Steersman
Active Member
Out now in the August edition
PBO reviews The Steersman
- Thread starter Steersman
- Start date
prv
Well-Known Member
This has been available for a few years now, so I'm curious - how many have been sold?
Pete
Pete
bikedaft
Well-Known Member
looked interesting
Twister_Ken
Well-Known Member
Thought it looked a bit 'Heath Robinson' and intrusive compared with vanes and autopilots. Might appeal to some, for sure, but not to me in its present incarnation. Guess a lot will depend on how the price compares with alternatives. Also, not clear from the article how (or if) it would work with a wheel.
prv
Well-Known Member
I haven't read the magazine yet, but the OP has promoted it here a couple of times in the past.
I agree with your assessment, and I've never seen a convincing explanation of why it's better than a normal windvane.
For shorthanded coastal sailing an autopilot is streets ahead of either for versatility and simplicity of operation.
I think I've seen a video with a link bar from one of the "oars" to a spoke on the wheel.
Pete
neilf39
Well-Known Member
Given the article says it has so far only been tried on one boat then I would guess none have been sold. Saw it at the boat show a few years back (at least I think it was this) and it looked very industrial and takes up a lot of space. You will have bits digging in your back as it seems to overlap the coaming. As an engineering exercise quite clever but I don't think it looks that practical compared to a wind vane. You will have to fiddle around to get it adjusted to the right tension when anything changes whereas on a vane you just change its angle.
Rigger Mortice
N/A
Expensive and I'm not sure what benefit it has over other proven and cheaper systems.
There's nothing new about using the sheets to drive a self steering setup, though this version is development of an old idea.
There's nothing new about using the sheets to drive a self steering setup, though this version is development of an old idea.
prv
Well-Known Member
Looking at the site, he has at least made a slight improvement since last time. You no longer need to remove your primary winches and mount them on top of the contraption, instead the contraption can be placed on the coaming behind the winch and the sheet passed through a cheek block (I hope it's also a snatch block) when you want the contraption engaged.
Pete
Pete
ghostlymoron
Well-Known Member
It wasn't that cheap although cheaper than Aries or windfeather. As someone has said, it wasn't as neat as either of these.
For coastal work where there aren't long runs you can't beat an electric autohelm IMO but you need a solar panel or two. Also, near the coast, you don't really want to be following the wind or you could hit something.
For coastal work where there aren't long runs you can't beat an electric autohelm IMO but you need a solar panel or two. Also, near the coast, you don't really want to be following the wind or you could hit something.
Twister_Ken
Well-Known Member
The version in PBO has the winches relocated on top of the 'platform' while the platform seems to be mounted about where the original winches would have been.
Rhyddid
Well-Known Member
prv
Well-Known Member
Yes, that's the original version that he's been touting for years and has installed on his own boat.
His website now offers three different versions, and the full-size one has the option of either mounting the winch on top or leaving the winch where it is and using the contraption as a turning block. Presumably these other versions haven't actually been built (they're computer renderings on the site) and won't be unless someone orders one.
I'm slightly surprised that he hasn't come back to this thread since posting it. Usually he sticks around to try to justify why the contraption is worth buying. Perhaps this time he just wanted a standalone advert.
Pete
Steersman
Active Member
I've just had a look at what's been said, and holding my breath. All I can say is David Harding didn't experience the best conditions to test the Steersman. In and around the Solent the wind is affected by the surrounding land, so it's difficult to find a day when the wind is steady enough to go through all the points of sail in one session.
All I can say is that seeing is believing. I have seen the Steersman react as well as any helmsman.
It sits on the coaming. When you need it you use it, when you don't it's not in the way. Maintenance is just a simple greasing every year when you do the winches, and that's it. You don't need a pack of spares, it becomes just another piece of deck gear that fits in with everything else.
Twister_Ken
Well-Known Member
Sounds like the engineering is sorted out, but from my point-of-view what it desperately needs is a good Product Designer to make it look desirable and a lot less clunky.
Steersman
Active Member
Hi Ken
In terms of looks, I think it often comes down to what you're used to. For me, I can't understand why anyone would want a windvane hanging off the back end of a boat. It's not only vulnerable to damage, but looks plumb ugly. At least with the Steersman it's a lot smaller and as such, is not as visible. Also I have taken a lot of time in the styling of the new models, and I think they look a lot more acceptable. Also, if you look in PBO magazine and see Justine sailing along, you have to know what to look for in order to spot the Steersman. Compared with a windvane, I think the Steersman is pretty unobtrusive.
DownWest
Well-Known Member
Somewhat doubt if looks are much to do with it. If anything, a windvane on the back speaks of distant shores.
How many have you sold? And how well do they work downwind?
lw395
Well-Known Member
Around the Solent, a wind vane is posing tackle, look at me, serious offshore sailor.
As others have said, downwind is the most testing.
For either vane gear, or what used to be loosely called Braine stearing on model yachts.
Different people will want different things for various reasons.
I'd like an autopilot that could work well, while using a lot less power.
Maybe electronics for sensing, but power from the sails or sea for steering.
And it needs to work with at least a cruisng chute, to me the point of autpilots is to free up the sailor to do things like put more sail.
I'm used to not being a target market.
Rivers & creeks
Well-Known Member
The biggest issue is the like-what-know factor. Take sail plan, the Bermudan rig is way past it's best and in terms of innovation there are much better rigs, but Ben/Jen/Bav fit Bermudan. The wind vane is an equally known quantity that people understand. Getting over that conservatism requires early adopters and your system doesn't do much to appeal to that type - it's not faster, shinier, more accurate etc. I get the downsides of wind vane and I hope your system is cheaper, but getting an installed base of early adopters is going to be very tough.
Interestingly one of the big three is actively developing a wing sail, mainly because it's cheaper and will be easier to sail. Getting one if them involved in Steersman might be a way forward.
Interestingly one of the big three is actively developing a wing sail, mainly because it's cheaper and will be easier to sail. Getting one if them involved in Steersman might be a way forward.
Rigger Mortice
N/A
The Hydrovane can be used exactly like that. They sell a simple mod so that you can steer it with a small tiller pilot.
