Autopilot or windvane?

We have both

We always sail shorthanded and bought a Windpilot Pacific Plus and an autopilot. It worked amazingly well on our first Atlantic crossing and handled 50kt winds no problem downwind. We went up by 10ft in length and same windpilot now steers our 47 ft boat, atlhough we do remove it when not doing long passages and store it on the boat. Crossing the Atlantic this time using windvane alone with our solar, towed and wind power we never had to run the engine to charge.
 
Re: You will find

I always though the idea was to avoid surfing when short handed, fine for racing with full crew but not a cruising tactic. On using windvanes close to land they work fine even short taking up a river and should bring the boat about nice and gently with time to tend the sheets. You do have to keep and active watch for wind changes but then in coastal waters you do anyway because of shipping. The budget option has to be wind pilot plus autohelm 1000 attached as it will do it all. An electric pilot you could rely on as the sole pilot would have to be a really solid below deck job and they are far more expensive. I keep hearing rumours about Navik pilots being discontinued but they still keep appearing in th Plastimo catalogue and checking with them last year there was certainly no plan to drop them. Would thoughally recomend them for smaller boats (I am 35ft, 7T and works fine)
 
Re: You will find

>I always though the idea was to avoid surfing when short handed,

Agree, I wasn't advocating surfing in a short handed cruising boat just pointing out that singlehanded round the world racers (in surfing boats) have used windvanes. Indeed we purposely bought a boat that won't surf.

However not all have the same view. We are friends with a Dutch couple who have a fifty something foot Sundeer ketch. It was designed as a cruising boat by an experienced cruising couple and surfs at over 20 knots.
 
I\'m sure

you feel you're right.

I had a Mk II Autohelm in 1980, which quite comfortably steered to the wind - however I'm sure you'll be able to prove that some single-handed round the worlders used wind-pilots, (Moitiessier did) but I think you'll be hard-pressed to find one who used them regularly on a surfing boat.
 
Re: I\'m sure

Monitor should be proud ??.. well yes, they offered a great sponsorship deal.. so got known for that.. and yes, its a good place to try it out.. but clever marketting does not ther best equipment maketh....

Oh, the consumerist society and the marketting gods previal... /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 
Re: I\'m sure

Capt Slarty,

I'm not going to get into a my vane is better than yours contest, however.

There is a good reason that Monitors have long been the first choice of long distance sailors because they work well. They are, after all, a stainless version of the Aries. As for consumerism you clearly have never met the guys that run Monitor, they are so laid back they're almost horizontal....
 
Re: I\'m sure

Hi Chris.. read it in the morning.. your smoke sounds better than mine /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Hans

is very proud of the fact that the Monitor has been round the Horn more frequently than any other wind-vane.

As my original point was about the suitability of windvanes for surfing boats - I do perceive a degree of drift.

I will reiterate my point, even the makers will not recommend their windvanes for surfing conditions.

That some have successfully surfed their boats, with the wind about 15 degrees either side of the aft centreline is totally feasible.

For those who value their insurers covering them, it is indeed inadvisable to try and claim any gear carried away whilst using a windvane for a displacement boat at greater than displacement speeds.

It is a matter of public record that one manufacturer has specifically stated that windvanes are unsuitable for surfing conditions and I doubt that anyone can provide authoritative evidence, in print, to the contrary.

If an individual skipper decides to use his windvane at high speeds, that is his prerogative - just as not bothering with a deck watch or going the wrong way down a TSS.
 
Re: Hans

Both!

I have an original Aries, which although now is a little high maintenance I wouldn't be without. Have used it for coastal sailing as I don't like the noise of the Robertson Autohelm and its associated 1.5Hp motor! But saying that its horses for courses as they say. Used the Autohelm on many coastal sails as well, and always use it under power. It also links into the GPS set and steers to waypoints if I'm feeling lucky!

Like the idea of the Tiller pilot attached to the wind vane though. Anybody posted the set up yet?
 
I have to agree with Slartycaptain on the La Coruna, spent many weeks there, great place not just a quick stop.

On autopilot/helms it's often down to how you set your boat up that effects them. My last boat would steer herself happily upwind for hours with neither or a bungee cord on the steering. Balance the boat and sails first helps.

I have been amazed at how good ST6000 systems are as they learn the reaction time in waves and get better, but you do need spares or at least strip them down and check everything before a passage, they do fail but in my experience not often.

On the issue of power, a towed generator is a must for me now. Excess power running the fridge all the time (cold) never having to use the engine to charge batteries at the same time running the autohelm, lights, laptop etc. I don't think we ever had to use the engine to charge batteries in over a year of cruising.

Have a good trip, I'm sure you will whatever kit or boat you end up with.
 
On a slight side issue, towed generators. We've found that as well as providing power they also steady the stern in a big following sea. This helps reduce severe yawing with both the windvane or autopilot
 
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