Barometers, clinometers and other measuring instruments provide information on weather conditions, vessel heel and the surrounding environment. Aneroid barometers measure atmospheric pressure and allow changes in pressure to be monitored over time. Clinometers indicate the vessel’s angle of heel. Depending on the design, this is shown by a liquid tube or pointer, while versions with drag pointers additionally record the maximum angle reached.
TOPLICHT also supplies psychrometers for determining relative humidity. These instruments compare readings from a dry and a wetted thermometer; hygrometric tables are then used to calculate relative humidity and dew point. Hand-held anemometers measure wind speed and provide readings in Beaufort, knots, metres per second and kilometres per hour. Water thermometers can be used to check the temperature of water samples as well as the surrounding air.
For commercial shipping, the range also includes a hydrometer or salinometer for measuring seawater density. This value is relevant, among other purposes, when assessing a loaded vessel’s immersion and freeboard. Depending on their function, the instruments are designed either for permanent installation on board or for portable measurements at different locations.
