Mouting Aries Windvane

[Jmord]

I will be installing an Aries standard windvane on my Islander later this week and using the bent tube/ transom mount approach.
Mounting instructions at the Ariesvane site call for 1 inch thick Iroko backing blocks. I would like to consider using 3/4 inch plywood saturated with epoxy. Instead of 4 separate blocks, I would use two 5” wide strips spanning 3ft or so across the inside of the transom… and why not tab those strips to the transom.
Any thoughts? Thanks!

[Terra Nova]

Plywood is fine. No need to tab--just bed in 5200.

[roverhi]

The vane has very little load on it. Large backing blocks aren't really needed. Epoxy saturated plywood blocks will work fine. Using large pieces of plywood running across the transome is not necessary. if you want to bed them in epoxy, go for it but any 'Poly' sealant will do the job.

FWIW, my auxillary rudder windvane that actually steers the boat so is highly loaded has approximately 6" square 1/4" thick fiberglass backing plates sealed with LifeCaulk and has worked fine.

[Jmord]

Thanks guys. I had a feeling I might be overthinking it. I've another question about a homemade wheel drum. Posting tonight.

[olaf hart]

If you are making a wheel drum, it can be fixed to the wheel if you have a quick way of slacking off the rope tension.

I ran the rope through a double block on a tail to a cam cleat, you adjust the tension on the drum by pressure on the tail.

[Jmord]

Olaf. That is the kind of solution I am looking for. Trying to conceptualize it... I think I get it. Thanks!

[olaf hart]

Sorry I don't have any pics, but you need turning blocks if you use a wheel, just use them to tension the line with some sort of quick release.

[ausnp84]

How'd your install go?

We used the bent tube method and u-bolted the tubes to our transom (steel boat).

One thing I would add is whilst the vane isn't that heavily loaded, if you don't have the lift up model the rudder blade will shake like buggery while you're motoring. Either find an easy way of removing the rudder when it's not needed or toughen up the mounts just a wee bit to count for this.

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