From: Mike Brooks
Sent: January 02, 2023
To: Will Curry
Subject: Re: Hydrovane Rudder | Michael Brooks – Roberts 44

Hi Will,
Many thanks for your email.
Currently I am in the UK and Cornelia is in Ireland for her internal refit. Hopefully I get back to her in Feb to carry on with it.
I fitted the Hydrovane in Panama at the beginning of the year and sailed back solo via, Bahamas, Bermuda, Azores, then onwards to Ireland double handed.
The Hydrovane steered through a Force 10 in the Atlantic, with associated ramp up and down over 4 days. I needed to use the Hydrovane in conjunction with the autopilot in the wave troughs of the force 10, as there wasn’t enough wind / bad wind for the vane, but other than that the Hydrovane steered the entire way.
I took a boarding wave which bent and snapped the vane frame. I’ve repaired it as best as I can and the frame circumference is now 3” shorter, but carried on working well for the remaining 2000 miles of the trip.
I needed to tighten a set of screws in the axles, when I noticed the vane wasn’t gimballing properly, but aside from that, it’s done tremendously.
The grey rudder rattles a bit, but seems fine.

Cornelia won’t be going anywhere over the next months. If it’s necessary to change the rudder, when back in Ireland I can arrange shipping, or can bring it with me when I next return to the UK and deliver to the factory.

Met Tom on a yacht called Skyfall in Azores. Recommended Hydrovane. Believe purchased.

Hope all is well,

Mike

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