Self-steering wind vanes

[Guest]

I'm looking to purchase and fit a self-steering wind vane system to a Sadler 34. Does anybody have any recommendations on the various systems on the market i.e. personal experience and performance ???

Any help greatly appreciated !

 

[Gaffer]

I had an Aries, absolutely excellent......Went to the Carribbean via the Canaries, single handed from Caribbean to Maine via Bermuda.

 

[HaraldS]

I second that. Would be my choice again. We had a 1972 model of an Aries II for a very long time. After Nick Frank's death a nice Chap in Denmark took over production, and I just saw the recent one is almost unchanged. That good it is.

 

[Guest]

We put in our order for an Aries for our Nic 32 at the London Boat Show based on recommendations. About to take delivery of it soon so can let you go how the installation of it goes if your interested. Can't wait not to have to worry about the batteries.

Good luck!

 

[Paulka]

I have an Aries since over 20 years, and am still fully satisfied with it. Very robust, and simple as well. Fully in line with KISS!

Paul

 

[Guest]

I would recommend the Hydrovane, as i think would andrew bray, former editor of YM and now at YW. I think that he had a sadler 34 for his first ARC and I know he loved the Hydrovane.

My experience has been on a smaller boat, MIRAGE 28 in which I did the AZAB twice and the Hydrovane was the most important piece of kit on board. I think that we hand-steered for about one hour only in the two round trips!! It would steer the boat up wind better than an attentive helmsman and worked very well downwind under spinnaker also, beam reach with a cruising chute was a bit trickier but cannot recommend the equipment too highly.

The only drawback which I have found is that you can't lift the gear out of the water as with an Aries, and the auxiliary rudder can vibrate while motoring, but on long distance sailing this was not a problem, but a bit of a nuisance for the usual weekend stuff.

 

[vyv_cox]

I have a Windpilot on a Sadler 34. There is a photograph of it on http://www.windpilot.com/en/Ra/rafoten.html I have nothing but praise for this unit, except that the mounting for a Sadler 34 was not available at the time I fitted mine. Windpilot now market an extra piece of kit.

Far from the usual advice that wind steering is only used for long passages, I use mine very often, certainly for anything over one hour. It steers better than I do and is a lot better than an electronic system in waves. It was the cheapest available at the time I bought mine. As the photo more or less shows, I moved the boarding ladder to starboard to accommodate it, no problems with this.

 

[Guest]

http://www.windpilot.de/en/Ra/rawelen.html

Visit this web site and read the pages on the perfect yacht, tips, echos etc.

The different models of the Pacific range will give you an interesting insight to this area of cruising. Katoema is having a Pacific Plus fitted, and when you think that the majority of ARC vessels now use the Windpilot, ask yourself why!

From the 1960's I had always used an Aries and was very loyal to it. The change is because times and materials have changed with technology. If you are buying new, the investment that you are making will be in four figures. Protect that investment by reassuring yourself with each manufacturers arguments etc
Good Luck!