From: Dee & Pippa
Sent: Saturday, July 24, 2010 9:53 AM
To: Hydrovane
Subject: Sula’s Hydrovane

Hello John, Will & Valerie,

Greetings from Porto Santo.

We left Teriffa in the straits of Gibraltar after lunch last Saturday, in order to catch the tide. It was blowing force 6 from the East. I would have settled for less but it was in the right direction so it was time to go. Pippa and I hand steered out into the channel and by early evening we were clear of the shipping lanes and on course for Porto Santo. I had delayed setting the Hydrovane because I was too busy with navigation, watching out for shipping etc. More fool me.

The wind moderated to force 3 and was on our starboard quarter. It was time to set the Hydrovane. I adjusted the course setting line and pulled the two pins. The result was astonishing. You could have knocked me down with a feather. It just worked!!! We were immediately steering a better course than either of us had managed all afternoon. The Hydrovane continued to maintain it’s early promise for the next 600 miles.

During the passage we experienced everything from force six winds with a following Atlantic swell, to force two with an uncomfortable lop. The most we ever did to help was to occasionally tweak the course setting line when there was a wind shift.

I have experience of old servo pendulum steering systems, but could never get them to work properly. A good friend advised that it was because I didn’t have enough faith. He said it was necessary to really believe in them before they would work. Well I’m sorry, I don’t believe in fairies. However I do believe in good technology and fine engineering.

Thank you for a wonderful product.

Best Regards

Dee

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