Hunter 460/466 Hydrovane

[Scallywagger]

Hello. I have just purchased Ghostly Goose which will soon become my new Casper.I am also purchasing a Hydrovane. Would there be any 460/466 owners that have a Hydrovane fitted that could send me a string of photos to help me fit one in the correct place

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

Have you searched here ?

Hydrovane Self Steering Windvane

Welcome to Hydrovane Self Steering. The HYDROVANE is both a mechanical self steering windvane for offshore sailboats and an emergency rudder and steering system ready to go!

hydrovane.com

They seem to have an unlimited number of different mounting arrangements.

I have absolutely no use for one here on coastal B.C. but would love to design the mount and install one on my boat just for the fun of it. And then never use it again .

But then again, that's just me.

 

[smokey73]

Congratulations Bill!

 

[jssailem]

Congrats Bill on finding the newest Casper.

When I wondered about the install of my Monitor Windvane, I got great help from the manufacturer. They provided the specific design diagrams for my boat and images of other installed units on same boats. I’d give the manufacturer a shout. You may likely find the same response. Hydrovane has a good product and have serviced a number of boats.

 

[sail sfbay]

Congratulations on your new sailboat!!

Same question came up recently on this thread: Hydrovane on 44ds | Sailboat Owners Forums
If you do an internet search on "wind vane images on a sailboat with a sugar scoop" you will find photos of hydrovanes on sailboats with sugar scoop stern like yours.
Suggest contacting Hydrovane on their experience on a sailboat with a sugar scoop stern and see other photos with installation techniques: Galleries - Hydrovane

 

[Mikem]

Congratulations. That is a great boat.

 

[Cruising Spirit]

Congrats on choosing a 460. Great production boat for the money! We’ve owned ours from new. Last year I did a lot of research to choose a self steering vane. We were going to do another Caribbean cruise and wanted to augment our electrically driven autopilot. Hydrovane and Cape Horn were the final contenders. But the project didn’t get past the drawing board as we’ve decided to sell Spirit after the Bahamas cruise were presently on till about mid July this year. Then back to Florida and very sadly put her on the market. Just time for us to do other things. But to throw my two cents at your question...I found some design advantages to the Cape Horn that were very attractive. The imposition on the swim platform was going to be far less complex. A single Stainless pipe extending out from within the port lazarett (it would have come out through the aft face, below and inboard of the hand hold, but outboard of the boarding ladder). No large center line appendage on a frame where the wind vane is attached directly to the water vane as in monitor and others. All in the way of stern platform activities. The pipe could even be removed and a plug inserted. The water/steering portion may be controlled by an electric autopilot rather than the wind vane, thus eliminating (or redundantly instead of) the need for a rotary motor bolted inside your cockpit console below the quadrant chain driving the wheel shaft. It can be controlled by its wind vane with control transmitted by lines for port and starboard. Offset would be no problem on the 460/66 as it’s a very well balanced boat, as long as you don’t over canvas (especially the main). Reefed main to below upper spreaders with about two or three wraps on the jib furler results in 5 plus knots speed close hauled to wind at about 32 to 38 degrees off in 7-12 knots of breeze depending on sea state. That’s going to be with about 3-8 degrees of weatherhelm and 15 or less degrees heel. Wife is very happy with this type sailing. So, my point, the trim rudder may be offset and it doesn’t need a lot of power if you sail the boat with minimum canvas out and nicely balanced. I guess I was pretty decided on the Cape Horn. So I encourage you to take a look at the Cape Horn. I’m not affiliated with any of them. And I also think you can look at the YouTube video bloggers called Sailing Uma who installed one and seem to really like it though they are not a stern scoop boat. Good luck. By the way, where are you hauled where they use timber rather than jack stands?

 

[Scallywagger]

Have you searched here ?

Hydrovane Self Steering Windvane

Welcome to Hydrovane Self Steering. The HYDROVANE is both a mechanical self steering windvane for offshore sailboats and an emergency rudder and steering system ready to go!

hydrovane.com

They seem to have an unlimited number of different mounting arrangements.

I have absolutely no use for one here on coastal B.C. but would love to design the mount and install one on my boat just for the fun of it. And then never use it again .

But then again, that's just me.

Hello Ralph, thanks I've found one fitted to the exact same boat on the Hydrovane web sight

 

[Scallywagger]

Congratulations Bill!

Hello Dan, long time no hear. its costing a little extra to get the gel coat on both toe rails sorted, hair line cracks , owner said it was the slings at lift out crushing the hull/toe rails

 

[Scallywagger]

Congrats on choosing a 460. Great production boat for the money! We’ve owned ours from new. Last year I did a lot of research to choose a self steering vane. We were going to do another Caribbean cruise and wanted to augment our electrically driven autopilot. Hydrovane and Cape Horn were the final contenders. But the project didn’t get past the drawing board as we’ve decided to sell Spirit after the Bahamas cruise were presently on till about mid July this year. Then back to Florida and very sadly put her on the market. Just time for us to do other things. But to throw my two cents at your question...I found some design advantages to the Cape Horn that were very attractive. The imposition on the swim platform was going to be far less complex. A single Stainless pipe extending out from within the port lazarett (it would have come out through the aft face, below and inboard of the hand hold, but outboard of the boarding ladder). No large center line appendage on a frame where the wind vane is attached directly to the water vane as in monitor and others. All in the way of stern platform activities. The pipe could even be removed and a plug inserted. The water/steering portion may be controlled by an electric autopilot rather than the wind vane, thus eliminating (or redundantly instead of) the need for a rotary motor bolted inside your cockpit console below the quadrant chain driving the wheel shaft. It can be controlled by its wind vane with control transmitted by lines for port and starboard. Offset would be no problem on the 460/66 as it’s a very well balanced boat, as long as you don’t over canvas (especially the main). Reefed main to below upper spreaders with about two or three wraps on the jib furler results in 5 plus knots speed close hauled to wind at about 32 to 38 degrees off in 7-12 knots of breeze depending on sea state. That’s going to be with about 3-8 degrees of weatherhelm and 15 or less degrees heel. Wife is very happy with this type sailing. So, my point, the trim rudder may be offset and it doesn’t need a lot of power if you sail the boat with minimum canvas out and nicely balanced. I guess I was pretty decided on the Cape Horn. So I encourage you to take a look at the Cape Horn. I’m not affiliated with any of them. And I also think you can look at the YouTube video bloggers called Sailing Uma who installed one and seem to really like it though they are not a stern scoop boat. Good luck. By the way, where are you hauled where they use timber rather than jack stands?

Hello. Thanks for all your remarks. I have gone ahead with the Hydrovane probably, because it can steer the boat in an emergency. I also like the main rudder being locked off with no wear ant tear on the rudder bushes over long distance or, chains and linkages to the rudder from the wheel.

Ghostly Goose is sitting in Gosport England, I will sailher to Arbroath Scotland, her new home

 

[Windpilot]

The hydrovane is an auxiliary rudder, day and night difference from a cape horn servo pendulum, can it flip up or come out of the water readily or is it always being dragged and possibly affecting maneuvering in reverse?
If it offset what protects it, breakaway rudder? How do you remove wrapped kelp etc.
A servo pendulum does not have those problems and is much more powerful.
For optimum control it is much better to use the boats main rudder, any "wear and tear" on those parts will not make a difference unless it already had a problem.

 

[Scallywagger]

Congrats on choosing a 460. Great production boat for the money! We’ve owned ours from new. Last year I did a lot of research to choose a self steering vane. We were going to do another Caribbean cruise and wanted to augment our electrically driven autopilot. Hydrovane and Cape Horn were the final contenders. But the project didn’t get past the drawing board as we’ve decided to sell Spirit after the Bahamas cruise were presently on till about mid July this year. Then back to Florida and very sadly put her on the market. Just time for us to do other things. But to throw my two cents at your question...I found some design advantages to the Cape Horn that were very attractive. The imposition on the swim platform was going to be far less complex. A single Stainless pipe extending out from within the port lazarett (it would have come out through the aft face, below and inboard of the hand hold, but outboard of the boarding ladder). No large center line appendage on a frame where the wind vane is attached directly to the water vane as in monitor and others. All in the way of stern platform activities. The pipe could even be removed and a plug inserted. The water/steering portion may be controlled by an electric autopilot rather than the wind vane, thus eliminating (or redundantly instead of) the need for a rotary motor bolted inside your cockpit console below the quadrant chain driving the wheel shaft. It can be controlled by its wind vane with control transmitted by lines for port and starboard. Offset would be no problem on the 460/66 as it’s a very well balanced boat, as long as you don’t over canvas (especially the main). Reefed main to below upper spreaders with about two or three wraps on the jib furler results in 5 plus knots speed close hauled to wind at about 32 to 38 degrees off in 7-12 knots of breeze depending on sea state. That’s going to be with about 3-8 degrees of weatherhelm and 15 or less degrees heel. Wife is very happy with this type sailing. So, my point, the trim rudder may be offset and it doesn’t need a lot of power if you sail the boat with minimum canvas out and nicely balanced. I guess I was pretty decided on the Cape Horn. So I encourage you to take a look at the Cape Horn. I’m not affiliated with any of them. And I also think you can look at the YouTube video bloggers called Sailing Uma who installed one and seem to really like it though they are not a stern scoop boat. Good luck. By the way, where are you hauled where they use timber rather than jack stands?

wow!!! that is some amount of information, thank you for taking the time. I'm busy sailing Casper South to the new owner who is to head for New Zealand. on 28th I'll begin sailing the 460 North, I quite excited