True Stories

From: Marcus Stevens Iridium Email
Sent: April 11, 2017
To: Will Curry
Subject: Hydrovane

Will,

Just wanted to give you a report halfway from the Galapagos. Our hydrovane, uniquely named Hydie, is performing spectacularly. What a pleasure! Better than the Raymarine on wind vane setting, definitely. I’ve been using it on the furthest left setting (as you face aft toward it). The middle didn’t seem responsive enough. Am I right in thinking that the middle setting is for more wind? We’re on a nice broad reach with 13-18 knots.

—

Best,

Marcus

From: stewart hawley
Sent: May 16, 2017
To: Will Curry
Subject: RE: 43 ft Custom aluminum sloop

Well I’ve got about 1400 knots under the belt now not a lot I know but enough to do a reasonable check out of the hydrovane. Most of by myself all of with me at the helm.

The hydrovane worked as advised in all conditions, reefed in high winds down to 4 to 5 knots which is my minimum. High into the wind, a beam, aft quarter and 120 aft.

The quality of the hydrovane is more about the quality of the man’s skill. When I was right it was right. In all that time only once was it not in total control and even then I used it as an assist. I had a aft quarter wind and a following sea with 4 to 6 ft waves. The boat has a 7 knot hull speed & I was doing 8 to 9. The problem came as I slid down the waves which was about every 3 or 4th wave.

Other than that it works beautifully every time and any time I thought it was at fault I got tutored in correct sailing form.

Thanks for giving me the confidence to go ahead with the hydrovane.

Stewart Hawley on Geezer

From: Carol Hogan
Sent: May 2, 2017
To: Sarah Curry
Subject: Re: replacement gear

Hi Sarah,

Attached is a picture of our Hydrovane “Arthur” hard at work during the Atlantic crossing, along with the other crew members off duty!

Cheers,
Carol
PS Arthur was named after my dad – hardworking and reliable!

Hello all, could you tell me the price including postage for a new cover posted to Portugal please?

I think i bought my Hydrovane in 2011 and in a lifetime of sailing its the best piece of kit I’ve had on any boat ever.

All the best,

Paul Stevens.

Falcon 34 “Falcons Flight”.

From: Lad Burgin
Sent: April 13, 2017
To: Will Curry
Subject: Shadowside

Hi Will,

I saw you last at the most recent Seattle Boat Show. I purchased a Hydrovane for the Shadowside in 2012. In 2016, I sailed the Pacific Cup to Hawaii and then made a return voyage to Port Townsend, WA. Nearly 5000 Kn Mi.

The Crew selected the Hydrovane as the most valuable piece of equipment. We relied on it for a good part of the race and the majority of the return voyage. It worked superbly in winds up to 35 knots. I have attached a picture taken in Neah Bay Washington which was our first port after crossing from Hawaii.

Best wishes to you, John and your lovely ladies.

Lad Burgin
Shadowside
Allied Mistress MKIII

—

On 4/19/2017 10:51 AM, Will Curry wrote:

Hi Lad,

Thanks for taking the time to send this report as well as the photo.  Can we add the email to our website?  It’s great to have some feedback from a Pacific Cup boat.  I’ve actually just included your email in a response to an Allied Seabreeze owner who was wondering about his mizzen.  Did you find the mizzen to be a problem?  Do you use it when going downwind?

Thanks again, and yes, my lovely ladies are doing well…..oh and John too 😉

Kind Regards,

Will Curry

—

From: Lad Burgin
Sent: April 19, 2017
To: Will Curry
Cc: Sarah Curry, John Curry
Subject: Re: Shadowside

Hi Will,

Good to hear from you.  I would be pleased to have you add my email to your website! As to the mizzen. I had to make a modification to the mizzen sheet by moving the sheet from the center of the deck to the port and starboard corners.  I added padeyes just inboard of my mizzen running backstayes (see photo). This arrangement worked great as it makes room for the Hydrovane, gives much better control to the mizzen and servers as a preventer when going down wind.  One has to be careful when jibing or tacking to angle the vane back to clear the mizzen. On the Shadowside, we also angled the vane back when sailing close hauled to keep the vane clear of the mizzen boom.

We use the mizzen down wind until we reach the point where the Mizzen starts to blanket the Main. I found the performance of the Hydrovane to be very good on all points of sailing.  Also, it gets better with more wind.  We had sustained wind of 35 knots gusting to 40 for about two days as we approached Cape Flattery.  The Hydrovane drove all the way!

Best wishes,

Lad

From: John Harrington
Sent: April 11, 2017
To: Will Curry – Hydrovane
Subject: RE: Tayana 52 Install

Please do provide my email to the other Tayana owner. We sailed Sunday and yesterday, all worked as expected in light wind up to about 18 kts. Cool machine.

John E. Harrington

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On Tue, Apr 11, 2017, Will Curry wrote:

Hi John,

That’s great, I’ll pass on your email. Nice to hear the first test sails went well. If you get any photos of your install we would love to add them to our website.

Kind Regards,

Will Curry
Hydrovane International Marine Inc.

—

From: John Harrington
Sent: April 11, 2017
To: Will Curry
Subject: Re: Tayana 52 Install

Gordon and I have traded emails. I love the idea of comparing notes on a great boat. Our install has a bit of “goopy” 5200 before I calmly and quietly told my helper to not try and wipe it. I’ll fix it later (Marine Formula by Debond Corp – it really does work! I believe I told you about removing a portlight… impossible before I tried this stuff. Chemical Magic!)

The install instructions were very helpful. Preparing the teak timber boards and creating fiberglass reinforced areas for stainless steel backing was probably the hardest part. I struggled with mounting the A-mount a bit but using the PVC pipe let me figure out the right lengths. Go slow, measure and be sure you know where things go was important.

I dry fitted everything, then removed everything and started building the system including 5200. As soon as I tightened things up the structure really showed what great engineering was put into everything. Tight, rigid, awesome and DONE. This took 1 full day 8AM to 9PM. The next day was installing the top, easy job!

From: Bruce Stoehr
Sent: April 4, 2017
To: Sarah Curry
Subject: Re: Spring 2017: Atlantic Steering Failure, Pacific Boat Show & Video with Davits!

We just finished a round trip TransAtlantic in my 43 Hallberg Rassy. We had electronic auto-pilot problems almost from the start. We had three gales going over (East bound) and the new Hydrovane steered through them all. In addition, it work downwind on the “tradewinds” route on the return (West bound) trip. The Hydrovane is a very impressive product.

Thanks

Bruce

“Liberty Call”
Bruce Stoehr
Charleston, SC

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On Apr 4, 2017, Sarah Curry wrote:

Hi Bruce,
Thanks for your email and the feedback. It’s so appreciated. Wow – sounds like quite the adventure!

If you have any photos of your HV installation, we’d love to see them. We are launching a new website this month. Would you mind if we post your comments?

Cheers,
Sarah

Sarah Curry
Hydrovane International Marine Inc.

—

From: Bruce Stoehr
Sent: April 4, 2017
To: Sarah Curry
Subject: Re: Spring 2017: Atlantic Steering Failure, Pacific Boat Show & Video with Davits!

No, post them by all means – you deserve all the praise that your excellent product earns. I think it steers better the worse the weather gets.

We were only three days into a trans-Atlantic, half way to Bermuda in a Force 8 blow and our autopilot went on the “fritz”. I engaged the new Hydrovane for the first time and our most experienced crew member said – “you don’t think that thing can handle this weather do you?”. Well, it did and we were able to get under shelter instead of sitting at the wheel 24 hours a day. From then on it was the primary helmsman.

I will send a picture.

Bruce

From: Tim
Sent: March 30, 2017
To: Will Curry
Subject: Hydrovane update

Hi Will…

Just giving you a general update on HV. As a recap it is:

– 43ft semi long keel, 17T displacement.
– Off center, stubby vane, behind davits, under solar panels.

I’m really staggered how well it is coping. Even in a beam reach it works fine and down wind it is really good even with a big following sea.

Currently en route to Norway and passing through the Scottish isles. Even with shifting conditions the HV is fine and can be fine tuned quickly.

Barely any need for the electric auto pilot to be honest unless the engine is on.

You’ll see from the photo, if you look carefully, the small wire reinforcements I added given that we couldn’t fit the Upper A bracket. One is removeable to access the boarding platform and tighten with a small bottle screw.

All the best,

Tim Good

From: William Wickman
Sent: March 24, 2017 7:20 PM
To: Will Curry
Subject: Re: Boatshow in Richmond, CA

Hi Will,

Thanks for the interest. We don’t plan on attending the show but, as you know, we think very highly of the Hydrovane and its value to a cruising boat. I’ll always be happy to chat with anyone who might be considering your excellent self steering.

….

Thanks for all your help over the years. That Hydrovane, I will tell anyone, was probably the single most important piece of auxiliary gear on our boat.

All the best,
Bill & Janet

From: Kirk Doyle
Sent: March 11, 2017
To: Will Curry
Subject: Need a part

Hello Will,

This is Kirk Doyle from S/V Linger Longer, formerly of Seattle WA. We bought our Hydrovane, I believe, sometime in 2012 and it has been a real joy to have aboard. We have not been in any really nasty weather but it has performed well in all of the conditions that we have used it for, even relatively light apparent winds from the quarters while flying the spinnaker.

We seem to have stripped part of the fastener that locks the vane to the top of the unit. It is a plastic wheel with threads. We are currently in Mexico and it can be challenging to receive parts in a timely manner

…

Thank you

Kirk And Kris Doyle
S/V Linger Longer

From: David Mitchison
Sent: March 6, 2017
To: Will Curry
Subject: Re: Echo Tec Watermaker for HR 39

Hi Will,

Thanks for your email. I will have a look at my engine and see how it will all work. I won’t be ordering in the near future but hopefully in due course.

I sailed to the Caribbean with the ARC in 2013 and the Hydrovane was great!

May see you at the Southampton boat show.

Best regards,
David

From: Jaakko Toiviainen
Sent: February 26, 2017
To: Sarah Curry
Subject: Hydrovane in use

Hi,

We installed Hydrovane in 2009 on our long-keeled, canoe-stern 40 ft ketch Vesterviking from 1957, before we left from Helsinki, Finland to the Mediterranean. Have to say that Hydrovane worked all the way superbly. Since having returned from there we have continued sailing in the Baltic waters from our home base Helsinki, Finland to Sweden and Denmark and also crossing the North Sea to Norway.

As an elderly couple sailing on a tiller-steered yacht with an unbalanced rudder, which makes it quite heavy to steer in stronger winds, we always use Hydrovane when we have to sail a longer stretch in the open sea. Sailing in the Finnish archipelago we cannot use it often because of the changing winds and winding routes.

We are very happy with Hydrovane. I enclose a photo of a satisfied sailor and another photo which shows our yacht in the harbour of Ste Marin, France. In the first photo you see a a rope we have to attach to the backstay to draw it a bit forward to make clearance for the vane in certin wind angles. Also we have to tilt our reserve vhf antenna (the other in in the mizzen top) to make clearance, but that is perfectly ok.

Best Regards,

Jaakko Toiviainen
Helsinki, Finland

From: Phil
Sent: February 18, 2017
To: Will Curry
Subject: Re: Blue Hound schooner 14.6 m; 23 T

Hi Will

Just a quick update. Got delayed in fitting the unit, finally completed in Las Palmas because I was very fussy about alignment. Fitted vane and left for Barbados same day, 19 Jan. The unit was in command for almost the whole voyage, 3,200 miles. We had 12 days of F6-7 gusting 8 with big seas. Had to use high gain setting on unit in heavy conditions. 3-10 degrees of rudder offset worked fine depending on conditions.

Backwash from the main meant that the unit was less responsive on port gybe (we gybe downwind, never run). We had absolute confidence in the Hydrovane, and when we snared a fishing net round the main rudder with 1000 miles to go it was relief to think that we had the ‘spare rudder’ – conditions were too rough to attempt removal and anyway, we still had steerage with the main rudder and the net eventually disappeared after 800 miles during a gybe.

Only concern is that unit seemed to develop a groan after 2000 miles when heavily loaded. I suspect a bearing. Bolts etc are fine. is the bearing just HMPE or ball/roller? I will check for play when we reach Bequia. There was no binding at all when fitted, and none now. Sleeves on the drive fork have always rotated freely (and I checked them under load – still have my fingers…!)

Overall absolutely delighted. Bonus was not having to generate 200 AH per day for main electro-hydraulic autopilot. We only used it to assist with gybes in the heavy winds.

Thanks for all your help, will send video and photos etc in due course

Phil

From: Jacques Glaser
Sent: January 30, 2017
To: Will Curry
Subject: RE: Hydrovane Install / [Emergency Rudder]

Hi Will,
Sorry for the late news but it is a good news for you.

We are now in Martinique. After installing the Hydrovane, we left Tenerife on December 11 and after 18 days at sea we arrived in Martinique.

At 1100nm from Martinique during the night with 30/35 knots of wind and 3 to 5 meters waves we heard 2 big noises like something hitting the boat on the side and almost immediately the autopilot stopped working and the boat went beam to the waves. The steering wheel was blocked and we could no longer steer. Not right not left.

So we put down the sails, started the motor and used the Hydrovane to steer! When the day came I reestablished the sails and we finished the trip with the Hydrovane without any problems.

At the end I am happy I did install the Hydrovane, especially that I saw on YouTube that at the same time 2 sailboats almost the same size as mine with the same problem. The crew had to abandon the the ships and left both boats in the middle of the Atlantic and lost everything.

Now I am telling everybody to install the Hydrovane.

Best regards and again thanks to the Hydrovane. It saved my boat.

– Jacques, Amel Mango 52

Photo of Jacques’ great quick release wheel lock

From: Graham Marchand
Sent: January 27, 2017
To: Sarah Curry
Subject: Parts

Hi Sarah,

Have just returned from Antigua and have to say that our best crew member on our Atlantic crossing was – yes, you guessed it, “Jane” our HYDROVANE!!

Our control line is now very brittle and has been stuck together several times. Can you supply a new one please – and how do you recommend sticking the two ends together?

[Editor’s Note: We recommend a ‘heat weld’ – see the Installation Video Part II – requires two people, a lighter, and just a couple minutes of time.]

Best regards – Graham Marchand