Neptune windvane self steering......any thoughts please

[theotter]

Looking at my options for self steering (servo pendulum). Has anyone got experience and views on the Neptune Windvane?? Coincidently I have just noticed the news clip on the RTI race with a photo of the young lad who sailed s/h across the Atlantic and he is standing in front of guess what ...a Neptune! Presuming thats the boat he sailed across in, I suppose that says something.

Any advice welcome.

 

[allanc]

I just didn't want you to feel that no-one cared.

 

[Koeketiene]

There was a Neptune stand @ SIBS last year.

Spoke to them at length - very friendly people.
Seemed well engineered and at a good price too.
Was very tempted, but will be getting a Hydrovane either in Sept or next Jan (depending on money and the availability thereof).

Reasons why I opted for the Hydrovane:
1. Allows off-centre installation
2. Does not take up the whole transom
3. No lines in the cockpit

Your profile does not list what boat you have - a Neptune may very well be just right for you.

 

[sanna_dhu]

theotter,

I have bought a Neptune windvane for my 423, having a mounting designed as I write.

How have you got on with yours so far, how easy do you find it to tack it?

 

[Perle d'Azur]

Dear sailing colleagues,
I need to get self steering for my Contessa 32. So far mainly looking at the Neptune Servo Pendulum due to cost and apparent simplicity.
I'm expecting to sail long distance, often alone, but don't have £6000.
Please could anyone share their advice .
Many thanks,
Jasper

 

[steve1963]

Dear sailing colleagues,
I need to get self steering for my Contessa 32. So far mainly looking at the Neptune Servo Pendulum due to cost and apparent simplicity.
I'm expecting to sail long distance, often alone, but don't have £6000.
Please could anyone share their advice .
Many thanks,
Jasper

Try and get hold of a second hand unit: Aries/Pacific/ etc

 

[Carib]

I've looked into this before, and the answer seems to be that pretty much all of the modern units you will have heard of are very good (Neptune, Windpilot, Seafeather, Monitor, Aries, Hydrovane). Few people will have used more than one make, at least not enough to give a meaningful comparison, and I haven't yet seen anyone saying 'I wish I'd bought an X instead'. They do differ in size/weight. The Neptune does seem good value but you need to add a few extras onto the base price to get the complete unit I think. I would trust the recommendations on their site including one from Trevor Clifton who sailed his Twister down to South America I think.

 

[Buck Turgidson]

Can't comment on Neptune but I've removed my Hydra Auto Steer - Trim Tab System as has another twister owner due to unreliability. I've done about 2500nm offshore singlehanded in the last couple of years all with a TP22 which uses <3amps continuous so 100w solar just about breaks even on power.
I know many will proclaim this as heresy but for the cost of a wind vane you can have a very nice electric auto-pilot and the solar/battery capacity to keep it running 24/7 and a backup tiller pilot and change for a beer too!

 

[Carib]

I've done about 2500nm offshore singlehanded in the last couple of years all with a TP22 which uses <3amps continuous so 100w solar just about breaks even on power.
I know many will proclaim this as heresy but for the cost of a wind vane you can have a very nice electric auto-pilot and the solar/battery capacity to keep it running 24/7 and a backup tiller pilot and change for a beer too!

Good point, but why is this a better solution? (Burn him!)

 

[Buck Turgidson]

Good point, but why is this a better solution? (Burn him!)

hehe....... I weigh more than a duck!

A nice electric AP offers steering to heading/apparent or true wind/waypoint or even patterns(not that useful on a sailing boat). It can be used when motoring. It doesn't add to your LOA, It isn't at risk when mooring stern to. It will also compensated for sea states, steer accurately on all points of sail and weigh considerably less at the end of the boat.

So you get more flexibility, better performance, an upgraded power system which benefits the whole boat (holistic thinking) and a cost saving to boot. All at the expense of more complexity and a perceived drop in reliability which I wouldn't like to try and quantify.

I know long term cruisers tend to love their wind vanes and i was very much in that group until I bought a boat with one fitted.

 

[Perle d'Azur]

Thanks everyone for your quick replies. I've avoided buying 2nd hand in case of ending up dealing with a unit with cracks etc. The search continues.

 

[Carib]

hehe....... I weigh more than a duck!

In that case..!

Interesting to hear you get good results with that kind of pilot though - certainly I can't see my Autohelm 2000 tillerpilot coping with anything at all heavy on my Rustler 31, particularly downwind where the steering response required is quite large, but then it's slightly underspecced for the displacement. Really I'd need the ST4000, which with the control head etc (not to mention a spare..) would not leave much change versus a vane. The windpilot on my last boat was so good that I can't see wanting to use precious battery power - for me it's the power draw that kills the pilot alternative. No long distance cruising plans imminently, but even for cross channel it would be a great thing to have. Ideally I would have both of course..