Selfsteering gear ..

[GILow]

Oh geez Ann. Toughen up. [emoji23]

[Pete7]

For that size of yacht I wonder if a Mister Vee windvane would be suitable at E1500 and from the Netherlands. Certainly at 6.5kg it would suit a smaller yacht and the time frame to have something up, running and tested.

https://windvaneselfsteering.com/

[Yellowtulip]

There's also the Hebridean:
http://windvaneselfsteering.co.uk/
Around £500.

[seandepagnier]

As for building a pendulum wind vane... It is easy to make something, but difficult to make one that works all the time and works well is not. Making the oar light weight is critical for light air performance. Since these units are fixed and mechanical, they are usually not possible to re-tune:

* gain between air vane and to oar
* gain oar to rudder
* stop limits for oar
* stop limits for air vane
* offset or weather helm
* air vane shape and rotation angle
* many more

Most of us do work with a few adjustments on the vane to improve performance in different conditions, but not likely all of them. Even then, the only inputs are the air vane and oar in the water which is a limitation.

It is critical to consider the pendulum vane oar as an input. When it is dragged sideways through the water from wave motion, it corrects immediately regardless of wind. The trim-tab wind vanes cannot do this and it is a significant difference.

An electric autopilot can (in theory) automatically retune all the time, and use a lot more inputs. Despite this, they are usually limited by speed and power compared to a wind vane at least in strong winds when the boat sails fast. The vane is much more powerful than needed to compensate for the fact it is out of tune.

The tiller pilots mostly use a toothed belt which is very noisy. Other designs that use gears instead can be much quieter. I am looking at all sorts of alternatives and possible noise insulation to build a quiet autopilot.

The windshield wiper winch tiller driver makes the loudest sounds from ropes creaking, the same as my wind vane.

[ilenart]

The Golden Globe Race has become a testbed for a whole range of windvanes with the competitors highlighting the good and bad points. A couple of the videos on the GGR Facebook page have also gone into details, with one of the earlier one's showing the workings of a servo pendelum compared to the Hydrovane. The Question & Answer videos have also talked windvane problems and issues One of the competitors even has a Hydrovane and servo pendelum on his stern. Link below.

https://goldengloberace.com

Ilenart

[Foolish]

If you look at this free book on singlehanded sailing:
http://sfbaysss.org/resource/doc/Sin...rdEdition2.pdf
and this video to go with it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PY1qx3PfUS0&t=101s

You will see a sheet to tiller system that works great. It was just used to cross the Pacific.


Have fun!

[Snowpetrel]

Originally Posted by Foolish

If you look at this free book on singlehanded sailing:
http://sfbaysss.org/resource/doc/Sin...rdEdition2.pdf
and this video to go with it:

You will see a sheet to tiller system that works great. It was just used to cross the Pacific.


Have fun!

Nice video Foolish, thanks.

[01kiwijohn]

I use an old Monitor, that I bought, used, some 12 years ago. I carry a spares kit and found that it has only given me trouble one time, when we were tossed, sideways, off a large wave. It jumped a tooth (bronze gear quadrant) but was relatively easy to fix.
Not as accurate as an electric auto helm but there's nothing to hide so you diagnose and fix them anywhere.
I did make a special bracket for it so, under certain conditions, I can steer with a tiller pilot. SInce there's almost no load, that should last almost forever.
On the rudder post, I did make a special adapter so the vane actually steers "backwards", keeping the lines out of the cockpit.

[David Gunn]

We used Wind Pilot (German) across the Atlantic. OK for 1000miles but Sargasso weed sheared the nylon pin on the small rudder and we had to use our electric/hydraulic Coursemaster for the remaining 1000miles.
We expect to use the Wind pilot for the Pacific as no Sargasso weed.
Both excellent autopilots

[AiniA]

We have done close to 40k nm with a Monitor on a boat of 17 tonnes and it was great, not cheap but great. Certainly there are other vanes that are equally good but it is hard to tell just by looking at the. A unit can look just fine and you can see how it (should) work(s) but it does not work well. With a boat of the size you are considering I would try Letcher's methods and see how it works for you. Absolutely critical for any self-steering system is that you must get the sail balance right first.

[Epikur]

Self stearing gear?
- A line
- two pulleys per side of the boat
- a clip

Thats sheet to tiller self stearing. (Only a single post has mentioned it before).
You will find som explanations on the web.

I added three pictures of me crossing over from Norway to Shetland.

[gruffa]

Originally Posted by boat_alexandra

The windshield wiper winch tiller driver makes the loudest sounds from ropes creaking, the same as my wind vane.

What do you use for the controller of your motor?

I have a Raymarine wheel pilot but think the computer works way, way too much to keep a steady course.
Is there any other solutions for programming course keeping and then directing the output to a motor?

[winjamerk]

I have and older Aries Wind vane that I removed from my 40' sailboat when I sold it. It was wheel steered with cables/binnacle. I am looking at a vessel that appears to have worm-gear steering and want info on whether the Aries has been successfully used with this type of steering. Experienced Assistance is appreciated.

[Arthurwg]

I'm considering the purchase of a Krogen 38 CB sailboat. I would like to add a wind vane, probably a Monitor, but have yet to see a mention of that on a Krogen. Any information?

[winjamerk]

My query about worm gear steering has to do with the wheel turns needed to create the desired steering direction. Worm gearing has much more revolutions than cable and I think hydraulic types, so not sure how to make that work. Have sent query to the current Aries outfit in Denmark. If the Krogen has a standard style wheel or tiller steering, most of the wind-steer systems currently available should work. Send your steering and stern details to the self-steer company and ask.