WINDVANES

Most important how will you use the boat? Will the usage justify the extra expense? Every boat is used differently.

Our boats have balanced ends and fairly long keels and well balanced sailplans so they tend to sail themselves. On one occasion I was broad reaching for 4 hours before I discovered the previous watch had disengaged the wind vane. Few boats will do this. Damn near any wind vane will steer these boats. The question is which one you want when it gets really nasty.

True, the servo pendulums increase their power with boat speed.

It means that they often, like an inexperienced helmsman, over-steer, causing oscillation, that results in an uncomfortable ride and ultimately loss of control and round-down and gybe or round-up and knockdown. Mind you this is in extremes, but that is just when you need precise reliable steering. We have never experienced that with the Hydrovane.

The independent rudder (Hydrovane’s) is so far aft that it is in clear, (non-turbulent) water and is very effective for its size. Being so far aft it exerts much power than the main rudder with a smaller angle of attack for less drag. I have stalled and ventilated the main rudder but not the Hydrovane.

In the Queens Birthday storm (6 yacht lost) the Hydrovane saved us days of exhausting steering and allowed us to pump, prepare food, rest, and make needed repairs. While in the big following seas, averaging over 10 knots under bare poles, the Hydrovane steered, most of the time, while a crewmember simply sat behind the wheel, “riding shotgun”. Under such circumstances fatigue is a serious and insidious problem, leading to pasivity and impared judgement and potentially deadly mistakes. When we attempted deploy a sea-anchor we, fell backward off a wave and busted our main rudder’s steering system, the Hydrovane carried on. I don’t know of any other unit that could stand up to that kind of punishment. With the boat’s main rudder inoperable the Hydrovane, alone, steered us 500 miles to Fiji .

In very light air, with less wind-speed and less boat-speed than the instruments can measure, I simply install a taller blade in the wind vane and adjust the counterweight.

I like that the cockpit is not cluttered with extra lines (safety issue) that; stretch, chafe, break and have to be fussed with. Be assured, I find no fault with Monitor or Flemming. They are fine products. It is just that hydrovane has proven itself and I feel is better for my boat and my purposes.

It took a little while to learn to use the device most effectively. It will be ready to go, right out of the box without any fussing or fine tuning. It taught me to balance the boat better and I am a better sailor for it. I am sure that is true of any wind vane. Not so with electric autopilots. When powering, I steer with an inexpensive Simrad T-10 tiller pilot actuating the hydrovane. When you compare the cost of an under-deck autopilot to the cost of combined the Simrad T-10 and Hydrovane the decision becomes quite obvious.

Electric autopilots have been improved enormously in the last few years, yet they are dependant upon the 12 Volt system, the most vulnerable and least reliable system in the boat. Reliability of 12 volts systems and solar panels have also improved enormously. I consider self-steering too important to be reliant upon the 12 volt system, particularly for singlehanders and couples. For the same reason I have a manual anchor windlass. I have never seen an electric windlass with satisfactory manual override. It is true that the single-handed around the world racers use powerful electric autopilots, most of us do not enjoy neither their budget nor their technical support nor short duration of voyage.

The secret to using this unique wind vane when reaching or running in light-air/big-sea conditions it to dial in a little weather helm into the main rudder and a little lee helm into the wind vane. That way if the boat falls off and the apparent wind is consequently reduced, the boat will naturally head back up again. When a puff comes she will drive off, just as a talented helmsman would do, which is just what you want. I don’t know of another system that will do that, again it is a safety issue, as well as better VMG.

I urge you to get together with the other owners, no matter what brand you buy, to order together and get a better price. It is an important investment, so do get it right. In terms of cost per mile the price difference becomes negligible.

Almost any boat is OK on the bay, but we bought MARY T because she would look after us, outside where things can get ugly. It is just the same with wind vanes. Almost any wind vane will do, on the bay, outside it is a different story. If you have a family, think on it.

Your timing is auspicious. The U.S. dollar is strong against the Pound, for the moment.

I have been in contact with John Curry of Hydrovane. He is willing to work with you on price, as much as he can, because of the number of boats involved. I urge you to contact John, (Google; Hydrovane) for the full story. He is very pleasant and approachable. He is a modest, no bull-shit kind of guy, rare in the industry.

Sigmund

Mary T (Cheoy Lee Offshore-40 yawl)

Sig

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