Wind vane steering Hunter Passage 42

[Scallywagger]

Hello again. I am hoping before to many years have passed, to bring Casper from Scotland to the Caribbean. I have never owned a wind vane steering. Has anyone successfully used one on their Passage 42 (I would prefer not to have lines to the wheel).

Bill S (Scallwagger)

 

[jssailem]

Scallywagger sounds like you are interested in the hydrovane.
I looked at the Monitor, Aries, and the Hydrovane when I was considering buying a windvane. All three are expensive. I chose the Monitor as it was US made, had a good reputation, and a fellow in Seattle was looking to remove 2 year old unit from his new to him boat. He offered it at a price I could not refuse. It is not yet installed. Hoping to do that this year.
The Monitor and Aries both work with lines running to the cockpit the lines either turn the wheel or pull on the tiller steering the boat with your boats rudder. If you loose your rudder, the Monitor has an emergency rudder option. These units work on a pendulum model when the wind changes direction it causes a counter balance paddle in the water to change direction the force on the water paddle provides power to move your rudder by use of the lines. When in balance the boat moves on the course you have set.

The Hydrovane works with out your rudder you set the course, you balance the sails you fix the boat rudder straight, the Hydrovane is engaged and it steers the boat. No ropes to the cockpit.

Well that’s the theory. They are tools that steer a general direction with out electrical power. Can handle storm condition seas and are generally robust systems. They do require maintenance and monitoring.

They are not a tool you set with a remote then go into the cabin and party for 3-4 days pop out and are greeted at the Harbor entrance by a parade of well wishers.

But that is ok. We chose sailing because it is an experience, not a power mega yacht.

 

[Scallywagger]

Scallywagger sounds like you are interested in the hydrovane.
I looked at the Monitor, Aries, and the Hydrovane when I was considering buying a windvane. All three are expensive. I chose the Monitor as it was US made, had a good reputation, and a fellow in Seattle was looking to remove 2 year old unit from his new to him boat. He offered it at a price I could not refuse. It is not yet installed. Hoping to do that this year.
The Monitor and Aries both work with lines running to the cockpit the lines either turn the wheel or pull on the tiller steering the boat with your boats rudder. If you loose your rudder, the Monitor has an emergency rudder option. These units work on a pendulum model when the wind changes direction it causes a counter balance paddle in the water to change direction the force on the water paddle provides power to move your rudder by use of the lines. When in balance the boat moves on the course you have set.

The Hydrovane works with out your rudder you set the course, you balance the sails you fix the boat rudder straight, the Hydrovane is engaged and it steers the boat. No ropes to the cockpit.

Well that’s the theory. They are tools that steer a general direction with out electrical power. Can handle storm condition seas and are generally robust systems. They do require maintenance and monitoring.

They are not a tool you set with a remote then go into the cabin and party for 3-4 days pop out and are greeted at the Harbor entrance by a parade of well wishers.

But that is ok. We chose sailing because it is an experience, not a power mega yacht.

You have a lovely comical style of writing Yes I understand they need an eye kept on them. I have the chance of a sailormat which the bloke had said would require no lines, only the wheel locked fore and aft. I can only find Sailomat on YouTube with ropes to the wheel I would really love to hear from and see pictures from a person with one mounted on their passage 42. Is your yacht a passage 42? Scallywagger

 

[jssailem]

No. I have a Cal35C. Most vane sites have a gallery of pictures that help with install issues. As an observation the install is about location. Setting the structure on the strong points of the boats transom. The monitor and Aries need to be on the mid line of the boat. The Hydrovane indicates it can be installed off midline. The transoms of boats are stronger near the edges of the hull then in the middle. So my monitor has braces that are designed for each boat.

Looks like the images on the Sailomat has a line running to the cockpit.

Not sure why. This link might help.

SAILOMAT

www.sailomat.com

 

[jssailem]

Scallywagger, I think there are lines running to the wheel or tiller In the cockpit. They may be fewer or smaller but the report suggests the lines transfers the power from the unit to the boats steering.

I read the following about their 700 model.

“The energy required to move the wheel or tiller is thus extracted from the waterflow by the servo blade.​

Several different line circuits can be used with the SAILOMAT 700. In contrast to previous systems, the two pull-pull lines from the pendulum body are initially running upwards from two unique 'wing' lever arms attached to the pendulum. This permits simpler block positioning, and keeps the transom or walk-thru region more accessible and clean from 'line-clutter' often seen with other systems.“​

The lines have to run somewhere.

 

[Scallywagger]

Scallywagger, I think there are lines running to the wheel or tiller In the cockpit. They may be fewer or smaller but the report suggests the lines transfers the power from the unit to the boats steering.

I read the following about their 700 model.

“The energy required to move the wheel or tiller is thus extracted from the waterflow by the servo blade.​

Several different line circuits can be used with the SAILOMAT 700. In contrast to previous systems, the two pull-pull lines from the pendulum body are initially running upwards from two unique 'wing' lever arms attached to the pendulum. This permits simpler block positioning, and keeps the transom or walk-thru region more accessible and clean from 'line-clutter' often seen with other systems.“​

The lines have to run somewhere.

Yes, I see the lines. The Sailomat in Spain for sale £2200 which includes the post, the gentleman said I would not require lines to the wheel which, in a centre cockpit Passage 42 is a long way from the transom. Look, I can only thank you for all your information as its a learning curve for me, I've never used wind vane. 400 miles + crossing the North Sea is fine on autopilot but, the wind vane is the way forward for thousands of miles I'm sure you'll agree. Ill keep on with my research and, I will buy one. Hopefully someone joins the chat with a Passage 42 and photos of a vane fitted.
Happy sailing for now. Bill (Scallywagger)

 

[Stu Jackson]

IIRC, Scanmar in Sausalito, CA, represents a few different manufacturers. Try their website and then read the websites of the other vendors. Vendor websites should tell you ALL the answers to how each different one works.
In addition, each vendor may likely have installation photos for many different boats.

 

[Scallywagger]

IIRC, Scanmar in Sausalito, CA, represents a few different manufacturers. Try their website and then read the websites of the other vendors. Vendor websites should tell you ALL the answers to how each different one works.
In addition, each vendor may likely have installation photos for many different boats.

Okay, thanks Stu

 

[Terry Cox]

Most interested in whether any P42s are so equipped.

 

[Scallywagger]

Most interested in whether any P42s are so equipped.

Hello Terry, I was wondering when you would be about. Yes, I would like to buy one but, not a great big cumbersome one that gets in the way of the davits or getting into the transom lockers. I will of course fold the davits and put the dinghy away for a long passage passage, but hope to take the vane off easily and put the dinghy back up on its davits when coastal or Island hoping.
I would love to see a picture of one on a passage 42

 

[Terry Cox]

would love to see a picture of one on a passage 42

Ditto, Bill. Not any easy install due to a center cockpit.

 

[David in Sandusky]

Check out Henk Meuzalaar’s comment on this thread:

Which windvane

Some of you may remember my last post which was the account of my singlehanded Transatlantic crossing in a Hunter 34 last year.Well it looks like I'm heading back from the Med to Antigua in December but this time with my wife and son on board. For the first crossing I only used an ST4000+...

forums.sailboatowners.com

He sailed tens of thousands of miles in the South Pacific on his Hunter Legend 43.

There was an article on his blue water mods to his h43, but the link I found is broken, and I could not get to it directly on the Hunterowners site.

 

[Scallywagger]

Which windvane

Some of you may remember my last post which was the account of my singlehanded Transatlantic crossing in a Hunter 34 last year.Well it looks like I'm heading back from the Med to Antigua in December but this time with my wife and son on board. For the first crossing I only used an ST4000+...

forums.sailboatowners.com

[/URL]

He sailed tens of thousands of miles in the South Pacific on his Hunter Legend 43.

There was an article on his blue water mods to his h43, but the link I found is broken, and I could not get to it directly on the Hunterowners site.

Check out Henk Meuzalaar’s comment on this thread:

Which windvane

Some of you may remember my last post which was the account of my singlehanded Transatlantic crossing in a Hunter 34 last year.Well it looks like I'm heading back from the Med to Antigua in December but this time with my wife and son on board. For the first crossing I only used an ST4000+...

forums.sailboatowners.com

He sailed tens of thousands of miles in the South Pacific on his Hunter Legend 43.

There was an article on his blue water mods to his h43, but the link I found is broken, and I could not get to it directly on the Hunterowners site.

Wow!! That would be interesting. I will try and find it, thanks. Bill

 

[Will Gilmore]

So good to read a post from you again, Bill.

The Hydrovane works with out your rudder you set the course, you balance the sails you fix the boat rudder straight, the Hydrovane is engaged and it steers the boat. No ropes to the cockpit.

I don't know the brand, I'll ask the Old Man to see if he remembers, but we had several steeringvanes, on our boats. None had lines to the cockpits. Our live-aboard was a center cockpit. As JS said, the whole mechanism mounted on the transom, you lock the main rudder at midship and the vane used its own rudder controlled by a small trim tab along the aft edge. It was pretty amazing and got us across the Atlantic. This was in 1986.

There may be some issues with interference with your dinghy, if you keep it on the davitts while crossing. It should be possible to install it on a custom superstructure that holds it out past your dinghy, but that may not be practical. You want clean air for the paddle vane.

-Will (Dragonfly)

 

[Scallywagger]

Hello

So good to read a post from you again, Bill.


I don't know the brand, I'll ask the Old Man to see if he remembers, but we had several steeringvanes, on our boats. None had lines to the cockpits. Our live-aboard was a center cockpit. As JS said, the whole mechanism mounted on the transom, you lock the main rudder at midship and the vane used its own rudder controlled by a small trim tab along the aft edge. It was pretty amazing and got us across the Atlantic. This was in 1986.

There may be some issues with interference with your dinghy, if you keep it on the davitts while crossing. It should be possible to install it on a custom superstructure that holds it out past your dinghy, but that may not be practical. You want clean air for the paddle vane.

-Will (Dragonfly)
Hello Will, yes please ask your dad and see what he comes up with. I am generally clocking up a couple of thousand miles each year on the autohelm 600 but, now I have permission from my wife to sail off alone for a year, I really do fancy a wind vane. I do like this little friendly forum chat place with like minded helpful people. Bill

 

[smokey73]

Bill - hope you get the chance to come to the "New World". It is true, the earth is not flat!

I don't recall the brand but I made a 2 person transit from Bermuda to Newport Rhode Island on a Chrysler 26 Kiawa (if I'm not mistaken) when I was about 28 years old with a windvane as our only self steering mechanism (1978 or 1979). We did not have a generator so only charged the battery when the engine was running (infrequently). I don't recall the brand. It handled the whole six day passage well, sailing in moderate winds off the port beam the entire 6 day transit. We sailed the entire way with two reefs in the main and only furled the headsail and started the Atomic 4 during squalls. It did not have any lines to the wheel. I don't recall having to adjust it any during my watches but the skipper may have made some adustments. That was a much smaller boat so

 

[smokey73]

I don't think you'd want a dingy on davits during an ocean transit anyway. I'm not sure how it would attach to a boat with a sugar scoop though?

 

[Scallywagger]

Bill - hope you get the chance to come to the "New World". It is true, the earth is not flat!

I don't recall the brand but I made a 2 person transit from Bermuda to Newport Rhode Island on a Chrysler 26 Kiawa (if I'm not mistaken) when I was about 28 years old with a windvane as our only self steering mechanism (1978 or 1979). We did not have a generator so only charged the battery when the engine was running (infrequently). I don't recall the brand. It handled the whole six day passage well, sailing in moderate winds off the port beam the entire 6 day transit. We sailed the entire way with two reefs in the main and only furled the headsail and started the Atomic 4 during squalls. It did not have any lines to the wheel. I don't recall having to adjust it any during my watches but the skipper may have made some adustments. That was a much smaller boat so

Thanks for your storey Smokey. Im 30+ years at sea now in my profession and it is quickly becoming my turn to fulfill my dreams. Who knows within a year or so I may be bumping into some of you chaps, I hope so. Keep flying the flag

 

[Scallywagger]

I don't think you'd want a dingy on davits during an ocean transit anyway. I'm not sure how it would attach to a boat with a sugar scoop though?

I would stow the dinghy and the davits swivel and fold away..

 

[smokey73]

Bill, I sure hope you bump into us again here in Beautiful Beaufort by the Bay! Maybe you can stay at our house this time instead of Song of the Sea.

Dan