Self-Steering ?

[roverhi]

I've got a WindPilot Pacific Plus on my Pearson 35. It steers the boat way better than the boats rudder does. Unfortunately, it's a problem when I have to steer with the boat's rudder. The P35 is rudder challenged in general use. When the WPPP is disengaged it's locked straight ahead and the boat's rudder has a hell of a time overpowering the WPPP rudder and turning the boat. Pretty much have to use prop torque to turn right, forget left, in tight situations. Expect the vane would work fine on a fin keel, detached rudder boat that responded to steering input way better than my boat.

The WPPP is a great vane and will steer the boat with the slightest way on all the way up to sailing on a reach with a triple reef. I just center the boat's rudder and steer with the vane under way. No fear about the WPPP steering the boat if something should happen the boat's rudder.

[barnakiel]

Yeah, they shoul make a new one where the rudder could be flipped up out of the soup.

Would be nice.

b.

[SkiprJohn]

I think windvane self steering is probably the best thing to have aboard when making long transits. Instead of 3 or 4 crewmembers you can do it with 2. You can lengthen watches easily. If you are not hand steering a 4 hour watch is not hard at all if the weather is moderate.
My preference is monitor.
regards,

[Furface]

Good day everyone

Is there anyone who has made their own wind vane with
good resaults? Would you care to share your ideas?

Furface

[barnakiel]

If you want a back-up for an existing system, I would go for an identical unit with the one in place.

50' is already a bit of a boat for a wind-vane and cc are not very conductive to linked systems. Therefore I would be looking towards a design like Windpilot (the one with its own rudder) or an equivalent.

If you can and like hand-steering having just an autop. will do - if it breaks, you can hand-steer the boat.

b.

[Jim Cate]

G'Day all,

Another vote for windvanes in general, but with a center cockpit layout, the typical servo-pendulum vane requires very long lines between the wheel and the pendulum. Often multiple turning blocks are required as well, and all of this kit leads to friction losses and excess free play due to stretch... all bad news. So, for such a boat the auxilary rudder type vane (Hydrovane, Sailomat, Wind Pilot, and Autohelm (vane, not autopilot)) types have great advantages. In particular, the Autohelm vane drives the trimtab on the aux rudder via push-pull cables, and the air vane can be offset to possibly avoid the mizzen boom.

Good luck with your decision.

Cheers,
Jim and Ann s/v Insatiable II lying Towlers Bay, NSW, Oz

[seasnake]

Hi Redbreast. I have a hydrovane on my Rival 32. She is a heavy boat for her size, but the steering unit has no trouble keeping her under control in any conditions - light airs or howling gale. I would never put to sea without one.

[daddle]

I'd go with the 2nd electric autopilot. The windvane has such limited use. I have a Sailomat which functions well, doesn't take up much room, stores down below, and doesn't need a transom hole or look like an oil derrick. But it's not worth taking along.

Downwind my boat is fast, there's not enough apparent wind to control the vane. Reaching in moderate weather is the only useful situation but the boat will sail just as well with a bungee cord holding the helm. To weather it's just not accurate enough for this ex-racer. Since my boat is light and responsive the electric helm takes very little power.

Basically it's just a bunch of little used hardware cluttering up the boat. On a heavy slow cruiser it may make sense. I carry a real spare rudder, too.