Hydrovane Steering

[tarik]

Evening all,

I have fitted a Hydrovane to the boat, but would very much welcome the opportunity to have a chat with a forum member regarding its capabilities etc.


Please PM me and I'll give you a call.


As always many thanks for all replies.


David

 

[oldvarnish]

I had a Hydrovane on my last boat. With a previous owner it had been to Antarctica and back, and then two trips across the Atlantic with me.
I always thought its capabilities far outweighed mine.
Take time to understand it.

 

[Frankie-H]

PM on its way to you. Horatio has been my third hand for 16 years. He has steered me through 50+kn in the Atlantic and almost everything else. Very happy to talk you through the set up.

 

[john_morris_uk]

I don't mean to be critical, but why have the discussion in private? I have been thinking about getting a Hydrovane and would be very interested in a discussion about how to get the best out of one.

 

[Blueboatman]

So good I could sail wing and wing without rigging pole nor preventer, in a lumpy gulf stream sea. Quite an extraordinary piece of kit.
I made a new airvane part that was reefable like a sliding nylon sock.
And used a tillerpilot( with waterproof cover) to adjust and 'lock' the main rudder at best angle to balance the boat.
There ain't much, other than that, to adjust!

 

[jonic]

Feel free to contact me via my signature.

Mine took me to Antigua and happily carried on when the needle hit 55kts

Excellent bit of kit

 

[Aurai]

Hydrovane

Hi

Aurai has one and gets used on longer trips. The web site is excellent, newer models have all the wrinkles ironed out it seems and main pain for us is fitting the rudder from a dinghy! Happy to help in any way, but practise and it is fairly intuitive.

CH

 

[rib]

lift the rudder when not in use when ever you can other wise it can be hard to sleep

 

[tarik]

Hydrovane

I don't mean to be critical, but why have the discussion in private? I have been thinking about getting a Hydrovane and would be very interested in a discussion about how to get the best out of one.

The only reason for suggesting a PM is so that we can exchange phone numbers and actually discus the subject rather than take up forum time with different Q&A on line.
No offence implied.


D

 

[Frankie-H]

lift the rudder when not in use when ever you can other wise it can be hard to sleep

The rudder is taken off on the Hydrovane. Not lifted as on some others.
The handle on the top of the rudder is tied off to a convenient point. This prevents rattling but PLEASE remember to untie it the next morning.

 

[Frankie-H]

I don't mean to be critical, but why have the discussion in private? I have been thinking about getting a Hydrovane and would be very interested in a discussion about how to get the best out of one.

Hi John

I would be very happy to answer questions or discuss Hydrovanes with you here or on the phone. I would rather not give my number out to all and sundry. You might have noticed that there are some very odd people about.

 

[Pagetslady]

Hydrovane

Hi I have just fitted a second hand Hydrovane on My Westerly Corsair and although I have not yet had a chance to use it on long passaged I love it just out for the day it adds another dimension to sailing I use it to tack single handed, without any problem, I know they are not designed for local sailing but who cares I really enjoy using mine. I have designed a Hinge bracket so that the rudder can be lifted but have yet to make it, I find that manoeuvring in the marina is not helped by locking the rudder especially going astern. I have an old pre 1980 forsale its just the actual mechanism, if anybody would like a project.
Regards Mike.

 

[john_morris_uk]

The only reason for suggesting a PM is so that we can exchange phone numbers and actually discus the subject rather than take up forum time with different Q&A on line.
No offence implied.


D

But it's the contents of that telephone conversation that might be of general interest and that was the point I was making. I thought one if the reasons for having a forum was to allow the public interchange of information? I know that sometimes we exchange things privately for very good reasons, but tips on the use if a hydrovane is of interest to many.

 

[michael_w]

I think my Hydrovane is a complete POS when compared to a pendulum servo gear like a Monitor. I think that people who think the Hydrovane is marvelous have probably never used any other vane gear.

The thing is just not powerful enough to pull my 37' cruising boat back on course in a quartering sea. Using a spinnaker? you must be joking! It needs constant supervision and regular assistance from the main rudder, to pull the boat back on couse after it has allowed her to go wandering off course for minures at a time. This is NOT a function of boat ballance.

Also, not being able to lift the rudder from the water is a positive embarrasement when manouvering in a marina etc.

Also, the clowns who flog it are not nice to deal with. After long discussion with them about the gear's failings; they suggested a new larger rudder and shaft at not incosiderable expense.

When the rudder arrived it was warped like a bannana and the shaft did not fit, this despite them being sent accurate measurements and several photographs. Getting them to take the wretched stuff back and get my money back was difficult and time consuming and they refused to refund the shipping costs.

Indeed, if I wasn't planning on selling my boat in the near future, I'd remove the Hydrovane and sell it to some unsuspecting mug. A Monitor would be fitted forthwith.

 

[KellysEye]

>The thing is just not powerful enough to pull my 37' cruising boat back on course in a quartering sea. Using a spinnaker? you must be joking!

That means the kit you have is too small for the size/weight of the boat. Or you weren't using the appropriate power setting for light, medium and heavy airs. Did you check with Hydrovane what the size should be before buying it.

My tips on usage are.
- don't use the rudder to balance the boat it just creates drag. Balance the sails and lock the rudder in the centre position. Many people complain about Hydrovanes because they don't how to balance their boat, believe it or not.
- use the three power settings as above.
- carry a spare red sail cover they get damaged by UV, although we have seen one painted to stop that. If you don't have a spare clingfilm can be used to cover the sail frame, use a couple of full wraps or tape a plastic bin bag round the frame.
- use a strong piece of string to tie the rudder handhold to the vertical stainless tube. If the pin failed and the rudder came off it would sink.
- carry spare pins and split rings they will eventually get crevice corrosion. Check the pin every year.

Other than that enjoy we view it as the best bit of kit on the boat.

 

[rib]

nice one kelly had not thought of clingfilm

 

[Blueboatman]

In lieu of the private conversation vs forum contributions, why limit yourself to one source?

I now have a Monitor, which is fine, but 'only' fine: I have sailed with Aries, Hasler, a home made 'improved' copy of a Mustafa ( trim tab driven tilt/lifting, auxiliary rudder driven from an off-centre, inclined variable axis, reef-able, Wot-A-Clever-Barsteward-I-Am vane...which outperformed everything in v light winds coupled with lumpy swell...and of course I had a Hydrovane. Which is what I would choose again if buying new.

Sooo...I think ( from a position of at least some experience) that the chap with the spinnaker/Hydrovane difficulties may need to post a pic to get a helpful response next, or even better a bit of video cos something certainly ain't right! All vane gears will, when experiencing an increase in boatspeed relative to a light apparent windspeed, will stay with the new apparent wind and follow that round, then if speed decreases or spinnaker collapses, revert toward the true wind direction again, possibly this is a part of the posters experience? Or maybe the windvane is sited under a mizzen or dinghy in davits?

 

[SimonJ]

It is a really simple but elegant bit of kit that works really well on my boat. Not much to learn about or discuss as you need try it and adjust to your boat. Not many adjustments to make!
If your boat balances well the hydrovane will do a good job - if it is a pig to steer by hand then obviously there will be a problem whatever apparatus you use.
Down wind under all except very very light relative conditions and on all other courses provided there is sufficient wind, behaviour is impeccable. It does not seem too upset by stern arches and other cruising accoutrements which you might think would disturb air flow. Not sure about ketches and yawls!
I do put neutral helm on the tiller as the balanced type hydrovane rudder (ie pivot not at leading edge)does itself become a too much of a drag if it has continually to put on big angles of rudder to correct an imbalance caused by poor/non matching sail trim and/or weather/lee helm etc.
Good point by Kelly's Eye re retaining rope for rudder and having spare pins - KE saved my bacon one day by kindly providing me with a replacement from his modest stock. A light acrylic cover for the windvane itself is a good idea when in harbour.
For long periods of motoring, if ever necessary, I use an Autohelm to drive the hydrovane rudder which works well. A small modification is needed for this.
I do find manoeuvring into a tight spot with the hydrovane rudder mounted an encumbrance.

 

[oldvarnish]

As I said earlier, I've had an HV and now got a Monitor. Both are good bits of kit.
The plus point with the HV is that you are not using your own steering, which saves a lot of wear on a long passage.
The minus point is not being able to raise the paddle, which you can on the Monitor.
If I were runnnig HV I'd have an engineer working on a paddle that could be lifted from the water. The HV would then be unbeatable

 

[Tradewinds]

Hydrovane rudder - lifting

Someone at SYH, Levington has already done this. It looks a bit agricultural but is a clever adaption & looks very sturdy. It uses ropes & pulleys to engage & disengage.