Hydrovane and Sadler 32

[Champagne Murphy]

I'm interested in the idea of fitting a hydrovane self steer to our Sadler 32, largely because of the falibilities inherent in electrical tiller pilot systems.
Does anyone have any experience of this combination?

Thanks in advance

 

[Motor_Sailor]

My advice if you are looking for a secondhand unit is not to limit yourself to Hydrovane. They work but so do Monitor, WIndpilot, Aries, etc. Each has their particular advantages and some might suit your circumstances better than others.

You'll get more choice if you spread your net wider. Find an available unit and then decide does its qualities and price give you the power free steering you desire.

 

[Champagne Murphy]

The obvious advantage of Hydrovane (as I see it) is the 'emergency rudder' aspect. Also it (they say) can be mounted off centre which, on a Sadler 32 , is a big advantage as there is a centre mounted boarding ladder to water level.
I'm not absolutely definite on the type, rather I'm interested in S 32 owners experience. And yes, I know there is a Sadler forum but its now limited to members I think. (Anticipation!)

 

[vyv_cox]

The obvious advantage of Hydrovane (as I see it) is the 'emergency rudder' aspect. Also it (they say) can be mounted off centre which, on a Sadler 32 , is a big advantage as there is a centre mounted boarding ladder to water level.
I'm not absolutely definite on the type, rather I'm interested in S 32 owners experience. And yes, I know there is a Sadler forum but its now limited to members I think. (Anticipation!)

I fitted a Windpilot to a Sadler 34 with great success. I overcame the central ladder problem by moving it sideways although the narrow transom of a 32 may prevent this.

The SSOA forum is not limited to members of the Association. I understand that there has been considerable debate on the subject but no change was made. (I am not a member)

 

[Champagne Murphy]

I fitted a Windpilot to a Sadler 34 with great success. I overcame the central ladder problem by moving it sideways although the narrow transom of a 32 may prevent this.

The SSOA forum is not limited to members of the Association. I understand that there has been considerable debate on the subject but no change was made. (I am not a member)

Cheers Vyv

 

[afterpegassus]

I have a Neptune.
It was very easy to install and the boarding ladder remains useable after the vane is removed.
Removal of the unit is simple and done by undoing one Allen screw. This leaves the mount on the transom which projects a short way into the rungs but is not really a problem.

 

[MM5AHO]

I recently installed a Sea Feather (UK made), on a Rival 32, and am very please with the engineering, the performance and the price.

 

[rob2]

Of all the gears mentioned so far, the Hydrovane is the only one that isn't a servo pendulum design. The Hydrovane will not be as powerful as a servo pendulum, but many cruising people have reported that it is more than adequate even downwind - though may not be as true with a modern, large mainsail, fractional rig as the apparent wind may prove insufficient with the wind abaft the beam.

I only mention this as, although it has a respectable turn of speed, the Sadler should be OK with a Hydrovane unless you're shy of a run with a powerful assymetric flying!

Rob.

 

[Champagne Murphy]

Of all the gears mentioned so far, the Hydrovane is the only one that isn't a servo pendulum design. The Hydrovane will not be as powerful as a servo pendulum, but many cruising people have reported that it is more than adequate even downwind - though may not be as true with a modern, large mainsail, fractional rig as the apparent wind may prove insufficient with the wind abaft the beam.

I only mention this as, although it has a respectable turn of speed, the Sadler should be OK with a Hydrovane unless you're shy of a run with a powerful assymetric flying!

Rob.

I'm shy of any kind of chute!

 

[Fr J Hackett]

One good thing is that you can use a small tiller pilot ram to control the Hydrovane.

 

[macd]

One good thing is that you can use a small tiller pilot ram to control the Hydrovane.

...as you can with a servo-pendulum system.

 

[KellysEye]

>The Hydrovane will not be as powerful as a servo pendulum, but many cruising people have reported that it is more than adequate even downwind - though may not be as true with a modern, large mainsail, fractional rig as the apparent wind may prove insufficient with the wind abaft the beam.

Our Hydrovane was powerful enough to steer our 15 ton heavy displacement steel ketch in any wind direction and sea direction, including heavy weather conditions - the worst were 50 knots 10 foot waves with 12 foot swells on top. It worked well.

> only mention this as, although it has a respectable turn of speed, the Sadler should be OK with a Hydrovane unless you're shy of a run with a powerful assymetric flying!

A Hydrovane will handle any spinnaker and what we had a twin headsail Twistle rig which you can reef and don't have to take down if the wind gets too strong. These are the reasons that the majority of long distance sailing boats have Hydrovanes, it's worth looking at their site http://hydrovane.com/features/

 

[geem]

>The Hydrovane will not be as powerful as a servo pendulum, but many cruising people have reported that it is more than adequate even downwind - though may not be as true with a modern, large mainsail, fractional rig as the apparent wind may prove insufficient with the wind abaft the beam.

Our Hydrovane was powerful enough to steer our 15 ton heavy displacement steel ketch in any wind direction and sea direction, including heavy weather conditions - the worst were 50 knots 10 foot waves with 12 foot swells on top. It worked well.

> only mention this as, although it has a respectable turn of speed, the Sadler should be OK with a Hydrovane unless you're shy of a run with a powerful assymetric flying!

A Hydrovane will handle any spinnaker and what we had a twin headsail Twistle rig which you can reef and don't have to take down if the wind gets too strong. These are the reasons that the majority of long distance sailing boats have Hydrovanes, it's worth looking at their site http://hydrovane.com/features/

I am certain that Hydrovames are not in the majority of international long distance sailors. Certainly in my experience I see more Windpilots than anything else. Brits and Americans have their fair share of Hydrovanes but most other European boats go Windpilot. The other popular system on American boats is the Monitor. From what I can see they all work pretty well once you have worked out the quirks of a particular boat

 

[Wandering Star]

These are the reasons that the majority of long distance sailing boats have Hydrovanes

Time & again you make this statement as fact but what evidence can you produce to back up the claim? I would claim servo pendulum models of windvane steering gears to be far in excess of vertical axis models. In particular I'd claim Aries and Monitor models individually number far in excess of Hydrovanes.

I've sailed lots of different boats with lots of different steering systems and servo pendulum systems are far superior in my opinion. Yes, the Hydrovane can be mounted off centre which could be an advantage and the advantage of emergency steering is a big one but (for e.g) the Monitor also has this option too. But really I'm not slagging off the Hydrovane, it just grates when you keep making the claim Hydrovane gears outnumber any other model of self steering gear - I don't believe it and I'd like to see evidence of your claim.

 

[Motor_Sailor]

Time & again you make this statement as fact but what evidence can you produce to back up the claim? I would claim servo pendulum models of windvane steering gears to be far in excess of vertical axis models. In particular I'd claim Aries and Monitor models individually number far in excess of Hydrovanes.

I've sailed lots of different boats with lots of different steering systems and servo pendulum systems are far superior in my opinion. Yes, the Hydrovane can be mounted off centre which could be an advantage and the advantage of emergency steering is a big one but (for e.g) the Monitor also has this option too. But really I'm not slagging off the Hydrovane, it just grates when you keep making the claim Hydrovane gears outnumber any other model of self steering gear - I don't believe it and I'd like to see evidence of your claim.

I would have written that if I had more energy!

The choice of windvane is to some degree quite nationalistic or parochial. The Brits show some preference for the Hydrovane and traditionally the Aries, the Continentals the Windpilots and the Americans their Monitor. I guess traditionally they've been the ones who advertise in their press and attend their country's boatshows.

 

[Daydream believer]

The main thing I would be concerned about with the Hydrovane is that i relies on the main rudder being locked off in a position that leave the boat in a " balanced" state.
The vane then provides a small amount of trim to supliment this.
If you have tried hooking the helm with an electric autopilot & then turning it off so the helm is locked & see how long the boat holds its course you can get an idea of how much extra trimming it is likely to need. One might also get an idea how much rudder balance is needed from how hard an electric autopilot may have to work on certain points of sailing. A beam sea in heavy weather being the hardest. If it needs wide movement of the helm it is not good.

On my boat(31ft) the Raymarine AV100 cannot cope with a beam sea in a F6 ( veers off up to 70 degrees then cuts off) so i doubt that locking the tiller & expecting a Hydrovane to provide the extra trim will be any good.
However, my Aeries does give loads of power & I normally prefer it instead of the autopilot as it will pull the boat back on course. Albeit a bit squirily.
That being said , if I had a new one I might go for a Monitor- being lighter-( I have a heavy lift up pattern)

I also note that lots of Dutch & German sailors use the Windpilot & I have spoken to quite a few who say that they are good

 

[Tranona]

Time & again you make this statement as fact but what evidence can you produce to back up the claim? I would claim servo pendulum models of windvane steering gears to be far in excess of vertical axis models. In particular I'd claim Aries and Monitor models individually number far in excess of Hydrovanes.

I've sailed lots of different boats with lots of different steering systems and servo pendulum systems are far superior in my opinion. Yes, the Hydrovane can be mounted off centre which could be an advantage and the advantage of emergency steering is a big one but (for e.g) the Monitor also has this option too. But really I'm not slagging off the Hydrovane, it just grates when you keep making the claim Hydrovane gears outnumber any other model of self steering gear - I don't believe it and I'd like to see evidence of your claim.

He is well known on here for making unsubstantiated or untrue claims, despite being corrected each time he does it. He never has any evidence - seems that him just saying it makes it true!

Best to ignore.

 

[vyv_cox]

I am certain that Hydrovames are not in the majority of international long distance sailors. Certainly in my experience I see more Windpilots than anything else. Brits and Americans have their fair share of Hydrovanes but most other European boats go Windpilot. The other popular system on American boats is the Monitor. From what I can see they all work pretty well once you have worked out the quirks of a particular boat

I recall that YM carried out a survey of wind steering systems used by ARC sailors, something like 10 years ago. I know that Windpilot was the most numerous in that survey, noted because I had one at that time.

 

[KellysEye]

>I am certain that Hydrovames are not in the majority of international long distance sailors.

We spent six and a half years with a mix of long distance sailing and sailing around the Caribbean and the majority of windvanes were Hydrovane. We never saw an American boat with a windvane they island hop to the Caribbean. The European boats we saw, the majority being Scandinavian and French, mostly didn't have windvane and the few we saw were mainly Aries one of which was solid caused by dissimilar metals.

 

[H35]

We spent six and a half years with a mix of long distance sailing and sailing around the Caribbean and the majority of windvanes were Hydrovane. We never saw an American boat with a windvane they island hop to the Caribbean. The European boats we saw, the majority being Scandinavian and French, mostly didn't have windvane and the few we saw were mainly Aries one of which was solid caused by dissimilar metals.

Exactly what does this mean??

1. MOST of the windvanes you saw were Hydrovanes
2. You didn't see any US boats with a windvane
3. Most of the Europeans you saw didn't have windvanes, and the ones you saw were Aries.

It leaves me wondering then, WHO had Hydrovanes??