Know anything about wind vane self steering?

[Swampyhotdog]

Hello People,

I'm considering fitting a self steerer of some sort, but I know nothing about the vind vane type.

I've read a few write ups online, people say that they swear by them, and that they last for ever etc.

So what's the best type?

Who supplies them?

Can they be fitted and set up easily, or does it take an expert?

Are they mechanical, or do they use leccy?

Any and all info gratefully recieved.

Cheers,

Stu

<hr width=100% size=1>As with most posts here - my personal opinion - take it or leave it.
Stu

 

[mickshep]

I fitted a 2nd hand Windpilot Pacific to my 32' steel sloop.Fantastic piece of kit that has coped with everything we have come accross up to now including broad reaching in about a 7 with a rather steep and unpleasant quartering sea, Eric as we have dubbed him is totally reliable and takes only minutes to set up. I'd not be without one now and best of all he uses no electricity. The only disadvantage is that he sails a course that is relative to the wind direction so if the wind swings then so does the course.
In practice this has never proved to be a problem as altering the settings takes far less time than typing this. Mike.

<hr width=100% size=1>My Mum say's I'm not a fat b@st@rd, just heavy boned.

 

[Scillypete]

Used a Navik on a Halcyon 27 which was really good in all conditions except dead downwind in lightish airs, always reliable and better than extra crew but the conversation was a bit one sided. Also carried a very old mini seacourse electronic autopilot for motoring which was ok but definitely heavy on use of electric if using it for sailing.

Could and did occassionally sail off the mooring using the windvane selfsteering it was very easy to trim and use.

The Navik is Available from most chandlers and plenty of secondhand ones come up from time to time some at very reasonable prices. Spares are also readily available.


<hr width=100% size=1>Rather a bad day on the water than a good day at the office.

 

[AndrewB]

Wind vane self steering, unlike an autopilot, does not use electricity. They work by holding the yacht aligned to the wind - if the wind changes direction, the yacht changes course.

How they work is like this. When the yacht is on course, the vane is angled so its front edge points directly into the wind. If the yacht gets a little of course, the vane catches the wind on one side and blows over, this movement is transmitted to the steering and produces a corresponding movement the other way, until the vane is central again.

While they all look similar, hung off the back of the yacht with a big wind vane, there are actually two quite different types, making use of different principles to amplify the quite small force of the wind on the vane itself. The first is the 'trim tab' type which operates either on the back of the main rudder or, more effectively, on an auxiliary rudder. The second is the 'servopendulum' type where the vane turns a servo-blade in the water, this in turn is moved by the flow of water and that movement is linked to the tiller or wheel in some way. There is some useful information on various examples of these types <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.bluemoment.com/steering.html>HERE</A>. I have an Aries myself, a little old-fashioned now but it works well, they are occasionally available second-hand but rather pricey new.

There's nothing overly difficult about fitting one yourself, they appeal to DIY types and come with full instructions. You might need a workshop to knock up suitable struts for your yacht, specially if you have an unusual stern: but the firms that sell wind-vanes can usually help here. Its worth remembering that the load on windvanes is considerable, and typically they are expected to operate for long periods unattended. Much of the effort in design goes into ensuring they are sufficiently robust. Hence the best models tend to be quite expensive.

 

[polarity]

Lots of info here:

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.selfsteer.com/>http://www.selfsteer.com/</A>

<hr width=100% size=1>Paul
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.polarity2.com>http://www.polarity2.com</A>
OSTAR 2005

 

[RPC]

You can view all the most common windvanes, and also some self build designs via the cruising website Have you visited the Blue Water Cruising Site <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.onpassage.com>http://www.onpassage.com ?

 

[snowleopard]

to amplify andrew's comments, there is another type where the vane drives an auxiliary rudder direct. these give the least power amplification.

the pendulum servo, the original being the hasler (invented by blondie) is the most powerful and is advised for boats requiring a lot of muscle to steer.

the main requirement for most gears is space on the transom to bolt them and a clear run for ropes to the tiller or wheel.

boats with hydraulic steering need the auxiliary rudder type.

only boats with transom-hung rudders are suitable for trim-tab gears unless an auxiliary rudder is used.

most gears work well to windward but some are distinctly poor downwind as the vane loses power when the apparent wind is low.

vane gears on fast multihulls can be dangerous as they can throw the rudder hard over when accelerating.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[MASH]

I recently bought a Sailomat having researched the market and found them to be by far the most open and communicative and helpful. They have cotinued in this way to date even though the unit is not yet fitted. (but nearly, Courageous, nearly...)

Servo pendulum gear is said to put less strain on the tansom (ie virtually none) than aux rudder which dumps all steering loads there, which it isn't designed to take. Thus beefing up the transom may be necessary with an aux rudder. Advantage is it really is a second rudder, a useful safety point as rudders are notoriously difficult to jury-rig. The Sailomat does have a provision for an oversized oar to act as an emergency rudder but I don't have it, tho this would not be hard to make yourself. Sailomat is mostly cast aerospace ally alloy and very very solid, a work of art. Others are stainless casting, stainless tube fabrication or a mix. Some look like a box girder bridge growing from your transom, some are tidier. I get the impression that all well known makes work well, owners seem to swear by whatever they use. I liked the sailomat cos it can be fitted off centre to allow use of swim ladder, it is quickly demountable and in the end it was cheaper than the rest. Adding VAT and carriage from USA is costly on a 40Kg £2500 shipment...Setup seems easy, rope circuits can restrict access in the cockpit but wheel systems can be less restricting than tillers due to the rigging required.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[doris]

Homework

There are plenty of books, particularly the one by Peter Forthman, of Wind Pilot fame, out there. Read them and find a few demos. Forthman is very open for a chat (details from his website). I have a Hydrovane, on a Sigma 362 which works v. well, not by choice but because it came with the boat. Either way it works so long as you take the time to get to know it. Servo pendulums have all the extra clutter of string but also work v. well. It is smashing to be offshore (they often don't work well near the coast as they need a constant breeze) trucking along with no power being expended, the beers stay cooler and you are more relaxed. I can't imagine going regularly offshore without one!
ps. Rustler, last of the quality British offshore builders recomend Hydrovane for it's simplicity.

<hr width=100% size=1>Real men do it 2handed.

 

[Mirelle]

Do NOT fit to a lightweight multihull!

Just to amplify that - light multis actually accelerate in the puffs, thereby bringing the apparent wind ahead. the vane bears away to compensate for what it "thinks" is a luff - and brings the boat onto a beam reach with the sheets pinned flat as the squall passes through - a recipe for a capsize. Which is why racing multis don't use vane gears.

<hr width=100% size=1>Que scais-je?

 

[Swampyhotdog]

Hi Folks,

Thanks for all the advice, I decided to go for the Hydrovane, and managed to pick one up second hand.

Cheers,

Stu

<hr width=100% size=1>As with most posts here - my personal opinion - take it or leave it.
Stu