Self Steering

[Twister_Ken]

Could it be because Bavs become hard-mouthed in a bit of breeze, putting lots of strain on an autopilot?

 

[oldvarnish]

I would vote for Hydrovane. As someone pointed out, you also get an auxiliary rudder if your main steering fails. Our has done thousands and thousands of miles on the stern of a boat not unlike a TW 35, and it has to be a very light, fluky breeze to catch it out. Also, very simple to operate and no tiller lines.

 

[LadyInBed]

Unfortunately it is a common problem with the 4000's.

 

[trouville]

Hear is somthing that gose back to when a 9/10m boat was not just a liveaboard but around the world home!
So many were sailing in the 60s/late 80s small wooden/grp boats everywhere well hears the link to a Navik wind vane http://www.selfsteer.com/products/navik/index.php

There dropping it as its not for the modern size boat!

Im not surprised as a salary used to be £5000PA now its £500,000 at least,or your doing very badly+ bonuses

 

[wavelet]

I made one and after five thousand miles it is still perfect. It is based on the Auto-Helm, a U.S. make, using an auxilliary rudder with trim tab. Unusually the trim tab is controlled by the wind vane via fishing line running through plastic tubes. Mine seems better than most I hear about in that it works perfectly under engine power (the main rudder is set in position to trim out the prop bias). I guess having a long keeler helps here. It also works perfectly dead downwind. It fails badly with no wind though. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Pleiades]

I have tried two different types of wind vane self steering on my Tradewind 35. Cape Horn servo pendulum was not much use. Fitted a Hydrovane which has been fantastic - best bit of marine kit I have ever used. Also serves as an independent emergency rudder so no contest in my opinion.