From: Bryan Pollock
Sent: September 28, 2011
To: John Curry
Subject: Amazing vane results but Broken mounts

Hi John,

Bryan Pollock here. You know, the guy with the Spencer 42 and free standing mast.

You’ll be happy to know that the Hydrovane got us down here to San Diego after a rough passage that never let us shake out the three reefs and small staysail. The vane worked flawlessly steering in some very screwy waves and wind and got us through some bad gales. We didn’t touch the helm once except to gybe or tack. At one point all I could or would do was hide down below with my face buried in my pillow crying for my mommy. Mr Wobbles just merrily steered the boat through all that bad mojo with aplomb.

The main reason for this note apart from my wishing to let you to know how well the Hydrovane did under very trying conditions is that I would like your opinion on a repair I am about to do to the transom and Hydrovane mounts. During the passage the vane mounts had started to slowly pull the nuts and washers through the backing plate and transom. It was ultimately found to be pretty loose which would explain the increasingly louder and louder reverberating thuds we would hear throughout the hull. In fact it was that scary sound that led me to the discovery of the loose bolts. I think perhaps the bolts stretched and allowed the movement to slowly pull the nuts and washers through the backing plate.

Of course all of this was found out in thirty knots and very short and steep seas in the Channel Islands. Another emergency backing plate of plywood and G10 plate saved the day. I’m going to replace the core in the transom with West epoxy and high density structural filler. On top of that I will layup a solid 1/4 inch layer of knytex cloth (about eight layers lapping the entire inside of the transom. Then a 1/4 inch or so of G10 backing plates to finish up. I’m certain this structural change will help and may in fact be all the install needs to prevent a reoccurrence.

This leads me to my main question. I’m thinking of installing 45 degree angled struts either side of the lower strut in a horizontal plane in stainless steel. I thought I would collar these struts around the SS tube just aft of and snuggedup close to the lower cast aluminum collar. I think that the side forces with the single strut were enough to start the bolt movement I described above. Normally I would just upsize to the double strut kit you sell but for two reasons. One, I need to finish this repair/upgrade in the next week as we head down the Mexican coast in two weeks. And two as I recall the double strut kit you supply is breathtakingly expensive. I guess I’m asking for your blessing or at least opinion regarding a non stock modification or addition to your standard single strut mount design.

The other question I have is the bolt sizes. I cannot remember what sizes you recommend.

Anyway, sorry for the novel. I wanted to bring you up to speed with the vane. I have concluded that the earlier problems you and I witnessed while test sailing the Hydrovane on this boat had less to do with sail trim and more to do with a mainsail that has way too much shape built into the top half of the sail.

I know this to be a fact because we swapped the old rudder and wheel onfiguration for a new spade rudder and tiller setup two years ago. The boat when properly trimmed is very easy to steer with just the tiller. Very little or no weather helm. However with the vane on it still struggled keeping the boat on course. No weather helm or very little so trimming was correct. After this trip down it’s pretty evident to me that the next mainsail will have a much flatter top half to allow the vane to do its work.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts

Cheers,
Bryan

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