bumblefish
Active member
Does anyone have any experience of this piece of equipment? Unique design I think and looks simple enough.
Cape Horn self steering
- Thread starter bumblefish
- Start date
Jake
N/A
Hi Bumblefish
Alas, no - but as you say it does look very robust. I think the abuse it's had during the designers circumnavigation should recommend it. We recently tried out a SeaFeather against a Navik on PBO. SeaFeather had the edge becasue it was built by an enthusiast (and very good engineer) who had proven it with repeated design improvements. I understand that the designer now has an entirely new system which he wants to try.
Thanks for posting the link, though. If you read the bit about '30 years with an Alberg 30', the boat the Cape Horn was tried out on, there is some fascinating stuff about he has modifed the boat for his solo 28,000 (almost non-stop) trip, especially with a collapsible sprayhood (made from stiffened inner tubes so it flattens in a big wave and pops right back up again) and the hanking on of sails. (One remains permanently hanked on, and tied to the guardrail, protected with a recycled boom cover. This means he always has a sail handy, and can still fly different headsails above it when not needed.)
I love the photo of his hammock stretched out on a spinnaker pole, and the huge awning that covers the cockpit above the boom.
Some great ideas there - and the steering gear looks good too.
Think I'm opting for the SeaFeather myself. It really is very easy to use, and is excellent downwind in light airs.
Alas, no - but as you say it does look very robust. I think the abuse it's had during the designers circumnavigation should recommend it. We recently tried out a SeaFeather against a Navik on PBO. SeaFeather had the edge becasue it was built by an enthusiast (and very good engineer) who had proven it with repeated design improvements. I understand that the designer now has an entirely new system which he wants to try.
Thanks for posting the link, though. If you read the bit about '30 years with an Alberg 30', the boat the Cape Horn was tried out on, there is some fascinating stuff about he has modifed the boat for his solo 28,000 (almost non-stop) trip, especially with a collapsible sprayhood (made from stiffened inner tubes so it flattens in a big wave and pops right back up again) and the hanking on of sails. (One remains permanently hanked on, and tied to the guardrail, protected with a recycled boom cover. This means he always has a sail handy, and can still fly different headsails above it when not needed.)
I love the photo of his hammock stretched out on a spinnaker pole, and the huge awning that covers the cockpit above the boom.
Some great ideas there - and the steering gear looks good too.
Think I'm opting for the SeaFeather myself. It really is very easy to use, and is excellent downwind in light airs.
bumblefish
Active member
I am also considering the sea feather, it has been fitted to an Elizabethan 30 already so that should make the installation easier.
Other threads that may be of interest
