Can all, or only some, self steering devices be mounted off-centre?

I use a Hebridean on my Parker 21, which has a similar rudder and stock, and it works well. Also there's at least one Parker 27 with a Hebridean:
I did have to make up a bracket (sorry, no photos) but that was only a small part of making the whole thing!
 
Fredrussel, PM sent..

Self Steering Under Sail by Peter Förthmann is the bible on this subject, free to download in PDF format.
 
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Because of the geometry used with self steering I’m not sure any would work successfully off axis, but I could be proved wrong.
On my last boat I had a Plastimo Navik self steering which was absolutely brilliant, and ideal for boats around the 25-30’ mark and aft slung rudders, I rather regret letting it go with the boat. Unfortunately the Navik has been discontinued for some time but they do come up on the used market now and again.
 
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You mention that your tiller pilot needs lots of adjustment. Are you sure that you are. It reacting to the situation before it’s had chance to?

Re your stern. I’m sure Lee at Seafeather has a off the shelf (adjustable) bracket that should fit.
 
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Ohlin Karcher said:
So Hydrovane and Cape Horn types can be fitted a little bit off centre..you could, in theory, fit any wind vane off centre..but this method will obviously work differently on port or starboard tack (one will be worse), so why not use a bracket, and fit the wind vane on the centre line like 90% of installations? I'm probably missing something, I don't see what though.. maybe liferafts, boarding ladders, other stuff stowed in/on sugar scoops could be awkward to use?
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Dont quite see why one will work better on a particular tack. I have a Windy gear and the maker advised me to connect the operating arm to an extension from the gunwale (retractable) on the offset side and to a point just inside the gunwale on the other side. Sails the boat OK. but there is a bit of a problem having it offset, namely the paddle is moe effected by the wake on the non offset side and sets up a vibration which is proving difficult to suppress. Work in progress!
 
Here’s a video of an Autosteer system on my transom hung rudder Nicholson 26.

As you can see the windvane is offset from the centreline. Was available in trim-tab or servo-pendulum variants.
 
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Cheers for all the info folks. One more question please: my lift keel boat dries out upright, with a lifting rudder to suit. Do the various self steering devices mentioned in this thread have the ability to lift or fold clear of the water? It’s rare that I dry the boat out, but I would like to retain that option.
 
fredrussell said:
Cheers for all the info folks. One more question please: my lift keel boat dries out upright, with a lifting rudder to suit. Do the various self steering devices mentioned in this thread have the ability to lift or fold clear of the water? It’s rare that I dry the boat out, but I would like to retain that option.
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I would look at a Navik windvane too, if for no other reason as I had one and it worked very successfully indeed on my folkboat. transom hung rudder and I mounted it above the rudder. The leg of which can fold up quite easily - I did so everytime I anchored / left the boat for any period to prevent fouling.

After using both an autohelm and also a windvane, there is no contest, the windvane works so much better. Once course and sails set, the tell tails may as well have been painted on the sails!
 
I would be wary of a hydrovane as it requires the main rudder to be set & assumes that the boat can steer a fairly straight course with that. The hydrovane then making adjustments as required. Your seal 26 will not (at least I doubt it) hold a straight course for long without lots of rudder attention. This may be too much for the hydrovane to constantly cope with.
I would question how it would work if alongside the main rudder, rather than behind it- perhaps some forumites with that setup can comment. ( Ie what happens when the blade wants to turn towards the main rudder -thus closing the gap- Can it successfully force against the flow against the main rudder pushing to oppose it)

I also would point out that the video shown a couple of posts ago is on a Nicholson. I believe that this is far more directionally stable than your boat- am I correct? - That means that a vane will have to work harder on your boat.

I have had Simrad TP30, 2 Raymarine T2000, & now have an Av100 the Raymarines are poor & the AV100 is a death trap.

I have an Aeries lift up model & my comment is that you will have to watch weight. Any unit you use will add weight to the stern so get something lighter rather than heavier. It will be a trade off in terms of robustness but should not be too much of an issue, if you take care. A friend of mine has a Navik on a Leisure 28 & speaks highly of it
 
Mister Vee might be worth looking into.

I fitted a Y&B model to my Kingfisher 26 and it works a treat steering-wise (apart from dead-downwind, which is a problem for any such system I believe - could be a function of the boat, which is not the nimblest and quickest to respond to helm).

Not the sleekest looking device out there, but a lot less expensive (at least when I bought it). No fragility issues for me (UK coastal cruising).

Biggest hassles are re-fitting the removable water vane (need to lean out the stern) and wind vane at the start of the trip.
Good customer support. Can't see that offsetting would affect performance.
 
Will look at Mister Vee ones too then. Naviks seem to be the best value (or at least the cheapest, which I realise is not the same thing). The last one on eBay went for £450 allegedly in good working order and complete.
 
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For a Seal, which is pretty much a bit dinghy, I'd have thought that the helm would be so light that a tillerpilot would cope well. A TP plus solar panel is going to be an easier option than a windvane. And I say that as a fan of windvanes!

I still have my Navik which is too small for my current boat. ... really ought to put it up for sale. ..
 
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