What helms your boat?

sighmoon

sighmoon

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Who helms your boat?

Autoholem, self steering vane, or you? Joshua Slocum had a leprochoan, but he's not yet made an appearance on our ship

I've never sailed on aboat with any gadgets to steer, and don't find helming a hardship. It can be a problem when there is only two of you, and you need to wait for watch change over to go for a pee, but on the whole, that's what I'm there for.

By the way, why are self steering vanes so expensive? Isn't it just a couple of bits of plywood mounted on a gantry?
 
This one - about 10 hours. Previous one of mine about 36 hours.

Friend's boat, Harwich to Russia, over 2 months, mostly day hops, but starting off with a wintery blast across the North Sea. There were 4 of us in 2 watches, but my watch partner (skipper) spent the whole watch down below reading pilot books and twiddling his dividers on the chart.
 
I asked because it get's awfully wearing on a long trip if you need to man the helm the whole time, especially if there's any weather. I've done a few Biscay crossings without any autopilot or wind vane, but its hard work if short handed

OTOH, my wife and I are quite happy with a few days at sea provided we have a good autopilot. Means we can take shelter under the sprayhood if necessary and just keep a lookout and an eye on things

I'm a firm convert to the school who believe that you fit the best autopilot you can afford - it's an extra crew member, especially when reefing etc
 
I've not yet done a few days at sea with no break, no, and I can definitely see the appeal there. I raised it because in an old YM that happens to be on my desk, Mr Cunliffe was saying a couple were a bit slow to turn the autohelm on (inside the harbour).
 
I am a strong advocate of wind vane self steering systems. I have sailed long passages on boats with Hydrovane, Aries and Monitor systems, and they have all performed wonderfully.
If I had a choice of autopilot or windvane, I would unhesitantly go for the windvane first.
Of course it would be nice to have one of each......

We have a Hydrovane on our Challenger 35, and he (his name is George) is a wonderful crew member - he never complains, doesnt need feeding or watering, steers a better course than any helmsperson can........

Re why windvanes are so expensive, well, they are quite complex bits of engineering really. The Monitor has lots of fabricated and welded stainless steel components, while the Hydrovane has complex aluminium castings as well as S/S linkages. They are worth the money though, IMHO.
 
Like 'bajansailor' my second mate is a windvane; Aries in my case (named Ol' Nick). Also have a rarely deployed Autohelm but find Nick (after Franklin) indispensible.
 
Like Tome says, go long distance as a couple and then you'll appreciate the joys of the third crew member. As others have said I doubt that a human helmsman could do as good a job for a long period.

We have an Autohelm 6000 and a Monitor and wouldn't be without either. Steering is fine when we are in, or close to, harbour for the rest of the time you are welcome to it.
 
Mine steers itself:

selfsteer.jpg


Nicholas Hill

Channel Pilot
 
I've had electric autopilots with and without the wind vane attachment. Currently I just have a tilller pilot, navwotsit 1000 I think, for a little 28 footer. I often sail shorthanded and the boat has fixed headsails with an under-water profile of fin keel and balanced spade rudder. The boat would not hold course for long so to leave the helm I either have to ask someone to take over, heave to or use the autopilot. I enjoy a good session on the helm, particularly when one gets into 'the groove' and settles down to a good passage but it would be a real pain if I couldn't leave the helm to trim/change sails, check the charts or have a pee. If I hadn't just blown all my budget on some new headsails I would be seriously considering windvane self steering.
 
Aries on the list for about 4 years time. The ST4000+ will do until then. When I have the boat balanced in reasonable weather, I can just engage the clutch on the ST4000 without switching it on. Most times thats good for a minute or two.
Also, the helm on my Jeanneau (wheel steer) is quite dead to feel, and is thus not as enjoyable as a twitchy well balanced tiller. So I don't mind not steering.
 
Having sailed across a long stretch of the Atlantic with the autopilot out of action I cannot recommend 3 hour watches at night spent steering alone, with everyone else asleep. Never mind all that "star to steer her by" stuff, it was bloody boring!
 
I can appreciate your view given the passages that you do,however long distance sailing is another matter entirely! Not only is hand steering incredibly boring after a while but its also tiring. We sail two handed and regularly make 5-7 day passages. I would not consider these without some mechanical assistance. We have a Monitor, Kitty onboard as well as two Autohelm 7000's. One electric and one hydraulic. At first I thought that was pretty much overkill but during our Atlantic crossing we got caught in a microburst which snapped the paddle off the Monitor and then hit by lightning which took out both autopilots! Bummer!
What was terrific about the Monitor though was that we were able to repair it at sea, it takes no power and doesn't complain when we leave her to helm and go below for a meal and hot drink in really awful weather. IMHO the Monitor is one of the most important pieces of kit that we have onboard and I never begrudge money spent on spares for her.
 
Autohelm plus one complete spare - don't grudge the power (minimal) and so far no problems. I do swop over the units occasionally to give the spare a "work out".

Might consider a windvane for a transat but not for 7~10 day passages.
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I admit to having a vested interest but have a look at Sailing Today, December issue for an inexpensive 'third hand' for tiller steered yachts.
 
Completely agree and you have exactly the same as us. Indeed, until a few weeks ago we carried THREE brand new 2000+'s to back-up our ancient Autohelm 2000 which was 22 years old and has sadly died!

Having used both Aries and Hydrovane on different transats, the cost/value just didn't make sense to us. FWIW, the Aries was far better than the Hydrovane(ducks down behind parapet!!!) though neither impressed us enough to consider one for ourselves.
 
You don't have to duck Jerry, everyone is entitled to their opinion.....

When comparing an Aries (say) with a Hydrovane, it should be borne in mind that the Aries works on a servo pendulum (I think that is the correct term) principle - ie the more it blows, and the faster you go, the more power is applied to the helm by the Aries.

The Hydrovane is completely independent of the main rudder and has its own seperate rudder - which in itself is a good safety feature. However it is basically just a linkage direct from the vane to the rudder, hence the actual power generated is much less than a servo pendulum system. This means that more effort has to be made initially to get the boat reasonably well balanced on the desired course before engaging the Hydrovane.

I know of 3 yachts that lost their rudders while sailing across the Atlantic to the West Indies last winter. One of them (a J 40) was abandoned 600 miles ENE of Barbados, as her Owners claimed they could not get her to steer, no matter what they did. The MFV Ros Ailither (http://trawlertravels.blogspot.com) that took them off tried towing the boat, but she was yawing too much (drogues out the back??), hence the decision was made (by the crew of the J 40) to abandon.

She washed up on the east coast of Barbados exactly 4 weeks later.......
 
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