Wind vane self steering advice

Ross D

Ross D

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Does anyone have any experience of using a wind vane directly coupled to the tiller without an auxiliary rudder/servo pendulum? I am planning to build a wind vane self steering system using plans from Bill Belchers book. I have a 28' Albin Vega, it sails well and steers easily, previously I have used sheet to tiller steering but it needs constant attention as moving around and big waves can put it off course.

I was planning to build a large horizontally pivoted wind vane and couple it directly to the tiller via blocks and control lines. Bill Belchers book says that this system should be good for boats up to 9m, I can't find any info on the web from anyone who has actually used this system. Most people seem to have built an auxiliary rudder with a trim tab or use a servo pendulum.
 
I used a horz pivot vane coupled to tiller via blocks in the 70s. Can't remember the brand. Worked well in constant winds when not running. On a run it didn't work. In the tropics with squalls coming through regularly, the stronger winds would flatten the vane. If you changed the vane to the smaller one, it would not work once the wind fell. Even the 70s tillerpilot was preferable.
 
Agree with Goldie about the QME which is the only one I know of. .. OK when a bit of bungie would probably do the same thing. I'd look for a second hand Navik or Hasler SP1 servo kit. You really want self steering to be at its best in heavy weather.
 
I agree with previous posts, wind power alone is not powerfull enough. I had a QME on a 25 footer which couldn't cope off the wind, my next boat a 31footer had a home built virtical axis vane driving a trim tab on the main rudder this worked verry well but the rudder on the Vega would be dificult to adapt. I now have servo pendulum on a 36 footer, its brilliant. If you carry on down the wind power only route, I think you will be disapointed.

Plank
 
I totally agree with Plankwalker. The servo pendulum types will always perform better than anything else off the wind. Performance to windward is no test - any decent ocean cruiser will virtually self-steer to windward if the sails are trimmed properly. I have met several disappointed owners of expensive and much-advertised non-servo designs that have failed to deliver what is promised on downwind courses (which, let us face it, is what most ocean passage-makers are doing most of the time).
 
481 jan 2007

there are 3 or 4 sets of vane gear ideas in past pbo 's cannot find the one i was going to suggest you look up but issue 481 jan pbo has an idea in but does have a pendulum on but works in an unusual manner

the one i was looking for is this one in this thread

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=249815&highlight=windvane

looks easy to make and a month or so ago i found the plans for a similar one in an old pbo fits on the rudder head i will have a look and find which issue it was might take me a few days though
 
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Thanks for all the posts, unfortunately our rudder is not transom hung so a rudder head arrangement nor an additional trim tab on the main rudder won't work.

Does anyone know how big the vane on the QME was? I have seen a few pictures and it doesn't look much larger than a standard vane for a servo pendulum. The plans I have are for a 1500x380mm vane made from 4mm ply.
 
Ross D said:
Thanks for all the posts, unfortunately our rudder is not transom hung so a rudder head arrangement nor an additional trim tab on the main rudder won't work.

Does anyone know how big the vane on the QME was? I have seen a few pictures and it doesn't look much larger than a standard vane for a servo pendulum. The plans I have are for a 1500x380mm vane made from 4mm ply.
Click to expand...

I would suggest as others have done, go straight to a servo pendulum.

Check out this link to a dedicated Windvane forum. Ask your question there. All the manufacturers of commercial units are there. On that forum I am Ramona.
http://www.cruisenews.net/forum/viewforum.php?f=62

For plans or ideas on building your own go to Walt Murray's site.
http://www.mindspring.com/~waltmur/Self-Steering/advanced.htm

Most of the modern units use the same principles as Walt.

As previously mentioned, sailing upwind is easy. The real test is off wind where the relative wind is much less. It will soon be obvious there is only one choice of systems. Building a windvane is cheap but very time consuming so save your self some time and heart ache and go with the flow.
 
pbo 359 nov

there is a simple wind vane only gear (to a tiller rudder not transom hung) in pbo359
using a small sail vane gear very simple (article called let the wind steer her ) boat 32 feet

but as others have said no servo gives down wind difficulties
 
Thanks for the help, I think that I will make a wind vane and see how it goes, I can probably make one up for around £50 in a couple of days. I will also probably make either a servo pendulum or trim tab system over the summer as making and shaping a rudder and building the transom mounting is going to take some time. I haven't got time this winter as I am completely replacing the main bulkhead and changing the fwd half of the internal layout onboard. With this weather my epoxy is taking for ever to cure even with a heater it has taken 5 days to be ready to clean up and sand.

Fisherman two, when I have managed to register I will post the question on the wind vane forum, but I'm still waiting for the registration email at the moment.
 
Slow boat: try and get hold of a copy of "Yacht wind-vane steering, how to plan and make your own" by Bill Belcher. It is probably out of print but there must be second hand copies around. I was leant a copy it is excellent.

The book goes through the fundamentals of design of a wind vane system, then gives plans for several types. You could easily build the wind vane and linkage part as per the book and then adapt the fitting to the rudder head and trim tab to suit you.

Ross
 
issue 435 mar' 2003

Slow_boat said:
I like the idea of a trim tab and rudder head gear. Would it be cheap to make and effective (in all but dead downwind) on a sadler 29?
Can it be removed when not on boat, stern to mooring etc?
Where can I find out more?
Click to expand...


there is an article in pbo 435 made from a bike frame very simply made article name

"self steering gear for a tenner " ian rodgers.

Not the rudder head one i was going to mention still looking for that.This one easy to make wind vane with a swinging arm on the back easily removed in 5 mins but the arm swings in against the stern aswell,keeping the stern clear. after looking it
it looks as though a slight mod to the vane push rod (changing the axis) system would make an adjustable yaw control.

The chap who made it used to med in up to f6 .
 
Ross D said:
Slow boat: try and get hold of a copy of "Yacht wind-vane steering, how to plan and make your own" by Bill Belcher. It is probably out of print but there must be second hand copies around. I was leant a copy it is excellent.

The book goes through the fundamentals of design of a wind vane system, then gives plans for several types. You could easily build the wind vane and linkage part as per the book and then adapt the fitting to the rudder head and trim tab to suit you.

Ross
Click to expand...

Just go to this site and download the free book on PDF.

http://www.windpilot.com/

Also check out the windvane types on Utube. Plenty of manufacturers display their stuff there and also amateur enthusiasts. Jessica Watson used a Fleming. This is the type you should consider. Easy to manufacture but time consuming. Whole unit can be made to unbolt with either one or two bolts. Mine weighs about 10 kilos in SS.
 
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