Birds can’t rest on wind indicator with BirdSpike
June 1, 2023
Birds perching on top of a mast will quickly make a mess of the deck and sail cover. To avoid this, savvy sailors install a genuine Windex® 15 with BirdSpike from Windex Development AB. Designed for 15′-40′ boats, the masthead wind indicator not only makes sailing easier, but prevents gulls and terns from landing on the device.
Often imitated, the Windex 15 is the original wind indicator. Built in Sweden with premium marine-grade aluminum, polymer and stainless steel, the device is built to last. It’s so durable, it overcame hurricane-level force 12 winds during testing.
The lightweight 15″ L vane is balanced on top of a sapphire jewel suspension bearing. With a large fin and low inertia, it reacts to puffs as light as 0.2 knots. The 7.5″ BirdSpike sits above the vane, so it doesn’t interfere with the Windex 15’s sensitivity.
With the Windex 15, it’s easy to read the apparent wind using the adjustable tabs. Set to the vessel’s optimal tacking angles, it provides a visual cue to whether the boat is being lifted or knocked. The undersides of the tabs and vane are reflective red for easy reference. An assembly, installation and instructional video is at www.bit.ly/Windex15.