Tips for using ARIES Windvane, please

[Koeketiene]

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

There you go: Aries Wind Vane self-steering Manuals

 

[Daydream believer]

The cheap option is to get a length of aluminium tube that slides over the end of the vane gear & the oar. It needs about 5-6mm walls. In the centre machine a groove all round about 25-30% of the diameter, Drill 2 holes in it. You should find that the oar & the vane shaft already has holes. The Vane one may be tapped 8mm. A bolt goes through each pair of holes. One has a nyloc nut. The other has a 2 inch * 5mm bar through the head of the bolt to form a butterfly bolt. This means it can be fitted by hand. On the other end a ring circlip to stop it falling out.
In the event of collision the tube snaps at the groove.
You need a decent cord fitted to each half via a saddle clamp of decent size. Then if the sacrificial unit snaps the oar just trails behind
This happened to me when I hit a submerged object when surfing down a wave at 8kts Fortunately, I was able to grab the tiller. I also lost a lump out of the rudder & scored the keel. So it took a fair old whack

 

[gaylord694]

Sorry think it was a monitor he was going on about

 

[Babylon]

Sorry think it was a monitor he was going on about

No, if you're referring to the guy who posted yesterday morning it was definitely an Aries:

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

PS - I never realised the Aries needed lubrication. I've had my Monitor for 17 years (it was first fitted on my boat maybe 20-25 years before that) and it has never needed any lubrication or servicing whatsoever. The lines are never tight, always just a bit of slack, and the rudder hinges up when not in use. Only downside compared to the Aries is the more substantial framework on the transom... but that's of no consequence as such.

 

[WhalieBird]

Hi thanks for the link! I've taken it off the boat and will mount it in the workshop to do some proper maintenance. Hopefully it still does what it needs to do.

 

[rogerthebodger]

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.

I have a Monitor copy that I designed and fitted an auxiliary rubber as I have hydraulic steering that tends to drift due the hydraulic seepage