True Stories

From: Sallie Beauchamp
Sent: July 26, 2018
To: Gloria Anderson
Subject: my vane

Hello all,Attaching some install pics. Feel free to use along with this story.

Good news is we are in Burnt Store Marina, off the hard and in water for shake down sails and small projects. Sallie has named the HydroVane “Thing” as in “Adams Family TV show.

Coming south in Charlotte Harbor from boat yard to marina we were hit with massive thunder storm for over an hour with 40 mph steady winds….gusts much higher…horizontal rain and zero visibility. Surrounded by shoals and being blown backwards towards big mean concrete bridge even with engine wide open. If nose got turned I had to fall off to get enough boat speed to get rudder authority to try to get back into the wind.

Rapidly running out of room for this I luckily thought of my new Hydrovane, put it in manual mode, and used it along with the wheel. The boat immediately responded and quickly turned against the storm.

Even under these conditions I noted the load on the HydroVane rudder was extremely light. Finally got to a place where I could anchor as an escape technique and road out storm. Our new Mantus Anchor stopped the boat immediately in high winds.

So my first use of the Hydrovane was to survive….Thank you “Thing”

From: Anders Rhodin
Sent: July 8, 2018
To: Will Curry
Subject: Our Hydrovane is now operational

Hi Will,
We haven’t named it yet, but it might be “Bob”.
It’s on our new Outbound 46, Horizon. We’ve tested in now for a couple of days and it works great. So easy to deploy and “just works”.

I have one question about a humming noise that comes and goes. Think it’s the rudder vibrating. Seems to be mostly when the vane are standing tall. Anything we can do to avoid or minimize these vibrations?

[Editor’s Note: Working on a solution – involves squaring off the trailing edge of the Rudder]

I also noticed that there’s play in the shaft. I can move the shaft approximately 1 mm sideways both at the top and bottom. Is that normal?

[Editor’s Note: Yes, that is normal]

Thanks and regards,
/Anders

From: Steve Neal
Sent: July 2, 2018
To: Will Curry
Subject: Re: Hydrovane Mounted on HR 43

Hi Will,

Firstly, I have to say I’m very impressed with our new Hydrovane. We made our first voyage with it this week, from Tunisia to Spain. The trip took three days and we had conditions ranging from very light winds to a F6 downwind run with 2 meter following seas. The Hydrovane (Doris) performed brilliantly throughout the journey and kept us on course the whole time. We’re very happy we made the decision to install her. You can see her in action on our Facebook page.

The only problem that has persisted has been the vibration we noticed while motoring, as mentioned in our last email. I’ve attached a video clip with sound so that you can hear the noise we’re getting, both outside and inside the boat as it resonates through the hull. We notice the noise much more at speed, anything below 5 kts and it’s very infrequent. Anything above 6 kts and it becomes much more frequent and much louder.

[Editor’s Note: Currently working on a solution to this. We also sometimes hear it on our current boat, Jeanneau 43, only at faster speeds. We never experienced it on our Beneteau First 405. Solution involves squaring off the rudder’s trailing edge.]

…

Best regards, Steve.

From: Michael Mullin
Sent:  June 19, 2018
To: Sarah Curry
Subject: Re: Back in service

She (we call our faithful helper “Ananda”) got us to Ensenada , see the palms, again this time running three days of steady 30 knots. Didn’t need help, either. Post repair post strong gale foto.

Wish our diesel motor was as reliable, are (again!) dealing w major trouble.

Keep well, hydrovane rules!

From: Steve Hawen
Sent: June 15, 2018
To: will@hydrovane.com
Subject: Saltwhistle

Hi Will , first sail today with the new addition! I have to say that all the money spent on my Saltwhistle your Hydrovane is by a million miles the best value. I am sure you have heard this a million times but so easy to fit and use . Love it already. Thanks team.

Stéve

From: Thom Bland
Sent: June 16, 2018
To: Will Curry
Subject: Re: Hydrovane Photos

Hello you two,

Just wanted to let you know that I don’t need a new stay tube. Seems I cut it correctly after all—-will wonders never cease?

We just did our first sea trial and were very impressed—beer and sandwiches without a whisper of fuss. Hector, our windvane, steered perfectly throughout lunch. Gotta love him

The unit does NOT adjust easily when we try to put the actual vane into irons. Is that just a matter of washing and lubing him or is that a common problem?

[Editor’s Note: for a stiff course adjustment gear on any older unit, yes, try washing with fresh water and soap. No lubricant! If that doesn’t work, try reaming out the two Worm Bearings just slightly – see Operation & Troubleshooting Guide]

Thanks again for all of your excellent help and advice

All the best
Thom
SV Dumela

From: Nigel Fox
Sent: June 17, 2018
To: Will Curry
Subject: Re: The bin

Hi Will,
Will send more photos when the water gets that much more tropical blue and desirable at some secluded anchorage around Oct, November time.

So far I have done just over 750nm and the hydrovane has been fantastic, just about to do another 400nm hop up to Brisbane from Newcastle with a good blow from astern the whole way. By the time I get to Townsville I should have a couple of thousand NM under the Hydrovane so will do you one then at the moment shes been working well in 31knots this coming hop should be all 20-25knots wind the whole way so some good time should be had. 😉

Hope all is well with you & the family. When ever you visited Newcastle? Plenty of people here remember your visit so seeing my Hydrovane has brought out many a comment from long term residents of the marine here.

[Editor’s note: we (Sarah and Will) made landfall in Coffs Harbour, Australia in 2014.. and enjoyed the Newcastle Yacht Club for a few nights as we hopped down the NSW coast to Sydney. Great spot!]

Cheers
Nige

From: Seth Sherman [sent via Iridium]
Sent: May 23, 2018
To: will@hydrovane.com
Subject: Serendipity HV & W&S

Hey Will-

Two things today:

1. I had an intermittent issue with my autopilot coming into Ecuador and I was unsure if I should take off for Polynesia, 3500 miles away. But preferentially using my Hydrovane, it was a non-issue and depart I did. Getting better at and gaining confidence with my Hydrovane, I hardly ever use my autopilot with the sails up. (Feel free to use this to market your wonderful product).

2. I was getting an unusual color pattern last night: 2 red flashes at intervals between 1-20 minutes, but NOT every 5 seconds, which according to the manual, would have indicated faulty wiring. The unit seems to otherwise be working well. When the batteries are not fully charged, I’m getting about 5A @ 5k (but never 10A). The converter was never hot to the touch. Now that the batteries are fully charged (14.10V), I’m getting the expected one short green q 5 seconds. Anything I should be concerned about? The wiring looks correct to me.

Thanks and best regards,

Seth

From: Jose Maria Vazqez Perez
Sent: May 21, 2018
To: Will Curry
Cc: John Curry
Subject: Re: Instalation hydrovane

Hi Will

I tested the Hydrovane …. was wonderful, low wind but perfect.

Sincerely I believe that it has been a great investment

Many thank best regards
Citando

From: P. Harris
Sent: May 15, 2018
To: Will Curry
Subject: Re: Minke

Hi Will,

I’m now back in Hong Kong – alas, by airliner. Left the boat in Hawaii for now. Weather was terrible all the way, making arrival a bit later than I could tolerate to continue into the typhoon belt.

Hydrovane worked great. Didn’t even require much trimming of sails. Lazy man’s steering. Best thing on the boat without a doubt. (NB: I don’t easily admit when a product is good, so this is quite an endorsement, not that you need it.)

Little recommendation: in the next change to the system, make a slot for the windvane mount to slide into. The current arrangement, with the only support coming from the tightness of the screw, is not nearly enough in my opinion. I tied my windvane on, but I would have lost it otherwise. The vane worked loose a couple times.

Thanks again for your kind help.

All best,
Paul

From: Red Herring
Sent: May 10, 2018
To: Sarah Curry
Cc: Gloria Anderson; Will Curry
Subject: Re: Hydrovane delivered RODRIGUEZ / WATKINS 180079

Hi Sarah,

We are in Bodega Bay right now waiting out a storm. We will likely leave Sunday to finish the run down to Ensenada. Where are you headed? We will be on the lookout for SV Kaiquest.

Yes, that is the Gold Star Marine website. www.goldstarmarine.com. Bill is a new addition to the team as their “sailboat guy” and he did an excellent job getting our hydrovane installed.

We left Port Townsend April 30th to make our way out Juan de Fuca with a destination of Ensenada. We quickly figured out how to use the Hydrovane. It proved itself invaluable the moment the sun set and I could sit and enjoy the evening instead of hold the helm. We hand-steered for only a few hours in our six day trip to Bodega Bay. I do the majority of the helming and it was a revelation to have both my hands free to help in the sail trimming and to just sit and enjoy a hot tea.

There are a bunch of photos of our new Hydrovane in use on the website svredherring.com and at our twitter: https://twitter.com/SV_RedHerring

Jen

From: William Tee
Sent: April 29, 2018
To: will@hydrovane.com
Subject: Water maker problem

Hi Will,

Hope this e-mail finds you OK? Will, I wonder if you can help me please?

We are currently in the Caribbean and I must say we are very pleased with all the equipment you supplied, Hydrovane, Water Maker and Watt&Sea – all working well.

Our friends however, who also have an Echo2Tec water maker, are currently sailing from the Galapagos to Marquesses and a problem with theirs. I think they allowed it to run dry as they were attending a problem with their sails and the boat was rolling a lot probably sucking in air rather than water. Can you advise the most likely fault and a remedy (pump O rings perhaps?).

Cheers, Bill

From: Werner Toonk
Sent: April 11, 2018
To: Sarah Curry
Subject: Re: And …

Hi Sarah,
How are you? Thx for the ratio knob. It fitted perfectly…

We made it all the way to Hobart, over that mighty Southern Indian. Without our Hydrovane that would not have been possible.

There is however one thing that requires attention. There is ‘slack’in the rudder. The pin that goes through the rudder, fits perfectly in the metal bar that goes into the rudder. The two holes on the side of the rudder though have worn over the years. So when steering left / right / left etc. there is always some loose moment. Not that strange since the rudder is made of ‘plastic’ where was the rest is stainless steel.

Please tell me your thoughts and possibilities. The alternative is of course to buy a new rudder, that however will also be the expensive thing I reckon.

Hope to hear.

Werner.

http://karma.wernertoonk.nl

[Editors Note: Not a common problem to have wear in the Rudder Pin hole…  But an easy fix: take the rudder to a machine shop and have them use a drill press to bore new rudder pin holes. Holes must be ABOVE the existing ones and parallel existing hole. Must be exactly 90 degrees to the Shaft hole]

From: Jessie Z
Sent: Saturday, April 14, 2018
To: Will Curry; Sarah Curry; Luke Yeates
Subject: Knock down

Hey guys 🙂

Just wanted to give your company a quick thanks.

We capsized the other night. Lost our rudder. Made it safe to an anchorage with our hydrovane rudder. Forever your advocate.

I have some good footage and photos to send you all. Laptop gone, but when I’m up and running I’ll send them your way.

Enjoy Richmond boat show ! Swing by and Say hi to bob and Jody at cruising outpost for us !

-Jess & luke

From: Athos d’Olivier
Sent:April 21, 2018
To: John Curry
Subject: Re: Beneteau Oceanis 400

So nice to see you at the boat show!

Here’s a more recent shot that tells the whole story of my mechanical self-steering in one tidy image: