Davis Instruments Tell-Tales, Wind Direction Indicators & Accessories
Davis Instruments: The Sailor's Standard for Wind Direction
When it comes to reading the wind on the water, few names carry more weight than Davis Instruments. Their lineup of tell-tales, wind direction indicators, and accessories represents decades of refinement aimed at one goal: giving sailors — from dinghy racers to offshore cruisers — the clearest, most reliable picture of what the wind is doing at every moment.
WindTrak™ Masthead Vanes
The centerpiece of the Davis wind indicator range is the WindTrak™ series. WindTrak wind vanes offer exceptional performance at outstanding value, with the secret being their sapphire jewel suspension bearing, large fin-low inertia vane, and easy-to-read, fully adjustable tacking tab system. That sapphire bearing is a key differentiator: it makes the unit sensitive in light air and very responsive in heavier air — exactly what you need when trimming sails in variable conditions.
The WindTrak 15 is the perfect choice for all cruising and racing boats 15 feet (4.6 meters) and bigger, while the WindTrak 10 features a 10-inch vane and includes a glass-reinforced polycarbonate J-Base for side, top, or front-of-mast mounting on most dinghies, smaller boats, and sport boats. Both models have been wind tunnel tested to wind speeds of 80 knots, so durability in heavy conditions is never a question. For night sailing, reflector tape on the vane and tacking tabs makes WindTrak easy to see day and night, and an optional LED WindTrak Light can illuminate the reflective tabs further.
Air-Flow Tels™ — Sail-Mounted Tell-Tales
Davis Instruments' Air-Flow Tell-Tales are brightly colored lengths of material that attach to opposite sides of the sail and serve to indicate wind direction relative to the boat's motion. What sets them apart from traditional yarn is their installation method: lightweight, ripstop nylon Air-Flow Tels attach to sails with waterproof adhesive locator discs — no holes required. By observing the movement of telltales, sailors can fine-tune their sail trim to optimize performance based on wind direction.
Wind-Tels™ — Shroud-Mounted Indicators
For cockpit-visible wind reference without looking all the way to the masthead, Davis also offers the Wind-Tels. These unique, easy-to-read telltales are designed to mount directly to shrouds up to 3/8" in diameter and provide large plastic vane indicators that are visible from the cockpit. The stainless steel spring attachment supports the vanes clear of the shrouds so that they will function without interference in the lightest breeze.
Black Max™ Wind Direction Indicator
Rounding out the lineup is the Black Max™. Black Max is a versatile, high-performance wind direction indicator that attaches quickly to the mast or boom, with a tough, high-impact plastic vane designed to withstand years of punishment and the abuse of small-boat sailing.
Accessories to Complete Your Setup
Davis also supplies a range of accessories to keep your wind-reading setup optimized over time. An extension arm extends your WindTrak 10 Sport or WindTrak 15 vane away from masthead obstructions, with a 13-inch arm that comes with hardware for side or top mounting. The J-Base™ can be ordered as an option for WindTrak 15, allowing for side, top, or front mounting on most masts, on big boats or dinghies alike. Together, these accessories ensure that no matter the rig configuration, you can get the cleanest, most accurate wind readings possible.