Windvanes

[Boatman]

I am trying to decide which windvane I should fit to my boat, I have come up with 2 alternatives and was wondering if any of the members have any experience with either system.

The system would be fitted to a Dufour 32 classic, sugar scoop config. with wheel steering and an autohem autopilot


The 2 possibles are:

1. A Monitor servo pendulum system
2. A Hydovane system

Any comments will be gratefully received


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[snowleopard]

the hydrovane has the benefits of giving you a spare rudder and not needing you to modify the existing steering. the pendulum servo gears give much more power and work through the big main rudder.

if you are prepared to always keep the sailplan well balanced and reef early the hydrovane will probably cope but it would be marginal with a quartering sea.

i had a pendulum servo gear (gunning) which worked pretty well but was no help at all when my main steering quadrant broke.

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[JerryHawkins]

I've no practical experience as yet but have also been researching different makes - have a look at the WindPilot (http://www.windpilot.com). I am tempted to go for the WindPilot Pacific Plus when the time comes - totally self-contained - no steering linkages to worry about and built-in emergency rudder.

Cheers,

Jerry

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[elenya]

all comments above i agree with. have a windpiolt on our vessel, whisch has lasted 10 years and come from my 26' to 32' now 40', allways proved sound and reliable. execellent backup from germany when a motor boat used it as fender.
Have sailed with a plastimo navic ( on a 26' warsah one design) very light construction but excellent in light winds ( wont use one offshore again though!) and also a monitor ( which was set up on a petterson 40 ), the monitor was great when first set up but was extremely sensitive to sail balance and sea condition, thus needing constant tweaking. that was only over a weeks passage and may have got better with more experience or a long passage.
the servo pendulum type has always been my favorite due to its high power, simple mechanics, and with a windpilot the ability to upgrade or buy the pacific plus with its extra rudder.

enjoy your cruise

jim d

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[charles_reed]

I've a Navik on my boat, which is adequate for a lightweight but fragile.

The Monitor is great but I'd also look at Forthmann's Pacific range.

I'd rate those two as easily the most professional outfits in the windpilot market tho' the Aries (referred to by some as Saint Aries) is probably the best to have been produced.

Beware, tho' essential for offshore sailing, windpilots are far from ideal for coastal work when you need a good electric pilot.
IMHO They only work with a wind in excess of 8 knots apparent and become definitely flustered in a seastate above about 7 (OK in deep water with nice long period waves but useless in the Med or shallow waters).
They're also completely suckered if you have a boat that will surf.









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[davidbains]

Pedulum servos are supposed to be more powerful and robust than an auxilliary rudder type.
And the pendulum can be swung up out of the water to delay fouling and make reversing
easier.
However the aux rudder type does give you another method of steering, although reversing
can become difficult.
Neither can be easy to fit to a sugar scoop stern.
Scanmar in Calif make both types and their website is very informative in comparing them.
Confusingly, Scanmar's aux rudder type is called a Monitor!!
However thay will sell you the windvane and cables only if you wish to make a trim tab
yourself and fit it to your own rudder., possible with a transom hung rudder.

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[ChrisE]

For what it's worth, we have a Monitor and find it extremely usable,even 1st mate can set it up. We have used it in apparent winds down to 3 and 4 knots, using the light airs vane, and still track true. Admittedly we have a Rival 38 which is not the fastest on the block. We find that the trick is to get the sails balanced right then the vane looks after itself. I haven't noticed any difference in tidal/coastal performance v offshore but that may be due to hull form rather than the mechnism itself.

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[charles_reed]

Coastal or Offshore

Using windvane in coastal waters suffers from the disadvantage that you tend to get windshifts which have, in my case, had the boat steering at the same relative wind angle, but straight towards a hazard.

I now make a point of only using it when out of sight of land.

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[ChrisE]

Re: Coastal or Offshore

I'd agree about close coastal work, although I use mine in the Solent without too much trouble, I can reach the vane control easily from the cockpit and can make the necessary corrections.

Not quite the same appeal though as setting it up and running the Trades without having to touch it again.

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[hrsailor]

I have recently fitted a windpilot pacific plus and am very pleased with it, but it does need a reasonable wind to allow it to function.
Brian

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[kohaku]

try selfsteering.co.za.
It's in South Africa, a spin off from a larger firm. Similar to Windpilot but very cheap. Engineering is very good. Was effective even in light air.
Fitted it to my Sigma 33 and it took me perfectly from Dubai to Goa. Fitted a small electronic unit for downwind sailing. Much more stable.


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