Based on available GPS technology, a small, easy to handle and easy to deploy wave buoy has been developed. This 'mini buoy' is an ideal tool for the monitoring of sea state during short-term marine operations. It also opens up additional wave measuring opportunities, a fascinating example of which is the swift deployment of a mini buoy from a helicopter just before the arrival of a hurricane. In the design of such a small GPS-based buoy, issues such as seawater washing over the buoy, mooring forces and wind drag on the antenna all pose their particular challenge to the development and operation of the buoy. This paper focuses on the hydrodynamic response and its consequences for the design of the buoy. One hydrodynamic aspect is the undesired heave resonance of the hull, another being the pitch-roll resonance. It is shown how these challenges were met, resulting in a well-balanced design.
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