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JanekPL · 20-02-2022, 15:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

You may need to pick up two crew if you plan to hand steer. It will probably be cheaper than adding a wind generator or solar power. (If you do decide to take crew, remember to plan for the power consumption of their gear, too. Phones, cameras, computers.) If your present setup can only just barely handle your needs, you may want to upgrade before you leave. It is common to find that what worked with occasional shore side top ups will not support the demands day in and out on passages. One usually goes from colder to warmer, and one's fridge running times increase. Obviously this isn't so if the North Sea is your cruising grounds, for instance, but...is true for North Americans headed south.

For DDW, people have flown twin headsails, and it needs to be rigged sheet to tiller, so that it can correct the course. Locking the helm means the rudder offers no input. Fin keel boats tend to spin around their keel. It's part of what makes tacking easier. People who sail this way get used to it, but it can be pretty rolly.

Incidentally, it is possible to design and fabricate your own wind steerer. My Jim did that, and it steered us thousands of miles. It had been inspired by the autohelm one, an auxiliary rudder type. He got the shape of the ruder cum trim tab from a book on wing design. It may not be the kind of project that interests you to take on, but if you're looking for silent, not power hungry, it is a good way to go.

Ann

Ann, I appreciate this insight, you raise some great points. Just to clarify, though, I am not "planning" to hand steer. Just wondering how a boat behaves sailing with helm brake on. Part of that strategy would be to offload my power supply, though not because it's on the verge of being inadequate, but the main thing is, is it safe?

All significant hardware upgrades are out now and for awhile, so no new batteries, wind vanes, or what have you. Crew is out, sailing solo until late summer. Then 1 or 2 crew, known and reliable (my sons!)

I'd like to experiment with rigging a headsail sheet to the tiller, (and my apology to Cynara, I misinterpreted your earlier comment on this). I think I'll have good opportunity on the passage down to Cabo.