True Stories

From: Dave Kenyon
Sent: January 11, 2015
To: Will Curry
Subject: Ahoy from Vancouver!

Hi Will & Sarah,

I saw you were presenting this week in Vancouver and now that I work here I hope to attend.

Gail and I bought a Hydrovane and water maker from you at the Annapolis show in 2012. Starshine and I did the PPJ a year after you. She is currently in Raiatea and I hope to continue the voyage this summer.

I look forward to hearing your talk and catching up with you.

Dave

P.S. Attached is a shot I took while being overtaken by a fast cat not far from the equator … the Hydrovane was awesome!

—

From: Dave Kenyon
Sent: January 12, 2015
To: Will Curry
Subject: Re: Ahoy from Vancouver!

Will –

I look forward to hearing about your adventures on Wednesday!

Here are a few more Hydrovane pix.

Yes, the Hydrovane worked great and I really appreciated it being solo. I had one time on the crossing with wind directly behind me (15 knots or so), the mizzen out to port, the main out to starboard and the genny out to port (wing on wing on wing) and sailed that way for about 5 days without touching anything! The only issue I had was some binding in the worm gear and your Dad sent me an email with the fix, which I did in a few hours and worked great.

The water maker was also awesome!

Dave

From: Pim Tiddens
Sent:  October 04, 2014
To: Will Curry; Valerie Williams
Subject: S/V Nelly Rose

Hi Will and Valerie,

…We have been using the Hydrovane on a number of trips now and we are delighted with its performance. I was all set to start a long learning curve, but it took me less than twenty minutes before we had it functioning to our satisfaction. We made a short video for our blog www.nellyrose.nl immediately afterwards.

I’m not quite happy yet with the installation as I underestimated the hydraulic pressure as the water passes between the slot of the stern and the rudder. The rudder now is half an inch clear of the stern when it is straight, but because of the shape of the boat that reduces to less than a quarter inch when it is on full starboard rudder (placement of centre on the port side). I will lower the shaft about an inch and that should be enough to reduce some of the force that builds up now. Thankfully we put enough backing on the bottom strut, otherwise it could have been ripped out. These are however minor items to be fine tuned. Basically the Hydrovane is everything I hoped it to be.

Best regards,
Pim Tiddens
S/V Nelly Rose

—

From: Pim Tiddens
Sent: December 28, 2014
To: Will Curry
Subject: Re: S/V Nelly Rose

Hi Will,

Yes you can post email on your website and I will send you photo’s of the installation when it is all installed again. We’re now in Colombia and I’ve taken the rudder and vane off.

We just sailed from Curacao to Santa Marta in Colombia using the Hydrovane. It worked downwind in a range of windspeeds from 10 to 30 knots without a hitch. We’re still very happy with our investment!

Regards,

Pim Tiddens

Thank you James for permission to post this excerpt from the blog!

Description of crew member ‘Humphrey the Hydrovane’ on SY Ocean Rainbow, Warrior 40:

“Humphrey: Joined the crew of Ocean Rainbow in 2010 having spent a short period of time out of work and living in the Birmingham area in a garage. In the last 3 years he has learnt to steer Ocean Rainbow with a soft touch and has a good working relationship with both Red Passion and Charlie. He has never taken a day off sick and is totally reliable, he is an invaluable member of the team who comes with the added bonus of being very easy to feed and water.”

[Red Passion = the parasailor, Charlie = spinnaker)

From: Richard Buchanan
Sent: December 26, 2014
To: Will Curry; John Curry
Subject: Hi Mum look no hands

Hi Guys

This video taken on the way from The Canaries to Cape Verdes a few days ago.

Hardly touched it in 6 days. Fantastic. For some reason Ted Devey’s address is not coming up so would appreciate if you could on forward this to him as well. We plan to depart here probably this Sunday for the actual crossing.

Was planning to go straight across but ran out of wind so deviated to Cape Verdes for Christmas.

Best regards

Richard and Phillipa Buchanan

SY Matelot
Mindalo
Sao Vincente
Cape Verde Islands

—

From: Richard Buchanan
Sent: January 14, 2015
To: John Curry
Cc: Ted Devey; Will Curry; Sarah Curry
Subject: Re: Hi Mum look no hands

No problem [to post] John. Glad that you have added to your files!

Just completed Atlantic crossing two days ago having done the crossing in 14 days, 22 hours from Cape Verdes with much thanks to our hydrovane which performed true to fashion, just reminding us from time to time that we were over canvassed when it gusted to over 35 knots with 5 metre swells!

Best regards

Richard Buchanan

SY Matelot
Martinique

From: Pieter Lambregts
Sent: December 28, 2014
To: Will Curry
Subject: Re: Hydrovane on Forgus 37

Dear Will,

It has been some time since you heard from me. First I want to tell you that me and my hydrovane are great friends now. It steered me over the Atlantic and Pacific and we reached New Zealand safely. I still prefer 3d gear when sailing downwind. The abnormal noises disappeared spontaneously. It’s the best piece of equipment on board.

Recently I noticed that the bottom shaft bearing had slipped down 2 cm. Part of it was still in the shaft. The bottom collar appeared to be loose, not because the screws were not tight, but because the ring had broken.

Fortunately I had a new collar in the spare part package.

[Editor’s note: Bottom Collar are now made of stainless steel]

Best wishes for 2015

Pieter Lambregts

Sy Déesse

From: Sarah Curry
Sent: January 09, 2015
To: David Johnson
Subject: Congrats!

Hi David,

Congratulations on your successful Atlantic crossing! I’m sure the rum punch tasted so good when you made landfall.

We followed your blog closely and enjoyed all of the updates. I wonder what ‘nobbled Harry’ on Day 8? Glad it was so easy to get him back to work again.

I noticed the great photos of your arrival in St. Lucia. I’m putting together a Hydrovane newsletter, and was wondering if I could use this one? It’s a beauty, despite the seaweed trail!

Cheers,

Sarah Curry

—

Hi Sarah,

No problem at all, there was a lot of Sargasso seaweed about… but it didn’t impact the hydrovane!

Please feel free to use the photos. What nobbled Harry? One of the guys was playing around near it an knocked the hydrovane so that it was more vertical and was catching on a backstay – which we didn’t notice at night, so we didn’t get the same response and would lose control. So not Harry’s fault!

Regards,

David

From: Greg Lakes
Sent: December 12, 2014
To: Will – Hydrovane
Subject: Re: Niagara 35 – Greg Lakes

Hi, Will,

I’ve been sailing single-handed around Baja and the Sea of Cortez for about six months with my Hydrovane, and it is superb addition to the crew. Between the two of us, he is clearly the better pilot, although he’s not much for conversation and he tends to sing off-key.

I’m in the yard at the moment and noticed that the bottom bearing collar is cracked at one of the screws. How serious is this, and what would you advise?

Thanks,

– Greg

Sent from my iPad

From: Mark
Sent: Monday, December 08, 2014 11:26 AM
To: will@hydrovane.com
Subject: Sailing!

FANTASTIC! I’m coming out of Howe Sound in very light winds and vane is holding course perfectly. I wouldn’t have even tried sailing this course, with this wind, with my old vane!

I’ve enclosed picture of my installation. Wish I could do it all over again! Lots of mistakes.

Still not sure if vane is completely vertical in line with my port list. Bottom bracket is only about an inch from bottom of shaft tube, but if it’s pinching, it sure can’t be much. I rigged remote course line yesterday. Makes things way easier! Probably talk again! Thanks for all your help.

Will responds: The installation looks good. The shaft appears to be vertical on a fore/aft basis and there is still a bit of room between the bottom bearing and the ‘E’ bracket clamp. If the bearing was being pinched you would notice some friction in the system. Let me know if any further questions come up.

From: Mark Prior
Sent: November 24, 2014
To: Will Curry

Dear Will,

This is a very unexciting story compared with many of the tales I have read on your website, especially since what happened is exactly what is supposed to happen.

I have just had a unit fitted well off-centre on my Moody 376 Grace Richard.

I tried it out for the first time today in settled conditions.

In no more than three knots of wind and with the genoa only just filling I pulled out the pins, put it in gear and unlocked the rudder.

It held a course to such wind as there was.

The airs were so light I thought it may just be boat balance dictating the course. So as a test I used the Hydrovane to tack the boat.

Which it did.

If it is that good in next to no wind I have full confidence it will perform in any conditions.

The tip about using shock cord to help locate the rudder was put to good use, especially for me as a single-hander.

I have also had a double pocketed canvas holder made which is tied to the guard rail and keeps both windvane and rudder safe and out of the way when not in use.

To make adjustment easy I have put some red tape on one side of the continuous line pulley block. Pull the red end and you go to port – simple.

Regards,
Mark Prior

From: Sylvia Norris
Sent: November 18, 2014
To: Sarah Curry
Subject: Re: Muirsgian

Hi Sarah,

Thanks so much for the quick reply, I have asked Nick to measure the shaft.

We circumnavigated from 1995- 2001, and our Hydrovane steered 85% of the time, and our boat weighs 23 Tonnes.

Thanks again

David Norris.

From: Dave Meaning
Sent: November 19, 2014
To: Will Curry
Subject: Question

Good Day Will,

I am in the process of buying a Nich 31 with a Hydrovane. I am familiar with the standard Hydrovane, one steered me safely on my 7 year circumnavigation without missing a beat, so this bit of kit was a priority for my new boat. …

I look forward to your reply.

Regards Daveb Meaning

—

From: Dave Meaning
Sent: November 20, 2014

Good Morning Will,

As you can see from the pic we had ours fitted to a HR382. The blade sports a couple of rows of shark teeth marks after a tussle in the Pacific. We used that Hydrovane all the time saving wear and tear on the main steering gear, a problem we had encountered using a [servo pendulum unit] on an earlier boat.

Long Live Hydrovane

Dave

Expert from Blog ‘SY Miss Liz II’, Hanse 505

http://misslizii.blogspot.ca

August 25, 2014:

“Hydrovane fully functional and ready to go, as is the watt and sea hydrogenerator. Both proved themselves on the voyage, with the hydrovane working tremendously well across a range of conditions. Key being to set Miss Liz II up, properly balanced before setting it loose. Quiet and efficient with no energy draw – perfect. And at 7 knots and above the watt and sea covered onboard power usage well.”

From: Tony Gibb
Sent: October 30, 2014
To: Will Curry
Subject: RE: replacement questions

Are these two pictures enough to go on to determine age and model? We have mounted the unit on a Wauquiez 38 (Ted Hood). It has performed flawlessly since leaving Canada although it did take us a while to get used to the fine tuning but once we got that down we have been quite pleased.

Tony Gibb/Connie McCann
Onboard SY Sage 11

From: Ian Sprigings
Sent: October 19, 2014
To: Will Curry
Subject: Re: Ovni 395

Hi Will,

Firstly I just wanted to let you know that we have just sailed from Crete to Spain using the Hydrovane pretty much all the time and it has been fantastic!

Now to the next step of our plans….crossing oceans etc. I noticed that you are agents for Echotec watermakers and am very interested in fitting one. Can we have a discussion on what we might need, space requirement, power requirement etc etc.

I am also looking at the Watt & Sea Hydrogenerator and note that you are agents for that also….can we talk about that installation?

Look forward to hearing from you…

Best wishes

Ian

From: Graham Gibbs
Sent: October 30, 2014
To: Hydrovane
Subject: Trintel and HR 312

I bought a Hydrovane from you in 2012 to fit to my Trintel 1 Selene Fair – I am assuming you have a record of exactly what you sold me. I am selling Selene Fair and buying a Halberg Rassy 312 Mk1. Can you let me know what modifications would be required to fit the Hydrovane (centrally) to the Halberg Rassy? … a longer shaft, for example?

Thanks

Graham

PS I’ve loved using the Hydrovane. I do a lot of long distance solo sailing and Selene Fair is only 28ft long and the tiller steering can be hard work, so it is a joy to watch her being steered well while I relax. The way an engineer fitted it was not ideal and I had some trouble with it working loose until I fitted doubled sprung nuts and washers on longer bolts.