From: Bob Scholl
Sent: September-18-13
To: Valerie Williams
Subject: Re: UPS SHIPPING

I installed and started to use when I left my home port on Sept 4. Unfortunately there was only 1 day of wind in the first 7. Since then the winds have varied from 5 to 35 knots (rounding Pt Conception on the California coast). The vane has worked well. I find I have to make some adjustments as the wind speed varies to keep the boat from rounding up. This adjustment is either on the vane or by a small adjustment on the boat helm.

Somehow we misconnected on the vane. The title of this email is stubby vane which is what I wanted for future installation of an arch. I was sent the standard vane. I am happy with this for the time being. If I do get the arch which may be someway down the road I may want to switch to the stubby.

I plan on posting a report on the Freeport Owners Yahoo Group to show the installation and indicate I am pleased with it. Note we did have to make some adjustments in the ribbing in the stern of the boat to make it work. The only installation problem so far has been the control arm at the top of the shaft came loose at the end of the first day.

Thanks,

Bob Scholl

…

Later Bob wrote to Latitude 38 magazine – quoted in the CHANGES section of the March 2014 issue:

“One of the bits of gear I’m most satisfied with is my Hydrovane. The Cadillac of vanes. It’s also the most expensive as it cost $6,000 installed. But two things make it particularly good for me. First, it could be installed offset, which it had to be because of the door that opens in the back of the boat cockpit. Because it’s offset, the rudder is out of the slipstream of the main rudder, and is therefore more efficient. Secondly, its a totally independent steering system, so if the main rudder fails, I can steer the boat using the vane rudder.”

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