True Stories

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.

From: Ertan Beskardes
Sent: October 22, 2014
To: Will Curry
Subject: Jeanneau 33i

Few more photos, use as you wish. Fitted by Ocean Rigging Lymington Yatch haven Lymington. Tried out this morning for half and hour all seem working, looks fantastic, looking forward to next trip. Anyone wants to have look at it in my area, you are welcome to give my mail address. Regards Ertan

From: Ertan Beskardes
Sent: October 28, 2014
To: Will Curry
Subject: Re: Jeanneau 33i

Will Thank you for your mail.

I am delighted with your product and I can not wait for my planned trip to Azores in May next year, I am sure I will have few cross Channel trips beforehand. Boat has twin rudders so current arrangement looks perfectly placed (jeanneau 33i. Lift keel with 85 cm minimum draft) you may use the photos in your web site as you see fit, you are welcome to refer me if any one wants to see it.

Thank you for your advise to check the bolts which I shall do once I do long enough trip.

Kind regards Ertan

From: Bruce Swabb
Sent: October 3, 2014
To: Hydrovane
Subject: Testimonial

Greetings Hydrovane Crew!

I just had to share my thoughts with you…

I recently sold my 46ft cutter which had a Hydrovane system when I purchased it. I quickly fell in love with (and in awe of) the unit, and it provided many miles of independence when sailing short-handed. The unit truly is indestructible. The electric autopilot gave up the ghost soon after purchasing the boat. I never fixed it! The Hydrovane was all I needed. I would not leave the wheel while motoring anyway.

Well, just this past week, I helped the new owner and his wonderful wife deliver the boat from West Palm Beach to St. Mary’s GA. The wonders of the wind vane were obvious to the new owners, and will be the most important piece of gear on their eventual circumnavigation.

To the future…I have a wonderful classic plastic Hunter 37 Cutter…and yes, the mechanical autopilot is kaput. I now know without any doubt that I must purchase another Hydrovane for this boat, and save the expense of fixing the mechanical autopilot. Now to start saving my pennies.

All the best,

Bruce Swabb

From: Margie Hayward
Date: September 16, 2014
To: Will Curry
Subject: Photo of Taswell 49

Hi Will,

It was good to talk to you and Sarah today on the stand.

As promised, here are three photos that show the Hydrovane.

This is an extract from our blog on our second day into a 15 day voyage from Brazil to Trinidad.

……….”At 19.45 the Autohelm stopped working! With the wind blowing 26knts, Marcus was having to helm in pretty foul conditions and I came straight from bed into my ‘wets’ and up into the cockpit …………… Shooting along at 7.5knts, I clambered up onto the transom to move the Hydrovane’s knot on the control line back into the centre, so that we could adjust the angle to the wind from the cockpit……(I really must sew that line together so it runs through smoothly!) ………It’s amazing what you can do when it has to be done and the Hydrovane, once again saved the day! When we get calmer seas I’ll have to go down into the aft locker to mend the Autohelm incase the wind drops and we have to motor.”

Although we managed to mend the Autohelm, we carried on sailing with the Hydrovane for the remaining 1600 miles.

Lovely to have met you and hope to meet you again along the way.

Margie and Marcus Hayward
Island Kea II
www.islandkea.com

From: “Michael Day” <
To: John Curry
Sent: 14 September, 2014
Subject: Quote please !

Hi John.

I’m SA based ex-pat Brit planning a transatlantic crossing Cape Town to BVI’s in December.

My boat is a Lavranos designed Crossbow 40, launched 2007 (which is at least 12 years after the last sister-ship but that’s a looong story 🙂 She’s sugar-scooped, 40’LOA, displaces 9600kg half load with no stern platform or other overhangs. Somewhat dated perhaps by today’s design standards, a tad narrow at the stern and therefore has a slight tendency to wander downwind.

And since we’ll be riding the SE Trades for at least half of the trip, that’s a bit of an issue.

From my web browsing, forum busting, ear bending research, Hydrovane looks the way to go.

Would therefore appreciate an approximate quote and delivery time, ASAP, and, as I know you’ll need detailed images and measurements for the final spec and build, promise to get those to you by end this week.

For the moment I just need to know approx price* and if the unit can be shipped in time to arrive here mid/late November.

Would much appreciate a figure* by return email if you can.

Many thanks & regards from the sunny Cape.

Mike

From: Tom Saxe
Sent: September 09, 2014
To: John Curry
Cc: Will Curry

John

We met at last year’s Annapolis Boat Show and spent an hour trying to figure out why the Hydrovane, I installed, didn’t hold a heading for more than a few minutes (maybe 20 min). I left with some “to dos” to trouble shoot the problem. Well it has been a long season where I had no real need to get to the Hydrovane problem (mid way on “the list”). This past week I went off shore for about 250 NM. My list priority changed before departure.

I was about to do all of the adjustments we spoke of at the Show, when I noticed a bit of discoloration at the frame of the “gear box”. I had installed a larger than needed fender washer on the “hold down fitting to the shaft which hit the side wall. This didn’t allow for full swing of the shaft and hence the problem. Problem solved. 250 NM with one adjustment in route.

I should have sent you a picture of me napping in the cockpit to explain this better, but I thought you would like the details.

See you at the Annapolis Show.

Tom

Thomas K. Saxe

“My wife Hilkka and I are very happy to have Hydrovane. We sailed last year to the Caribbean. We had minor rudder failure during ARC and we used Hydrovane manually during reparations. We came back to Helsinki in May. Just two of us from the Caribbean. We are now in La Coruna, Spain. Our plan is to sail south, round Cape Horn, then through Pacific, North of Australia, South of Africa, Caribbean and after that to the Mediterranean. Hopefully those six pins are enough. Boat is Hallberg Rassy 42 Ketch.”

Esa