Wind vane self steering

[James Marinero]

Just about to make a buy decision, but before I do I'm trying to track down the makers of a unit I saw on a Dutch boat. Unfortunately the owners were away, hence this research.

The unit I saw is very much like the Hydrovane and was mounted off-centre. Unlike the Hydrovane it has a trim tab on its auxiliary rudder.

It was well made and I'm sure not a home-brew jobbie. No, I don't have any pictures (idiot - me) and I could not see any manufacturer's markings.

I've done the Google bit etc, with no luck. Does anyone have any idea what make it might be?

Thanks for any guidance!

 

[Yngmar]

Windpilot has some models that match your description: http://windpilot.com/n/wind/en/tipp/wahl/

 

[James Marinero]

Thanks for the info. It looks like it might be the BWS Taurus.

 

[bluevelvet]

Hi if it was a Taurus it would have been made from stainless steel round tubing about 120mm dia. I have one on my yacht and it is a great bit of kit leaving the cockpit free of lines. they are not made any more and from my research they became pretty expensive (i was told that they had become the most expensive wind vane on the market). I found very little info on these units suggesting that it was not a big production run.

 

[jeanpaulcopie]

Sorry if I'm wrong but the differnt designs shown on the windpilot page gives you all the possible types of windvanes that are or have been on the market or self made. To my point of view there ar two different types : The first is one with links to the main tiller or wheel (Windpilot pacific, Monitor, Aries, Sailomat etc... The second one is a windvane steering system on its own and totally independant of the boat's main rudder These are to my knowledge ; Hydrovane and Windpilot Pacific Plus). None of these have trim tabs... The only one I know of with a trim tab is the Plastimo Navik wind vane. Fine up to 8/9 m Loa. I've had all three : Plastimo on a 7,99M JeanneauSangria, Monitor on à 12M Steel Finot design, and now , a Hydrovane on an Amel Kirk. To my point of view, that last one is the best! No links, emergency rudder if necessary but expensive... But so is the WindPilot Pacific Plus. And quite heavy gear ... 50Kgs+/-

 

[macd]

Sorry if I'm wrong but the differnt designs shown on the windpilot page gives you all the possible types of windvanes that are or have been on the market or self made.

That's right, jeanpaul. It simply illustrates formats that have been made, not what is currently on the market. Most have them are no longer in production, nor have they been for some time.

 

[James Marinero]

Bought and fitted the Hydrovane, offcentre. 3,200 miles later including 10 days of 6-7 G8 with big seas we're in the Caribbean and thoroughy satisfied with its performance. We had a fishing net round the main rudder - net dropped off during a gybe after we had towed it for 800 miles, seas to big to attempt any removal. Reassuring to have the back up rudder of the hydrovane which kept us going. Not having to generate 200 AH per day for the main autpilot was a great bonus! Thanks for all the advice.

 

[jeanpaulcopie]

Bought and fitted the Hydrovane, offcentre. 3,200 miles later including 10 days of 6-7 G8 with big seas we're in the Caribbean and thoroughy satisfied with its performance. We had a fishing net round the main rudder - net dropped off during a gybe after we had towed it for 800 miles, seas to big to attempt any removal. Reassuring to have the back up rudder of the hydrovane which kept us going. Not having to generate 200 AH per day for the main autpilot was a great bonus! Thanks for all the advice.

Just to say that on your Hydrovane, you can easily fit a small autopilot (Raymarine 2000 or TP32) on the Hydrovane rudder to steer the boat. Saves a lot of amps when motoring or very light winds!...

 

[Nina Lucia]

How's about this one : http://www.windvaneselfsteering.co.uk/ ?

 

[Tim Good]

Sorry to drag the thread back up but thought a photo I took yesterday might help also. Ours works very well off center in all points of wind. Because the boarding platform is accessible, removing the rudder is easy without using tender.

Boat: 43ft 17t Displacement, Keel semi long.
Fitted: Off center, behind davits, under solar panels

 

[KellysEye]

I woud recommend a Hydrovane we had one as did 90% of the boats we saw with a windvane when long distance sailing. Second was Aires but they have corrosion problems with dissimilar metals, we saw one frozen stiff.