed first, tactical niceties after! |
Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 06 Feb 17 at 10:14pm
| I suspect you and Mike are right. I'll make an effort to learn to sail the Blaze first then maybe consider a compass for open water afterwards. |