Tips for using ARIES Windvane, please

[Delphin_Rival36]

My Rival 36 came with an Aires wind vane, which I have not yet rigged. This season I intend to get it rigged and start using it on long passages. There is some stuff online on how to set up and use it, so I hope to learn as I go. Would appreciate any tips and tricks on how to get the best out of it. I have wheel steering and the control lines are lead to a drum fixed to the hub of the wheel. I think my model is quite old and its not possible to lift the servo rudder; so, once its down it stays down for the whole passage. Will this affect the steering, especially at close quarters? My Rival is a pig going astern at the best of times, so I worry that the servo rudder will make it worse. Also, will it create appreciable drag when sailing or motoring? All tips gratefully received!!

 

[Deleted member 478]

PM your email address and I will email the Aries manual to you.
EDIT: If anyone else would like a copy of the Aries Manual, hit that PM button.

 

[Goldie]

Yes, I’m afraid it will affect your steering when going astern…

 

[mattonthesea]

Yes, I’m afraid it will affect your steering when going astern…

But that really won't make any difference to any plans you have; she will still do what she wants which is rarely what you want

 

[mattonthesea]

Balance the sails so she's going straight before engaging Aries. Use every opportunity to play.

 

[Goldie]

Oh yes, and I recommend dismantling and greasing every component where dissimilar metals co-exist. After 3 years in the Med’, I couldn’t get mine apart! That said, it was a great piece of kit.

 

[roaringgirl]

You need the lines from the paddle to the drum nice and tight.

 

[SvenH]

Yes, I’m afraid it will affect your steering when going astern…

Indeed.
If a pendulum rudder can float to the surface when going backwards handling will likely not be affected.
With Aries and similar types the sideways swing is limited and as soon as that limit is reached the pendulum rudder starts to behave like a normal rudder.

 

[Jgrundy]

PM your email address and I will email the Aries manual to you.
EDIT: If anyone else would like a copy of the Aries Manual, hit that PM button.

Jim1grundy@gmail.com - thanks

 

[Deleted member 478]

Jim******@gmail.com - thanks

Just need to fire up my laptop and it will be on its way.

It's very basic, but still handy

 

[Deleted member 478]

Now sent. Hope it didn't end up in your spam folder

 

[Daydream believer]

I fitted an early, well worn, Aries to a 41 ft Jeneau that just did the ARC. It was used successfully on the trip over & they will be using it on the return ARC Portugal leg in May. I also made an adaptor for the wheel. The main problem is that inspite of my constant reminders, they did not practice with it before they left the UK & they did not lubricate the bearings enough. On my Aries ( Lift up tiller steered) I can move the oar to one side when on dry land, let it go & it will swing from side to side 4 times.
My boat is directionally unstable & one cannot let the tiller go for a second. It is impossible to balance the sails so I never bother. The power of an Aries, when the boat is doing 6kts, is as much as a man can pull against the cords for very long.
What one does need is a bigger vane than the standard one. I made one using 5mm foam from Easy Composites Ltd with 300grm epoxied mat each side. It has at least 30% more area, is stiffer & lighter than the plywood one.
I also have a ribbon ( made from spinnaker repair tape) fitted to the trailing edge to help pull it over in lighter airs.
One needs to learn how to adjust the chain to the hook on the tiller, or the engagement point on the wheel rim as one needs to get the oar working centrally.
My Aries does not affect my manouverability in reverse. What it does do, is restrict me from mooring stern too, as I sail SH, so would not risk damage to it.
If you do not have all the mounting kit there is a much cheaper system of support that I used. The Jeneau had a raked transom so involved considerable support from the deck etc.
I bought 50 mm aluminium with 6mm wall as the main struts. To make the connections, I bought plastic handrail units that take 50mm tube
Typical bracket
I bolted through with 6mm bolts. However, the client reported 2 bolts sheared near St Lucia & they replaced with 8mm ones. But as I had not put enough braces in the system it explains the issue. They have since added an extra brace & all is reported Ok.

 

[Koeketiene]

Yes, I’m afraid it will affect your steering when going astern…

Can you not lift the rudder out of the water?

 

[Koeketiene]

The resources page might be useful: Aries Vanegear - Aries Vanegear

 

[mattonthesea]

What one does need is a bigger vane than the standard one. I made one using 5mm foam from Easy Composites Ltd with 300grm epoxied mat each side. It has at least 30% more area, is stiffer & lighter than the plywood one.
I also have a ribbon ( made from spinnaker repair tape) fitted to the trailing edge to help pull it over in lighter airs.

I made up a bigger vane from Cores (estate agent sign stuff). I folded it in half and strengthened it with a batten. It was about a metre high and worked in all winds (F3-F8). I think an improvement would be to make a sleeve to fit over a short ply vane as repeated fitting in the Aries eventually mashed up the lower end.

 

[Wandering Star]

I have 2 plywood vanes for the Aries if anyone wants them and can collect them. I won’t post them sorry! (BH22 area).

 

[srm]

You need the lines from the paddle to the drum nice and tight.

That's the opposite to my experience with a Monitor servo pendulum gear. Too much tension in the steering lines increases friction on the blocks. I found mine was more responsive with just a little slack in the lines. Perhaps counter intuitive but has worked well for a few thousand miles in all wind and sea conditions on two different boats.

Incidentally, I fitted the Monitor to my last but one boat. The last boat came with an older Aries, giving me a choice. Reading the manuals the Aries said "oil every day" the Monitor "do not oil". I kept the Monitor and sold the Aries. I do lubricate the turning blocks for the steering line from time to time though.

If @Delphin_Rival36 downloads the Monitor manual from their website it has a very good section on setting up and using the gear that is equally applicable to the Aries. Not quite "plug and play" but with a bit of practice and thought about sail balance the Aries will suit the Rival very well. Sail balance will be important as the gear has limited movement on the wheel. I am using the Aries wheel drum with the Monitor gear so much the same though our wheel to rudder gearing may differ.

 

[Daydream believer]

I think that you are right about the lines. The windward one has the weight on it & will always allow my tiller to pull the boat & line) over against the pull of the Aries. So I leave a bit of slack as the opposite line has nothing to do.

Presumably you found the Monitor a better steering gear. Hence the sale of the Aries. Or was it just due to condition or weight.

 

[srm]

Presumably you found the Monitor a better steering gear. Hence the sale of the Aries. Or was it just due to condition or weight.

I did not get a chance to sail with the Aries on the delivery trip (Plymouth to Orkney) as initially the gear was far too stiff after a couple of years ashore. By the time I got it all well lubricated and swinging easily we had fog and no wind so motored through the Hebrides and around Cape Wrath using the wheel pilot.

I kept the Monitor as it does not have an alloy body and I have a fair bit of experience of the problems of stainless steel in alloy castings with oceanographic instruments. Also, I liked the "do not oil" and had been happy with the Monitor on the previous boat. As to performance, if both gears are working to spec I would not expect a significant difference.

Like you, I use a bigger vane (made of double skin polycarbonate so very light) and have a tell tale ribbon on the trailing edge. My vane is working within the frame of a stern gantry with small solar panel and radar scanner over the top of it but still performs well.

 

[WhalieBird]

Hey all! I've purchased a one-off steel sailboat in april 2024. It's fitted with a Aries Windvane 'Lift Up'.
I've saved this post for months, and I am finally getting around to checking out the windvane and servicing it.
The actual Aries Windvane company in the Netherlands could not help me with a manual or anything.

So far, I am planning to take it off the boat and mount it on a workbench to check it out.

If anyone has experience with this windvane, would they mind answering a few questions? Seems like I can't figure out how to place the servo rudder on the windvane.

Thanks in advance!
Arnaud