From: Bill Hudson
Date: July 31, 2016
To: John Curry
Subject: James, our Hydrovane

Well, we made it to Trinidad from Namibia and our Hydrovane did it all for us – again.

We left Luederitz heading out for St. Helena with a great wind off the port stern quarter. About 20 knots. During the trip, we hoisted numerous different sail combinations, from a simple poled out genoa and main, to our spinnaker. The trip (1600 miles) was a piece of cake thanks to James (our Hydrovane).

From there we were off for Trinidad this time in 30 to 35 knot winds for weeks on end. Add in a beam sea hitting us repeatedly on the starboard side. The winds during the first three weeks were off the stern. Once we neared the coast of South America we stowed the genoa and pulled up the forestaysail and changed course heading northwest. Now we were getting slammed by waves on the beam, over and over. It still kept blowing at 30-35 knots and James just kept on working, 24 hours a day for days on end. We continually flew along making great time all the while James just kept doing what he does so well-steer the boat.

In the end, we covered the 3600 miles from St Helena to Trinidad in 32 days. Not bad for a boat weighing in at 23 ton. Who says wind vanes can’t steer a heavy boat even when it’s of set on the stern. Not us!!!

With out our Hydrovane, the trip would have been a whole lot harder. We only had to steer the boat when we left or entered each harbor. The rest, it was our Hydrovane that did the work.

As I’ve told other boaters, don’t leave a harbor with out a Hydrovane. Thanks for making a great piece of equipment. In the 40,000 miles we’ve covered, the only repair we’ve had to do was replace the pin that holds the rudder onto the steering shafts and it sheared off in 35 knot winds off the stern starboard quarter along time ago.

Bill and Tracy Hudson
SV Zephyr

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