self steering wind vane

[aslan]

Can anyone help source me a wind vane self steering system that is 2nd hand, tried and tested, or just plain cheap?

My boat is a 28' steel sloop at 5 tons laden; at 26 years old is tried and tested in itself.

I'm off via the North Atlantic to the Canadian Arctic so I guess something substantial would help.

Thank you.

Simon

 

[Peterduck]

Gerard Dijkstra wrote a very good book about windvanes and all the variations and permutations that are available. Many of these you can build for yourself. I would recommend that you consider one which operates a trim tab on your existing rudder; the input force required is much smaller than if you were trying to turn the whole rudder, and if you going into the ice then you really do not want a fragile servo rudder hanging down there waiting to get knocked off. PBO has also regularly put out articles about folk building their own windvanes.
Peter.

 

[spark]

"Yacht Wind-vane Steering , How to plan and make your own" by Bill Belcher

ISBN 0-7153-8176-8

Well worth reading.

 

[freeman]

I have just removed an aires self steering gear from a rustler 31.
We now use an autohelm.

The aires has instructions and spares

I am open to reasonable offers

 

[sekyd]

I have a QME vane up in my loft in fantastic condition and looking for a new owner.

 

[sekyd]

How about £250?