Self Steering Gear for Rival 32

Oliver: if you end up with any sort of servo-pendulum system, on a R32 the lines to the tiller can be more neatly routed via cheek blocks on the combing rather than the floating blocks many suppliers suggest. Can happily send you a photo if you mail me. And if you wish to do away altogether with lines in the cockpit, there is a way.
 
Oliver,

I fitted a Sailomat 601 to my R34 about 8 years ago and have been very satisfied with it. It has taken me to the Azores and round the North Cape and works well in light airs and a gale. I can send you photographs of my set-up, if you wish.

My selection criteria were light weight because of the R34's long counter, ease of removal for security on my home mooring, and light airs performance. Windpilot came close but the Sailomat has a patented, simple device for varying the sensitivity of the air-to-water linkage which does improve effectiveness in light airs. Hydrovane has a sensitivity control also.

However, if you go to ROA meets, you will find Rivals with practically every make of windvane. They all work and I have never met an owner who is dissatisfied with the one he has. Hydrovane and Aries are probably the most common (in spite of their weight), just because they were the dominant makes when Rivals were in their heyday and they never need replacement.

Post your query on the ROA's forum also for a wider range of opinions! I regard a windvane as the best item of gear that I have ever fitted to Williwaw and would not be without one now, even for local sailing.

Michael
 
macd said:
And if you wish to do away altogether with lines in the cockpit, there is a way.
Click to expand...

Not that I have a R32 (but I do have a Vega and a Navik)- curious about how you get rid of the lines in the cockpit- how does that work then?
 
Robwhelton said:
Not that I have a R32 (but I do have a Vega and a Navik)- curious about how you get rid of the lines in the cockpit- how does that work then?
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Basically I've laminated a cross-bar to the tiller, which is aligned side-to-side directly above the aft combing. The windvane lines (and tiller pilot, when I'm using it) link to that. The tiller handle itself is quick-release: result: no lines in the cockpit, and when on passage no tiller handle either. Frees up a lot of space (and eliminates the friction of one pair of turning blocks).

I've a photo of it somewhere but can't seem to find it since my laptop threw a wobbler a while back. I'll post it if it turns up.
 
Found it.
Note that laminated structures don't seem to like torsional loads (I discovered) The U-shaped piece rising from the tiller stock showed signs of delaminating and has since been bound with epoxy cloth.
At each end of the cross-piece is a sheave (liberated from an old traveller). Since there's negligible movement of the control lines at this point, these simply act as fairleads.
The tiller pilot is perfectly happy aligned fore-and-aft. It's obviously not deployed when the Windpilot is in charge.
The system has done around 4500 miles since I made it last March, trouble-free apart from the delaminating issue.

P.S. The dog bowl is not an integral part of the set-up.
 
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jeanpaulcopie said:
I personnally would go for a Navik if I could find one secod hand. There cheap enough and reliable on a 32 footer even on the heavy side of the scale. There weakness are the plastic links but I've had one for many years and very reliable. As for the Hydrovane its simply marvellous, but might be a little on the heavy side (50Kgs more or less)... I have one on my boat (AMEL KIRK) and beautifull sailing with it. No lines and acts eventually as an emergency rudder.
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I'm surprised that you think the Navik is tough enough for a heavy 32-footer like the Rival but I'll take your word for it.

We have sailed our Vega many thousand miles under Navik, but it is not perfect . . . the big disadvantage AFAIAC is the necessity to be completely stationary (hove to) and then grovel about precariously getting the blade down. You also need to go aft to adjust it, stepping over the tiller lines on the way (on our boat at least) - which is a bit precarious in a big sea at night. I did see one boat that had a Navik that had a remote course adjuster made from a flexible drill drive attached to the knurled adjusting nut, and have always meant to try to make one.

- W
 
macd said:
Found it.
Note that laminated structures don't seem to like torsional loads (I discovered) The U-shaped piece rising from the tiller stock showed signs of delaminating and has since been bound with epoxy cloth.
At each end of the cross-piece is a sheave (liberated from an old traveller). Since there's negligible movement of the control lines at this point, these simply act as fairleads.
The tiller pilot is perfectly happy aligned fore-and-aft. It's obviously not deployed when the Windpilot is in charge.
The system has done around 4500 miles since I made it last March, trouble-free apart from the delaminating issue.

P.S. The dog bowl is not an integral part of the set-up.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that- picture speaks a thousand words yet again.
Wouldn't work on a Vega, so nevermind, the dogs will continue having to limbo dance under the tiller lines.

Agree with Nick (no pun intended) about the Navik... we have very rarely raised or lowered the paddle under way, instead we make a decision at the start of the passage. Also, it's a bit of a concern when on watch alone in the middle of the night and having to stand up and climb around in the cockpit to adjust course.
If anybody's got a clever idea/design for a remote adjustment system for the Navik I would very much like to see it...
 
Robwhelton said:
Agree with Nick (no pun intended) about the Navik... we have very rarely raised or lowered the paddle under way, instead we make a decision at the start of the passage. Also, it's a bit of a concern when on watch alone in the middle of the night and having to stand up and climb around in the cockpit to adjust course.
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Not an issue, of course, with the Windpilot (and some others): the paddle lowers quite simply, and the course adjustment lines can lead to wherever's convenient.
 
macd said:
Not an issue, of course, with the Windpilot (and some others): the paddle lowers quite simply, and the course adjustment lines can lead to wherever's convenient.
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Yes, and for that reason alone I would recommend either over the Navik. But we sail on a budget, and got the navik for £500 on Ebay.

You can, as they say, only piss with the cock you've got . . .

But despite its disadvantages the Navik does work brilliantly - it has steered us for many thousands of miles, on occasion for days without a hand on the tiller.

- W
 
For those people with Navik self steering and require parts, "Mr Vee" is now manufacturing the usual replacement parts required.
http://www.windvaneselfsteering.com/

For steering adjustments on my Murray ss unit I use a Porsche 928 timing belt and sprocket. The sprocket is attached to the rotating vane mast and a smaller sprocket I made out of Delrin is with in easy reach of my normal sitting position in the cockpit. tension is kept on by a bit of shock cord. I can adjust the tension to lock the smaller sprocket. I drop the oar down as I leave harbour and raise when entering. Its done with control lines and a jam cleat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U66-R0i2c20
Early version of mine. Since then it has a different vane, control lines through coaming blocks and a few other mods. Timing belt is the same though.
 
I've just transferred my Monitor to my Tradewind after using on my Twister.

The Twisters have a transom hung rudder so the Monitor lines were hardly in the cockpit and everything was extremely easy to set up and use.

The Tradewinds have the tiller coming from the aft end of the cockpit sole, so the lines are unfortunately going to be in the cockpit alot more.
 
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KellysEye said:
We have a Hydrovane, no lines to the cockpit and they are made to order based on the weight of the boat. In an ARC survey they got the best rating.
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Money can be a problem for some. A new Hydrovane for my boat would have been around £4.5K.
The Monitor I had which was little used, came off my last boat with a £2K reduction in the selling price.

Value - No contest!
 
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KellysEye said:
We have a Hydrovane, no lines to the cockpit and they are made to order based on the weight of the boat. In an ARC survey they got the best rating.
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For the cost of a new Hydrovane you can buy a nice 2000 year model Mercedes E320 or 12 return air tickets from Sydney to Honolulu, or cruise ship holiday for two, Sydney, NZ, Tahiti and Hawaii and fly home.

They are very expensive.
 
Hello, Thank you all for your responses and for the people who offered second hand Hydrovanes and Sailomats. I must admit that when I first wrote this thread I did not realise how much information there is out there. I have looked at all angles and have now decided to buy a new Hydrovane, it should be with us shortly.

There are pro's and con's on all systems but I do believe we have made the right choice based on the sailing we will be undertaking.

Thank you again to all your support, it helps when you are about to spend £4.5K on a new system without being able to test it first. I hope all is well and I would be happy to send photos to anyone who would like to see the finished product fitted.

Thank you,

Oliver
 
Hello. I have a Schwing wind pilot. It is German made and has a vertical axis vane. It bolts on to the pushpit, so you do not need to make holes in the hull

It works well to windward in my bilge keeler but not so well down wind, so I've decide to part with it. I bought it beacuse I'd sailed with one in a Vancouver 32, a similar boat ot the Rival (Moderate / heavy displacement and longish keel) and it performed brilliantly upwind and downwind and in all wind strenghts, other that very light airs

Many Vancuvers have them. Mine had been held back from sale of a Vancouver 28. PBO often shows one on David Rainsbury's 28 and there is a log of a transatlantic circuit us ing one at "Self Steeringwww.mistweb.f9.co.uk/content/windvane."

I'd sell mine for £550. Are you in London - I could deliver there.
Ian Aitken
 
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