Amanda Knapp
Boat speedometers work by measuring the speed of the water passing by the boat. There are four main types of speedometers: pitot tube, paddle wheel, GPS, and electric sensor. Each type of speedometer is built in a slightly different way to calculate the speed of the boat while it is moving across the water.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Types of speedometers | Pitot tube, paddle wheel, GPS, electric sensor |
| How it works | Measures the speed of the water passing by the boat |
| Pitot tube | Long, thin tube that is open at one end and has a small hole in the other end |
| Pitot tube placement | Open end faces the direction of the water flow |
| Pitot tube function | Measures the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the tube |
| Paddle wheel function | Measures the force of the water passing through the wheel |
| Paddle wheel speed calculation | Based on how fast the wheel is rotating |
| Electric sensor function | Generates an electromagnetic field and measures the voltage created by a conductor passing through the field |
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What You'll Learn
Pitot tube speedometers
A traditional boat speedometer uses a pitot tube to measure the speed of the water passing by the boat. The pitot tube is a long, thin tube that is open at one end and has a small hole in the other end. The tube is placed in the water so that the open end is facing the direction of the water flow. As the water flows past the pitot tube, it creates a pressure difference between the inside and outside of the tube. This pressure difference is proportional to the speed of the water.
A manual pitot tube speedometer relies on a pitometer to get an accurate speed reading. This type of speedometer goes through the hull of the boat and attaches to the bottom of the hull or toons, depending on the type of boat. There are two holes in the tube which is attached to the bottom of the boat.
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Paddle wheel speedometers
There are four main types of boat speedometers: pitot tube, paddle wheel, GPS, and electric sensor.
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GPS speedometers
There are four main types of boat speedometers: pitot tube, paddle wheel, GPS, and electric sensor.
Paddle wheel speedometers work by measuring the force of the water that passes through a paddle wheel. The speed of the boat is determined by how fast the wheel is rotating.
Electromagnetic speed sensors work by generating an electromagnetic field and measuring the voltage created by a conductor passing through the field. The sensor is usually mounted on the side of the hull, with the field perpendicular to the direction of travel. As the boat moves through the water, the conductor (usually a metal plate or wire) is forced through the field, and the resulting voltage is used to determine the speed of the boat. The voltage changes as the speed changes, so the speed can be reported to the boat driver in real-time.
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Electric sensor speedometers
There are four main types of boat speedometers: pitot tube, paddle wheel, GPS, and electric sensor.
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Electromagnetic speed sensors
The voltage changes as the speed changes. Therefore, it can report the speed to the boat driver as the voltage changes in the sensor. Put simply, as the boat increases in speed, the voltage produced increases as well. The changes in voltage will report to the tachometer on the helm.
This type of speedometer differs from the other three in the way the mechanics work. The pitot tube, for example, measures the speed of the water passing by the boat. It is a long, thin tube that is open at one end and has a small hole in the other. The tube is placed in the water so that the open end is facing the direction of the water flow. As the water flows past the pitot tube, it creates a pressure difference between the inside and outside of the tube. This pressure difference is proportional to the speed of the water.
A manual pitot tube speedometer relies on a pitometer to get an accurate speed reading. This type of speedometer goes through the hull of the boat and attaches to the bottom of the hull or toons, depending on the type of boat. There are two holes in the tube which is attached to the bottom of the boat.
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Frequently asked questions
Boat speedometers work by measuring the speed of the water passing by the boat.
There are four main types of speedometers: pitot tube, paddle wheel, GPS, and electric sensor.
A pitot tube speedometer measures the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the tube as water flows past it. This pressure difference is proportional to the speed of the water.
A paddle wheel speedometer measures the force of the water passing through the paddle wheel. The speed of the boat is determined by how fast the wheel is rotating.
An electric sensor speedometer works by generating an electromagnetic field and measuring the voltage created by a conductor passing through the field. As the boat moves through the water, the voltage changes, and this is used to determine the speed of the boat.
