South Atlantic windvane
- Thread starter BlackPig
- Start date
Wunja
Well-Known Member
Independence
Well-Known Member
It looks to me a bit like what the owner of Fluffy had on his previous boat when completing the Jester Azores Challenge in Lucy. If I'm right and it is the same he described it at the time as a cheaper and less capable version of the Windpilot.
If you would like to send me a PM I'll forward you his e-mail address for you to check on this.
If you would like to send me a PM I'll forward you his e-mail address for you to check on this.
Athene V30
Well-Known Member
Have you looked at the Sea Feather? www.sea-feather.co.uk
I have used it on my previous and current boat. Cutlass 27 (long keel) but not a light boat and handles her well in all but light winds.
Just looked at your link and think you may have a bigger boat than Sea Feather can handle. I don't think it would cope with up to 50 foot!
I have used it on my previous and current boat. Cutlass 27 (long keel) but not a light boat and handles her well in all but light winds.
Just looked at your link and think you may have a bigger boat than Sea Feather can handle. I don't think it would cope with up to 50 foot!
BlackPig
N/A
Carrie is only 23ft (34ft including bowsprit) but does come in at 4082Kg.
Gordicans
New Member
how to choose a vane?
that's a lot of displacement for 23 feet!!! Nonetheless, the Seafeather goes on a Contessa 32 which is about 4300kgs, so I would expect it to be fine on yours, but you should double check with the seafeather guy.
The manufacturer of the Windpilot may however recommend you move from the Pacific light to the Pacific model for this displacement but you better check with him. I haven't looked at his website for a while but from memory the Pacific light is rated for up to 2500kgs so the Light model might be a bit light on for yours. The Seafeather is less expensive than the Pacific.
The Seafeather and Windpilot Pacific Light are comparible in price, but according to pricing I received the Seafeather is considerably cheaper than the Windpilot Pacific. I get the impression that the Seafeather guy will make up tailor made brackets for your transom and will help install if required. The Windpilot vanes come with good looking brackets that fit a variety of transoms. Of course boats with transom hung rudders and canoe sterns complicate the issue somewhat.
The Seafeather and Pacific Light are comparible in weights, but Seafeather is a fair bit lighter than the Pacific. Seafeather is about 13.5kgs, and the Pacific is about 20kgs last time I looked.
I think the Seafeather and Windpilot's are the pick of them available and I haven't come across an owner who isn't enthusiastic in their praise. Flemming is also a good brand but I don't know what it costs to ship from Australia to Europe (no doubt on his website). I understand it weighs about 18 kgs (he doesn't say how much it weighs on his website but told me verbally it weighs 18kgs).
The Flemming is tried and tested. Jessica Watson used a Flemming on her recent circum. in an S&S 34 and copped a 360 roll and the flemming was undamaged, and a couple of 60 yr old Aussie guys completed double circumnavigations recently (including one through the North West Passage!) and spent a lot of time in extreme conditions in the southern ocean using a Flemming on a Brolga 33 (about 7000kgs) and they rate it highly.
'
Í'm no guruh on this topic and stand to be corrected by those with more knowledge, but I think the difference between models like the South Atlantic and the three mentioned above are the type of linkage between the top arm (with the vane on it) and the bottom arm (with blade that goes in H20); my understanding is that the Seafeather, Windpilot models and Flemming all have proper gears that connect the two arms, so you get a 1 : 2 reduction giving you more power transfer from the upper arm to the lower arm.
My understanding is that The Atlantic and some other models I don't think have gears between the two arms like the three models mentioned above. I think they have a direct connection rod providing a 1 : 1 connection so the wind vain isn't able to impart as much power to the oar. I expect this is what makes them cheaper. It's likely that the gearing on the Seafeather/Windpilot/Flemming is more expensive to put together than a connecting rod. There's the Holland Windvane which falls into this category. It's a kit that you buy costing about (very roughly) half the amount of a proper bought one. Involves a lot of measuring, drilling etc. In pratice I've no idea if these 1:1 designs are any less effective. There's no shortage of people using them who are effusive in their praise.
Which is why I find it difficult to compare these products. How on earth can you tell which product will work better on your yacht? Say a Seafeather or a Windpilot? You can hardly whack them on the back of your boat and take each of them out for a three day test drive. Owners of these machines all seem to say they are the bees knees, but this doesn't provide a comparison and I haven't seen any objective performance comparison between brands published. It seems like a pig and a poke to me, and comes down to price, weight and service.
I haven't bought one yet, but will be doing so in the next few months. In the absence of objective performance comparison, atleast one can get an idea of the level of customer service provided. Both the Windpilot guy and the Seafeather guy have been extremely responsive and helfpful to me in my enquiries, both seem very dedicated to their product and users seem rate customer support of both highly. I wouldn't have any hesitation in buying from either of them. The Flemming guy in Australia is also very helpful and professional.
Regards Claverton
that's a lot of displacement for 23 feet!!! Nonetheless, the Seafeather goes on a Contessa 32 which is about 4300kgs, so I would expect it to be fine on yours, but you should double check with the seafeather guy.
The manufacturer of the Windpilot may however recommend you move from the Pacific light to the Pacific model for this displacement but you better check with him. I haven't looked at his website for a while but from memory the Pacific light is rated for up to 2500kgs so the Light model might be a bit light on for yours. The Seafeather is less expensive than the Pacific.
The Seafeather and Windpilot Pacific Light are comparible in price, but according to pricing I received the Seafeather is considerably cheaper than the Windpilot Pacific. I get the impression that the Seafeather guy will make up tailor made brackets for your transom and will help install if required. The Windpilot vanes come with good looking brackets that fit a variety of transoms. Of course boats with transom hung rudders and canoe sterns complicate the issue somewhat.
The Seafeather and Pacific Light are comparible in weights, but Seafeather is a fair bit lighter than the Pacific. Seafeather is about 13.5kgs, and the Pacific is about 20kgs last time I looked.
I think the Seafeather and Windpilot's are the pick of them available and I haven't come across an owner who isn't enthusiastic in their praise. Flemming is also a good brand but I don't know what it costs to ship from Australia to Europe (no doubt on his website). I understand it weighs about 18 kgs (he doesn't say how much it weighs on his website but told me verbally it weighs 18kgs).
The Flemming is tried and tested. Jessica Watson used a Flemming on her recent circum. in an S&S 34 and copped a 360 roll and the flemming was undamaged, and a couple of 60 yr old Aussie guys completed double circumnavigations recently (including one through the North West Passage!) and spent a lot of time in extreme conditions in the southern ocean using a Flemming on a Brolga 33 (about 7000kgs) and they rate it highly.
'
Í'm no guruh on this topic and stand to be corrected by those with more knowledge, but I think the difference between models like the South Atlantic and the three mentioned above are the type of linkage between the top arm (with the vane on it) and the bottom arm (with blade that goes in H20); my understanding is that the Seafeather, Windpilot models and Flemming all have proper gears that connect the two arms, so you get a 1 : 2 reduction giving you more power transfer from the upper arm to the lower arm.
My understanding is that The Atlantic and some other models I don't think have gears between the two arms like the three models mentioned above. I think they have a direct connection rod providing a 1 : 1 connection so the wind vain isn't able to impart as much power to the oar. I expect this is what makes them cheaper. It's likely that the gearing on the Seafeather/Windpilot/Flemming is more expensive to put together than a connecting rod. There's the Holland Windvane which falls into this category. It's a kit that you buy costing about (very roughly) half the amount of a proper bought one. Involves a lot of measuring, drilling etc. In pratice I've no idea if these 1:1 designs are any less effective. There's no shortage of people using them who are effusive in their praise.
Which is why I find it difficult to compare these products. How on earth can you tell which product will work better on your yacht? Say a Seafeather or a Windpilot? You can hardly whack them on the back of your boat and take each of them out for a three day test drive. Owners of these machines all seem to say they are the bees knees, but this doesn't provide a comparison and I haven't seen any objective performance comparison between brands published. It seems like a pig and a poke to me, and comes down to price, weight and service.
I haven't bought one yet, but will be doing so in the next few months. In the absence of objective performance comparison, atleast one can get an idea of the level of customer service provided. Both the Windpilot guy and the Seafeather guy have been extremely responsive and helfpful to me in my enquiries, both seem very dedicated to their product and users seem rate customer support of both highly. I wouldn't have any hesitation in buying from either of them. The Flemming guy in Australia is also very helpful and professional.
Regards Claverton
BlackPig
N/A
Seafeather been ordered. £1575 + post all inclusive.
MASH
N/A
I've got a brand new unused Sailomat 601 for sale if anyone is interested...
SvenH
Well-Known Member
The gear ratio is not about power but responce speed (it does give more power though, that is true). A true 1 to 1 response is too quick and would result in a zig zag course. The 1 to 2 ratio gives a slower response and results in smoother steering.
Using (well adjusted) gears also gets you the lightest response which means less wind is needed to start steering. The system used by south atlantic, often refered to as z-cranck, probably has a bit more friction but the anti zig-zagging action is more or less comparable to a 1 to 2 ratio bevel gear set.
Friction in a self steering system is the enemy of light wind performance.
