Self steering wind vanes

[Hunter34]

All this talk on an earlier post of whether light fin keelers are any better or worse than traditional heavy ful keelers has go me thinking again about the only aspect of my boat that I am not completely happy with when sailing offshore which is the spade rudder.
As my boat is 20 yrs old it has a stainless stock so would probably bend rather than sheer off if I hit anything and might still be usable but what I would really be happier with is an auxillary rudder.
I notice that some self steering windvanes can be used as emergency rudders but would they actually work.
I have crossed the Atlantic using an ST4000+ but next time (End of this year I hope) I would prefer a mechanical self steering capable of being used as an emergency rudder.
As they all seem to cost £2500-3000 does any one model stand out above the others?
I quite like the look of the Sailomat but does anyone out there know anything about them.
I dont know the first thing about these expensive pieces of kit so any advice would be much appreciated.

Andrew

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[Joe_Cole]

I stand to be corrected but I don't think that the Sailomat functions as an auxilliary rudder. FWIW the Hydrovane certainly does.

There was a good article in PBO last summer which compared several different systems. If you want I could send you a copy.

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[Samphire]

The Hydrovane is simple and gets its power from a large vane which powers the self steering rudder,not the boats rudder which is locked in position.The Servo types use a small vane and a servo to transmit power to the boats rudder.
The Hydrovane can be used to steer a boat in the event of complete rudder/steering loss and works without lines running to the wheel or tiller.
I had one on my last boat and will fit one next year on the current boat.
Samphire.

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[Hunter34]

I have checked with Sailomat and they do offer an extension to the servo rudder so it can be used as an emergency rudder.
The only reservation I have with this model is the mounting looks a little small - a single small square mounting plate instead of the more usual stainless or alloy tubes tying it to the transom.

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[ongolo]

Hi Samphire,

Would the hydrovane steer a 55ft long keeld 22 ton hull?.

thanks ongolo

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[mickshep]

Hi Ongolo.
Good article about building self steering for a 52 tonne yacht in PBO 430, (October 2002). Hope this helps, Mike.

<hr width=100% size=1>"Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get me."

 

[AndrewAndVicky]

I think hydrovane is brilliant. It steered us all the way across the Atlantic including many days under spinnaker.
Our boat is a 40 ft S&S so tends to steer in a straight line anyhow, but I'd say that the hydrovane is my favourite piece of kit. (I have many un-favourite pieces of kit like Rule bilge pumps, but thats another story)

Hydrovane works well at 7 knots and above. Below that, we stick on one of those disposable electronic autohelms and let it steer the hydrovane rudder itself. In fact we have a tiller fixed permanently to the hydrovane for just that purpose. It requires much less power to steer a little trim tab at the back than it does to attach automatic steering to the wheel.


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[Redmond]

I have heard dubious things about the hydrovane - it seems to work with some boats and not others. I have a monitor which is wonderful on my 40ft short keel racing boat and it has an emergency rudder as an extra. With the dollar down and boat show discount price starts at @£1800 at present

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[Joe_Cole]

Ongolo,

Try this <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.hydrovane.com/index.htm#4>http://www.hydrovane.com/index.htm#4</A>

...but it looks as if your boat is a little too big.

Joe

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[30boat]

You are right .The Sailomat is a servo pendulum windvane.It acts on the main rudder.

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