Self steering systems - Wind Vanes

[commanderpete]

Dave's homepage says its a Windpilot Pacific Light.

I always thought those little guys in tuxedos were penGuins.

Might want to check before you paint the name on your boat

[Jim Rester]

We had a Windpilot on our cruising boat. Fantastic equipment.

Mine was damaged in shipment - the folks did not bat an eye, just replaced it. All the way from Germany.

The Windpilot, the Maxprop, the Schaeffer Roller Furling, The Autohelm Tiller Pilot and the Yanmar engine made our cruise.

By the way, you can never have too much fuel or too much horsepower on a cruising SAILBOAT. Nor can you have too many GPS's

Jim

[c_amos]

By the way, you can never have too much fuel or too much horsepower on a cruising SAILBOAT. Nor can you have too many GPS's

Jim

Noted.

[ebb]

Good resourceful thread resurfacing again!

338 Sun Quest came with an enormous Auto Helm attached (like, once said, a petrified octopus) all over the transom. The prosthesis probably weighed as much as an OB. Maybe more. As weights add up in the ends of my remodel, there's no possibility I will resurect this particular gear. Tiller to sheet sounds like the best way to go and I sure hope 338's skipper comes up with this alternative to the wind vane.

It would be great to hear from anybody who has experimented with this lighter and much cheaper method and is willing to share it. Basically, can an A/C be tuned and 'balanced' for sheet to tiller on extended offshore runs?

[ebb]

Check out
www.steersman.net
for a new invention in non-windvane self steering.

[willie]

This is good reading.

http://www.oarclub.org/page22.html [LINK NO LONGER WORKING]
And make sure you look at the next page for diagrams, etc.

I'm gonna play around with it, not that i can stay on a heading for any extended time on the river, but would like to get more of a handle on the CE balancing act. (I see yawl was discussed earlier! lol) Had the pirates out on the Columbia today, great Father's Day. They flew their pirate flag, here's a pic for fun. Camera died when the admiral was taking the better/later ones. Figures. Someday i'll get some of her sailing from the beach...

[Bill]

A bit embarrassing there? . . . dragging a fender

[willie]

In marina mode Bill, by myself, sailing her in.Kids were swimming....Of course got caught with a slack main... anything else? lol

[ebb]

It's a well known fact that in the waters north of California, sailors often deploy a fender over the side to test the temperature. If it deflates it is too cold and one should return to the marina.

[c_amos]

We have also been known to employ that method in the south.


If said fender pops, set in the shade on the bank for a 'spell' and wait.




(water temp on the surface was 91f on Sunday afternoon)

[frank durant]

Ebbs 'sheet to tiller" steering is kinda expensive. Check out SV solar wind.Its on the 'Flicka" sight.Explore solar winds sight and you'l find a very good explanation,pics and materials for an inexpensive 'home made' system.

[mbd]

Dan Pfeiffer's excellent P26 web site has a home-made self steering set up too...

http://dan.pfeiffer.net/p26/selfsteer.htm

[ebb]

Came in on the Steersman on the boatdesign site. Have a soft spot for inventors. They fielded quite a few questions including complaints about the price. Askt them if it could be configured another way. like off the back of the cockpit. But, as it seems sometimes with people (including yerstruly), once they get it set in the mind, they will defend a position as tho they were blind.

The gear is just too much, with three tillers and all manner of blocks and line seeming to take over most of the cockpit, especially if the sheet winches are in the middle of the coamings like ours. There'd be but few places to put yer arms.... like a girl in a short skirt and see thru blouse.

[carl291]

If anyone has been searching for affordable light weight wind vane self steering this may be a good choice, it is the one I'm favoring.
http://www.mistervee.com/?q=newsletter/subscriptions
With the discount and the EURO exchange it may be hard to beat.

[ebb]

Carl,
First thing Sven has to do is shoot the piano player!

I saw the PacificLight on Adam's FolkBoat when he came into the yard preparing for the TransPac. The unit was impressive in its spareness.
It is also all stainless except for the vane, and 28lbs comes to mind for total weight.
Nearly twice Mister Vee.
It also seemed easy to install on the A/C transom.

I would also like to see less sheet handling and more angle shots with better light on the three vane choices.
Sven may be protecting himself from patent robbers.
BUT there needs to be more visual info, imco.

A video or two on actual installation on a customer's boat.
I want to see attachment points, line leads, other equioment avoidance - whatever: cleats, backstay, OB, stern rail, and so forth. Revealing diagrams, if not photos.
I like the site and the inventor. BUT I don't think it's possible to make a decision with the info available.
Some adjustments seem complicated not knowing the unit. So, it would be good to have Sven
show us some of these on video, rather than in blocks of text.
Pacific Light on the Windpilot site has pretty good graphics imco.


What makes you like this system over PacificLight???