Is self steering possible or practical?

[charliehows]

I'd second the suggestions that you try to get some sea-trialling done using the existing AP and managing sails/locking tiller. I've found myself reluctant to make course changes to facilitate the efficient function of windvane/sail balance on quite long runs on the coast, particularly when the wind is on my aft quarter on a direct course – I know I can set the windvane, run off a bit and douse the main and mizzen, but with everything up she just belts along, so I end up hauling on the wheel just to make the way. If it were a longer run, one would make the adjustments.

[Epikur]

Do it like Slcum:

Sheet to tiller.

[Buzzman]

Self-steering by John Letcher in PDF format on my cloud storage site here:

Full book (lo res):
self-steering-for-sailing-craft-by-john-s-letcher-jr-small

Chapter 3 only (hi res):
Self-Steering for Sailing Craft by John S Letcher jr Chapter 3


You could also google Walt Murray, who drew several DIY designs for windvanes that have been successfully adopted.

I found a couple of sites with loads of pics of 'how-to' do the Walt Murray windvanes.

[Capt. Ray]

You can't make a schooner self-steer with the wind aft of the beam without a very clever rig, and some will never do it.

Is this boat's steering hydraulic? You probably need a Saye's Rig.

[Sylph VI]

A beautiful boat.
As usual, lots of opinions and good suggestions. I can also recommend a Hydrovane. I have a similar overhang but a narrower transom and found the Hydrovane works well. A number of boats in the recent Golden Globe Race had them and they proved very reliable. I have had one for over twenty years and completed one and a half circumnavigations to date. I prefer a windvane over autopilots primarily because of their simplicity and reliability and the fact that they consume no battery power (I motor as little as possible). The Hydrovane is also excellent in light airs because it has an independent balanced rudder that is near frictionless. I have found if there is enough wind for steerage way then the Hydrovane worls well.
I agree with the comments on boat balance but would wonder whether you categorically cannot get schooner rig to sail down wind with a windvane self steering system. This is a matter of sail balance. Perhaps one might have to put a big reef in the main or even lower it completely, but I would be surprised if you could not balance the rig somehow.
Good luck with the voyaging.
I was going to post a picture of Sylph's stern but due to technical problems have provided a link to an entry in my blog instead.
Where Next? - Back in the drink

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by thataway41

Your Stella Polaris, appears to be a 40' LOA, x 9'6" beam, x 4'8" draft. We successfully used a Hydro Vane on a 38' fin keel, skeg / rudder, about 16,000 lb displacement. For a 55' LOD ketch, full keel, and displacement 65,000#, we choose to use an auto pilot tied into the two station hydraulic steering system. That system handled the boat well even in hurricane force winds, over 40,000 miles of cruising. Charging was either via a generator or main engine, both of which had 150 amp 12 V alternators, and daily running was required to make water, run compressors for eutectic freezing and refer plates. The house battery bank was 1200 amp hours.

If you wanted the Hydro Vane, it only requires 3 transom attachment points, so it is removable when not needed. We don't know which "Autohelm" system you have, since they were made from wheel steering attachments to full hydraulic models which tied into the ship's steering system.

I hope you described Stella Polaris correctly, the photo looked a bit distorted.

There were heaps of different Autohelm APs.

To the OP, if, when you check her out, the AP you have is satisfactory, you can relax a bit. If you really want to be able to make progress without any electrical draw, a windvane might do it for you. [Jim and I have over 75,000 wind vane miles.]

It will not be pretty, hanging off your stern, but, by golly, proof of the pudding is in the eating, and if you want silent, no electrical draw, wind steering --though not precise-- will average just fine, and you'll get where you were headed.

It is a choice. if you will be singlehanding, having wind steering would give you the option of continuing towards your goal, over waiting for things to get better to fix whatever it was that gave the AP hiccups.

Ann

PS. On a very different vessel, ours was an auxiliary rudder type.

[Flextron]

To state then obvious a wind vain only works when their is wind not when motoring for example so you need both. Your boat will sail up wind with out Esther when you balance the sail plan. Looks at gipsy moth for a good example.

[Capt. Ray]

Originally Posted by Flextron

To state then obvious a wind vain only works when their is wind not when motoring for example so you need both. Your boat will sail up wind with out Esther when you balance the sail plan. Looks at gipsy moth for a good example.

Wrong, a windvane will work quite happily when motoring or motor-sailing. I have done both for many sea miles.

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by Capt. Ray

Wrong, a windvane will work quite happily when motoring or motor-sailing. I have done both for many sea miles.

Not always true. Our windvane is useless when motoring. The prop wash over the oar shakes the whole thing to the point I’m afraid I’ll damage it.

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by Buzzman

Self-steering by John Letcher in PDF format on my cloud storage site here:

Full book (lo res):
self-steering-for-sailing-craft-by-john-s-letcher-jr-small

Chapter 3 only (hi res):
Self-Steering for Sailing Craft by John S Letcher jr Chapter 3


You could also google Walt Murray, who drew several DIY designs for windvanes that have been successfully adopted.

I found a couple of sites with loads of pics of 'how-to' do the Walt Murray windvanes.

I actually have Walt's whole wind vane file on Pdf. Just email me at rnewby1@ hotmail.com
I will happily send it along . Happy to keep his dream alive . Walt was a slip mate for a year

[Fi2010]

Wind vanes perform better as the wind increases. The point when an auto pilot starts to fail is usually when a wind vane reaches its peak performance. Lets remember the wind vane is an extra pair of hands to steer your boat. It doesn't require much rest or a bathroom break.

There's pros and cons to the mentioned wind vanes. The Hydrovane weighs approximately 100 lbs. the Monitor a little over 50 lbs. If the Hydrovane is damaged at sea you have to ship it back to make repairs. If you damage the Monitor you can usually repair it yourself. Hydrovane is easy to convert to emergency steering. The Monitor requires a slip on boot for emergency steering. The Hydrovane is built in the UK and the Monitor is built in the USA.

We recommend you talk to the owners of each company when they attend the Annapolis, Seattle, or Southampton UK boat show.