Wind sensors showing incorrect readings
- Safety Flash
- Published on 1 January 2003
- Generated on 15 May 2026
- IMCA SF 01/03
- 1 minute read
A Member reports a problem that occurred with two wind sensors on a vessel.
What happened?
One evening the starboard wind sensor (aft) was indicating an incorrect value. A few minutes later the port wind sensor (forward) was showing the same symptoms. The DP desk was giving a warning: Wind difference Speed of 1 and 2.
The weather at the time was freezing (-4°C) and there was a dense fog (visibility <100m) with a lot of icy patches on the quayside and roads (glazed frost).
The following morning a check was made of the wind sensors in both masts. The sensors were found to be covered in ice. After removal of the ice the indicators were back to true values.
Touching the sensors by hand indicated that there was no heating present. The sensors appeared not to have built-in heaters (which are optional).
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