Pacific Windpilot Light question

[jerrytug]

Hi folks, a quick question if anyone knows about them: Pacific Windpilot Light, there is one of these windvanes on the bay of flea, are they big enough for my boat? 10m LWL, long keel 12 tons heavy gaffer. Not strictly a Jester enquiry but this is the go-to forum section for self-steering experience. mucho appreciado Jerry

 

[co256]

No Jerry,

It's your vessel's weight more than it's length that goes against the Pacific Light, you need the Pacific!

 

[co256]

From the Windpilot website

Pacific Light Suitable for

Vessel length < 8,5 m / 27 ft
Vessel weight < 2.500 kg / 5.500 lbs

Pacific Suitable for

Vessel length < 18 m / 60 ft
Vessel weight < 25.000 kg / 55.000 lbs

 

[Gargleblaster]

I've used the Pacific Light on a 27' boat, which I have to admit is extremely well balanced and rarely suffers from weather helm and I have used the Windpilot Pacific on a 34' boat that is also extremely well balanced. To be candid I can't tell much difference in terms of the force exerted on the tiller. the paddles are exactly the same and when they pull the tiller to either side they seem to exert the same force. I must admit that the Windpilot Pacific is much more robust than the Pacific Light.

I have also used the Windpilot Pacific on a 42' boat that suffered from weather helm with only a genoa up. It had a sticky wheel as we had to replace the quadrant before leaving Antigua. After about 5000 miles, somewhere the other side of Panama, the stickiness in the quadrant was less and the Windpilot Pacific could do a good job steering the 42' boat in strong winds and big seas.

I don't believe that the size of the boat or even the weight of the boat is the critical factor as much as how much force is required to steer the boat under difficult conditions. You will know how heavy your steering is and can make the judgement from that.

 

[jerrytug]

Many thanks chaps. I've put a low bid on it, if by some miracle I win the auction I wil pass it on to someone, fair winds Jerry