Would you get rid of a self steering wind vane if you had one?

[Pegu Club]

Originally Posted by Akafred

I’ve been readying my boat for cruising and recently priced a couple new wind vanes.. 😱. Needles to say if anyone is getting rid of one to add a ladder or a swim step, I’d say go for it! Then send me the vane. I’ll even pay shipping. Lol.

I’ve never used one but would love to have one...

Keep your eye on Craigslist or other used boat stuff for sale sites, they come up 2nd hand with minor frequency.

Fair winds,

[sailingunity]

Originally Posted by Capn Jimbo

Like so many threads here, this one too has been interesting and worthwhile. Yet to me - considering the varying opinions shared - it would be valuable indeed if the OP would extend the courtesy in return sharing....


1. His decision,

2. His rationale.


This not only seems fair but would be of value to all who took the time to post, and itself would be educational....

We haven't made a decision yet - so many other things going on right now - but we are considering what to do. FWIW here is a post by Totem on the subject: https://www.sailingtotem.com/2015/08...-on-board.html

[joeblake@y7mail]

My wife and I sailed our 49ft steel ketch from Panama to Tasmania via Ecuador, Mexico, French islands, Tonga, Fiji and Vanuatu, roughly 10,000 n.m., with our second-hand Monitor Self-steering wind vane doing all the steering on passages, except for a six days and nights crossing of the Tehuantepec in dead calm. The autopilot used too much current unless the engine was running. The Monitor broke 4 days out from Hiva Oa, our first landfall in the Marquesas, so we hand steered, exciting, but I was falling asleep at the wheel. I strongly vote for wind vanes for passage-making!! The Monitor was brilliant.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Get rid of it. Most of the CF populous have their heads stuck in the 1970s-80’s sand... technology has moved on.

Nice going Kenomac, you've managed to be offensive to almost everyone here, and not for the first time. And you wonder why people seem to pick on you?

[250224]

Originally Posted by Jbaffoh

Of course racing crews don’t use wind vanes. They don’t use autopilot, either. They have full crews and helmsmen.

uh, that's not always like this. For the Mini Transat they have beautiful nke autopilots: https://www.nke-marine-electronics.com/autopilot. And in the Vendee globe a B&G autopilot steers 95 % of the time: https://www.bandg.com/news/autopilot-article. And in the GGR they use nice wind vanes...

[Gerrycooper56]

We had the same issue and removed the self steering. This was based on the reliability of hydraulic autopilots - a previous trip was FL to Australia with only an autopilot and occasional hand steering. We now have dinghy davits and a stern ladder which is great for the admiral.

[Capn Jimbo]

Originally Posted by sailingunity

We haven't made a decision yet - so many other things going on right now - but we are considering what to do. FWIW here is a post by Totem on the subject: https://www.sailingtotem.com/2015/08...-on-board.html

Thanks for the link but I see little comparison with this gentleman consisting spending over $10k plus labor to install a new Monitor with your decision as to retain yours at minimal or no cost.


If you'd care to what are your feelings right based on the many posts shared with you?

[s/v Beth]

Originally Posted by wingssail

Nice going Kenomac, you've managed to be offensive to almost everyone here, and not for the first time. And you wonder why people seem to pick on you?

Don't worry about keno. He was kinda a butt when I left this group 4 years ago and he hasn't really changed. You're got to admire people who never really change. 😂

[Pegu Club]

[QUOTE=sailingunity;2901515]We haven't made a decision yet - so many other things going on right now - but we are considering what to do. FWIW here is a post by Totem on the subject: [url]https://www.sailingtotem.com/2015/08/self-steering-on-board.html.

If your boat is a good deal lighter than theirs, which I think it is, a vane will work just fine on your boat, and heck, you already own it before you remove it, use it a bunch, you may just like it a whole lot. Not saying you should not install an AP of some sort, but having a no amp usage self steering unit is a really good thing.

Fair winds,

[njwilliams449]

A windvane is invaluable. Ours steered us all the way from Southport to Noumea two weeks ago when the autopilot went on the blink two hours into the trip. Without the windvane we would have had to go back for repairs as the conditions were too challenging for 6 days of helming, we would have missed our weather window and would likely have had to abandon the trip as we had already waited weeks. unless you have two autopilots the redundancy is invaluable.

[svresolute]

It would depend on what type of sailing you do or are planning to do. Our Caliber 40 LRC was fitted with a Monitor Wind Vane which we made extensive use of when we sailed to Europe from New York. Our autopilot broke the first night out of Bermuda and the wind vane steered us all the way to the Azores. I don't think we would have made it with only my wife and I aboard. If you are planning on any blue water cruising, I would definitely keep it and learn how to use it.

[Whisper 2]

I endorse the above comments, you don't say how you are using the boat but I would keep it for long journeys. Have you looked at alternative Wind Vanes? Mine is off-set on the transom allowing a central boarding ladder. It is designed to be off-set It's a Hydrovane but they do not come cheap. Good luck.

[Pizzazz]

Originally Posted by Jbaffoh

Have you ever made a 20-day passage? In your own boat? Single or double-handed? It certainly does not sound like it.



You say don’t live in the past, but in the event of a power failure it will be difficult to reach the future with your system offshore. The naiveté is astounding.



It sounds like you’re set up for crossings to Two Harbors on clear days.

I do not fully understand the need for the above remarks but for the record, I do not think I have had a 20 day passage yet. Typically we cross oceans faster, may be because of the autopilot’s more precise steering and our weather routing skills . May be when I take the Hunter across the Pacific, we will see. Also, I have actually disassembled the wheel pilot gearbox and replaced the gears in heavy seas, at night. Trust me, the autopilots have come a long way. Just need to learn how to use it.

To be fair though, in every passage briefing, I say: be prepared to hand steer all the way. It has happened but not as often as people think. We tend to add more weight to our negative experiences, so we spend too much time worrying about rare events.

Happy sailings.
SV Pizzazz

[JDGreenlee]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Get rid of it. Most of the CF populous have their heads stuck in the 1970s-80’s sand... technology has moved on.

To everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven - or something like that. I consider Rhapsody's Scanmar windvane to be one of my top 3 best kit investments before circumnavigating. I removed the autopilot and never looked back. The windvane is annoying while day sailing though. But that comment goes for the watermaker, too, and I wouldn't remove it now either!

[Whisper 2]

Why did you remove your Autopilot?