SvenH
Active member
There is an article with a comparisson in the works for Sailing Today magazine, supposed to be published around the next London boat show
Which ones did they review, may I ask ?Tranona, you're right there was a very recent review in YW.
No-power steering
Aug 2012 p86-89 (4.00 pages)
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Category: Gear & equipment / Gear tests / Handling
Author: Mike Owen
Description: Gear focus: Windvane self-steering
Windwane self-steerinf is still popular on ocean cruisers, despite the march of technology. Mike Owen takes a look at the products on the market, the pros and cons and how suitable they are for different sizes of boat. How did they perform?
When looking for a windvane last year, I asked anyone I saw with a vane fitted and the response of 95% was that the one they had themselves was the best.
>The only disadvantage I've ever heard is you can't lift the rudder. We never needed to lift it so I can't see the disadvantage.
>>You would if you'd ever boffed it on a quay/ballast. Horses for courses, as Tim Bennet wrote.
That's just careless, if the water isn't clear and thus you can't see if there is ballast below the quay then I wouldn't go stern to.
>the rudder is big enough to use as an emergency rudder
>>Advantageous to many, but by no means unique to the Hydrovane.
Which ones are those?
>
>the rudder is big enough to use as an emergency rudder
>>Advantageous to many, but by no means unique to the Hydrovane.
Which ones are those?
The QM . Golly. Looked great didn't it?
Actually if you inclined the vanes axis that would at least give proportional response.
Couple that not to the tiller but to a trim tab permanently fitted to the rudder of something like a MG design with good inherent directional sailing characteristics... ...Add in a differential linkage twixt vane and trimtab...... And it would probably be fine.
Affordable and easy to repair .
So next time someone e sees one at a jumble for a fiver....
So I have a conundrum. Perhaps peeps here will help solve it.....
I have managed to acquire both a Navik and a Sea Feather, both used, and neither yet fitted to my 27' long-keeler with reverse counter.
Which one should I sell?
Just noticed that Frankie-H calls his Hydrovane Horatio.
I've read blogs articles etc where other cruisers have given their autopilots/self-steering human names too.
I've had my Hydrovane for 20years - it's reliably taken me across the oceans in fair or foul.
But, I've never given it a name - is there something wrong with me?
PS. I obviously like my Hydrovane but I'm sure the Windpilots, Monitors etc are equally as capable.
There's (on mine) a continuous line that goes around a worm drive on the unit which tacks the unit. The end of the continuous line is adjacent to the cockpit - seemples .I think ease of use should be of consideration. My replica monitor is operated from my normal sitting position in the cockpit via a Porsche 928 timing belt to set the vane to the wind. I can tack and have the vane set on the new course within 10 to 20 seconds one handed. I often wonder how people with centre cockpits and hydrovanes manage.
There's (on mine) a continuous line that goes around a worm drive on the unit which tacks the unit. The end of the continuous line is adjacent to the cockpit - seemples .
I now have a Hydrovane ...It gets my vote for being an elegant self contained steering system that has also performed brilliantly.