Algorithms, automation, and security that turn your sailing data into reliable, comparable insights—without the complexity.
Vantage supports wind sensors when you have them; the algorithm is used only when no wind sensor data is available, so you can get full analytics from GPS alone.
The algorithm computes true wind direction (TWD) and true wind speed (TWS) from your GPS and boat data using physical constraints and class-specific polar diagrams. Those polars act as a guardrail: the estimated wind is kept consistent with the expected performance of your boat, so the result is a plausible, continuous time series of TWD and TWS over the whole activity. It detects both major and minor wind shifts without any wind sensor—so you can get meaningful performance analytics from a simple GPS device alone. The only inputs we need are the boat class and a general wind strength band (e.g. Very Light, Light, Medium, Strong, or Very Strong); no manual wind entry is required.
When sensor data is present we use it; the algorithm is for sessions where no wind sensor is available. Below is how the algorithmic approach differs from using a masthead wind sensor.
Things to note when using a wind sensor
A masthead anemometer measures apparent wind distorted by the rig, sails, heel, and mast motion—not undisturbed wind. Effects like sail deflection (“upwash”) can bias readings. Our approach infers wind from the boat’s dynamics and performance constraints, so the estimate is consistent with what the boat is actually doing rather than a single measurement in a disturbed region.
Even with a sensor, displayed true wind is typically derived from apparent wind, boat speed, and heading via vector relationships—so the comparison is often one derivation vs another. Our pipeline produces a TWD time series that stays physically plausible across legs and maneuvers, with different assumptions and handling of disturbances and transients.
Tacks and gybes cause rapid changes in attitude and flow; masthead motion can make true wind hard to reconstruct. We use a probabilistic model with physical constraints so large TWD jumps during maneuvers are not always treated as real wind shifts, reducing bias in the time series while preserving real shifts.
Equal boat states produce equal wind estimates, which supports consistent comparison—between boats, across days, or across trims in one session. A masthead sensor can vary with installation and local airflow, so two boats in the same wind may read differently. Our model is statistically stable under bias and repeatable.
Automatic detection of maneuvers, upwind and downwind segments, and straight-line sailing. Speed and maneuver metrics are ready as soon as your activity is uploaded—no manual tagging required.
Learn more in Getting StartedUse the device of your choice: in-app recording, Vakaros, Sailmon, Garmin (including automatic uploads), or GPX files. Your data flows in with minimal friction and is analyzed immediately.
Recording & importingVantage runs on iOS, Android, and Mac (desktop). Your data syncs across devices so you can record on the water and analyze on a larger screen—or the other way around.
DownloadData is encrypted at rest (AES-256) and in transit (TLS), with row-level data security so your performance data stays isolated and protected.
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