Ferro Cement 40
“So suddenly I needed to learn to use and trust my Hydrovane. It became a delight – a revelation. Now she is my “her” on the boat.”
“One of the best parts of using it is that it is so easy to calibrate and re-calibrate. I used it even when beating up narrow channels, which means re-adjusting every five minutes – no problem as adjustment is done in seconds.”
From: Verde, Patrick
Sent: September 06, 2013
To: info@hydrovane.com
Subject: Some comments on my hydrovane
Hi,
I bought a Hydrovane from you – I think it was 2009 – I installed it 2010. I took the boat to the Med (though with truck through Europe) in 2010. It was not in much use the first years because I had a working autopilot and did not do much shorthanded long distance sailing. The truth is I never came up to learning to use it.
3 weeks ago my Auto broke down while I was on a single handed tour from Crete up to Istanbul. (island by island). So suddenly I needed to learn to use and trust my Hydrovane. It became a delight – a revelation. Now she is my “her” on the boat. The boat being a male called REVEN (means The Fox).
My boat is an old (45 years) ferro cement boat (13,5 tons/40 feet – half long keel). I mounted the pilot off center because my stern is quite narrow and I also have a wind generator.
In these weeks I have done all kinds of sailing. Hard up wind in 14-17 ms: it steers better and more precisely than me even when I totally concentrated. The same on every course up to 120 off wind. Then she starts to “slalom” a little – but who doesn’t?.
Butterfly downwind it’s a little bit difficult to get her working precisely. Sure you can reduce sail and get more relative wind – but who wants to loose speed? But I found that I can make her work if I counter steer the main rudder a bit. That makes her (the Hydro) counter steer the other way and getting more relative wind. The arrangement does not allow the skipper sleeping (because as soon as it gets out of balance it reacts wrongly – ex if the wind speed changes), but it is a fine arrangement when down wind speed is the priority.
One of the best parts of using it is that it is so easy to calibrate and re-calibrate. I used it even when beating up narrow channels, which means re-adjusting every five minutes – no problem as adjustment is done in seconds. I am really in love with this piece of gear.
ps – you may publish this text where ever you want – with my name and contact info on it.
Regards
Patrick Verde
Professor
Oslo Business School