banger
Member
are they any good, I am considering one and would appreciate any comments or experiences
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Narvik windvanes
- Thread starter banger
- Start date
johnsomerhausen
New member
I have had two Naviks on different boats. With the present one, the boat ( s 29 ft Alan Payne design) has steered impeccably in four gales and one heavy gale an works quite effectively in light airs. The big problem is the fragility of the cast aluminium paddle support; I've broken two of them and now use a perfect copy in mild steel that was made by a worker at the shipyard in Mindel (Capoe Verde) in 1981 after i
d broken the first one. Spare parts are also pretty expensive but most of them can be fixed exxcept the little plastic linkages ("rotules" in French)
john
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d broken the first one. Spare parts are also pretty expensive but most of them can be fixed exxcept the little plastic linkages ("rotules" in French)
john
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stevebirch2002
New member
The Navik is a wonderful windvane for the smaller yacht (up to about 32 feet). We use them on the Albin Vega 27 with great success. Easy to fit, easy to use and reasonably priced (New at about £1100). The only double servo system so fairly small vane that drives a trim tab that in turn drives the oar. Works a treat.
<hr width=100% size=1>Albin Vega "Southern Comfort" V1703
<hr width=100% size=1>Albin Vega "Southern Comfort" V1703
charles_reed
Active member
Re: Navik windvanes
Excellent lightweight servo-vane pilot, but liable to suffer from its fragility.
Really only good for smaller boats (<10m), mine needs 7.5 knots apparent wind to work, is IMHO unsuitable for coastal work and the paddle tends to trip too easily at reasonably (6+ knots) high speeds.
Like all windvanes is totally unsuitable in surfing conditions.
I find the electric autopilot far more practical.
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Excellent lightweight servo-vane pilot, but liable to suffer from its fragility.
Really only good for smaller boats (<10m), mine needs 7.5 knots apparent wind to work, is IMHO unsuitable for coastal work and the paddle tends to trip too easily at reasonably (6+ knots) high speeds.
Like all windvanes is totally unsuitable in surfing conditions.
I find the electric autopilot far more practical.
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charles_reed
Active member
Re: Navik windvanes
Interesting, mine also broke the central aluminium diecasting.
Fortunately I was in Lorient and was able to take the broken one round to Plastimo and point out some blowholes in the casting - they let me have the new one for FF19.
I've also had the lower trim-tab bearing fracture: due to be mended on my return to boat next week.
The broken vane was entirely due to an attempt at miscegenation by the annex.
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Interesting, mine also broke the central aluminium diecasting.
Fortunately I was in Lorient and was able to take the broken one round to Plastimo and point out some blowholes in the casting - they let me have the new one for FF19.
I've also had the lower trim-tab bearing fracture: due to be mended on my return to boat next week.
The broken vane was entirely due to an attempt at miscegenation by the annex.
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banger
Member
Thanks for all your replies, sounds ideal for me and I will investigate fitting one to the boat
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