Aries Windvane - how much should I pay!

[oxman]

I have been offered a reconditioned Aries windvane steering for £1500 - is this a reasonable price?

 

[oldvarnish]

If it has been reconditioned in the sense that it is as good as new, that seems a reasonable price. If you were to buy a new Monitor or a Hydrovane you're somewhere close to 3K at least.
Go for it.

 

[Ariadne]

I think the going price is around £1000.00, maybe a bit more if its in good nick. There is 1 for sale on the OCC website for 1200.00€, which is what I was asking for mine when I thought I might sell it.

Make sure its been properly serviced though. Mine had, but never worked -then I found out the shaft had been put in backwards and bent!!

Anyway, if you contact Helen (Franklin? her father build them) down in Flamouth she'll be happy to help you out with info over the phone and supply spare parts. We got ours rebuilt for less the £600.00 well worth the money, she often knows where there is one for sale at good prices as well!

Website is here with contact info. http://www.ariesvane.com/index.html

Good luck

 

[JayBee]

The Aries has been manufactured in Denmark for some considerable time. Peter Mathieson took over the business from Nick Franklin, made some improvements to the gear and metricated all the nuts and bolts.

Website here:

http://selfsteer.dk/

 

[TradewindSailor]

There are a few different models .... so it depends which one your talking about.

I have the lift-up model ...... excellent unit .... but some parts can be hard to come by.

There is also (I believe) an all-bronze model, one of the earlier ones.

Provided you can get parts, and its well re-conditioned then £2000 would be fair. I think £1000 is cheap ..... so check that parts are still available as the lack of availability of some castings could make you unit useless if it gets damaged.

My unit is well made and remains in good condition. The best crew member I've ever had

 

[oldfatgit]

Here is a second hand one to compare http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ARIES-WINDVAN...tEquipment_Accessories_SM?hash=item1c0ff601ca

 

[TradewindSailor]

Here is a second hand one to compare http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ARIES-WINDVAN...tEquipment_Accessories_SM?hash=item1c0ff601ca

That looks like an old bronze one ...... probably still good, but may be Mike's original design. You should check whether parts are still available, or whether they can be fabricated.

 

[Ubergeekian]

That looks like an old bronze one ...... probably still good, but may be Mike's original design. You should check whether parts are still available, or whether they can be fabricated.

There's a summary of parts availability for the various models here: http://www.ariesvane.com/products.html

 

[Wandering Star]

I think the going price is around £1000.00, maybe a bit more if its in good nick.

Yes, thats about what I'd expect to pay for a complete gear in good condition. A brand new system from Aries in Denmark is only about £2.2k. I agree with the comments from a later poster re the eBay link, I didn't even recognise it as an Aries initially but yes, I think it's an Aries MK1. I'd only bid on that auctiion if I wanted to showcase it, not to use it, might as well pay the same amount or less for a more recent and improved version!

If you link to www.selfsteer.dk there are a couple of videos of the thing in use. I've always used an Aries on my boats much preferring it to the Hydrovane though that's a personal preference, the Hydrovane has a good following too! The one benefit I can see for the Hydrovane is that it can be adapted to be used as an emergency rudder which is a big consideration, but in my experience the course holding qualities of the servo pendulum Aries, is superior to the Hydrovane, and that's ultimately what it's there for!

Comparison between the Aries and Hydrovane can sometimes raise blood pressures on these forums so may I offer my apologies to anyone I've upset for what are only my personal opinions.

Cheers, Brian.

 

[Ariadne]

Helen was still repairing Aries made by them three years ago, and still had a huge pile of spares available, shafts blades the whole lot. The Denmark model is all metric so some of the spares are not compatible with the original models, that's what she told me. They still have a rebuild kit for sale, which contains all the bits you need for a major overhaul; they'll post this globally as well. I've phoned for advice on problems a few times now and she has always been very helpful.

If you are still going for one then I'd give her ring to see if she either has one there, or knows of one for sale. She had access to 3 when I saw her last, so you never know.

 

[oxman]

Thanks

Thaks for all of your comments.

It is an early model, though not bronze, and appears to have been fully reconditioned with a spare parts kit.

I will make my offer!

 

[TradewindSailor]

The original Aries was tempremental in heavy weather according to the Danish web site ..... so be warned

 

[Bosun Higgs]

Often wondered about these systems and why the modern ocean racers only ever used electronic self steering.

 

[Georgio]

Often wondered about these systems and why the modern ocean racers only ever used electronic self steering.

The simple answer is that they are not suitable for ultra-light displacement boats that can quickly accelerate to high speeds that effect apparent wind angle. For the rest of us (I have a Windpilot Pacific on a Co32) they are perfect!

 

[Sahula]

Aries wind vane

I have been offered a reconditioned Aries windvane steering for £1500 - is this a reasonable price?

I understand there is a less expensive one in good condition for 1200 pounds on blogspot.com
Enjoy your sailing

 

[macd]

The simple answer is that they are not suitable for ultra-light displacement boats that can quickly accelerate to high speeds that effect apparent wind angle. For the rest of us (I have a Windpilot Pacific on a Co32) they are perfect!

+1, except I'd make that grossly affect apparent wind angle.

Even with relatively ponderous cruising craft, one of the first things you discover with any wind vane is that the apparent wind angle where the vane is (2m or so above sea level) is very different from that at the masthead. Obviously the faster you go, the more pronounced the effect. Peter Forthmann deals with their unsuitability for ocean racers in his free book on the Windpilot web site.