Selfsteering basics for the solo sailor great lakes singlehanded. Selfsteering gear project gutenberg selfpublishing. Modern servopendulum windvanes blend traditional wisdom, modern materials, and innovative design features. These devices are ideal for sailing long distances, especially when the wind blows steadily from the same direction.
Hebridean wind vane self steering trial sept 2016 duration. Wind vane self steering from mister vee mister vee self steering started out from a need to solve a particular mounting problem, on a small boat with a centrally mounted outboard engine. A windvane self steering system is the most reliable means of steering your small vessel on long ocean passagesand it doesnt use one amp of your precious electrical power. It deals, in detail, with everything to do with selfsteering, and is a must for anyone in my position. Mar 09, 2018 this winter, i began building a hebridean windvane selfsteering system for emmelene. You can see it below, john s letcher and with kind permission of the author, who made many small boat ocean voyages and contributed much to the development of yacht selfsteering. Navik self steering wind vane sailing forums, page 1. Diy yacht self steering system wind vane on cal34 youtube, this is our self steering system. Sensitivity can be adjusted with counterbalances on the wind vane and variable points on the length of the levers. Sarah curry advises how best to use a wind vane steering system sarah and husband will sailed from the us to australia on hydroquest with a hydrovane wind vane steering system. Mechanical or wind vane self steering started out as a way to keep model sail boats on course. Strong stainless steel 316 construction high quality materials ball bearings for minimal friction. I studied it thoroughly, both to learn the principles of selfsteering gears, and gradually to work out by elimination, which gear was my central cockpit. The self steering design will require a bit of damping in the linkage to keep the boat from over steering in downwind conditions, but you should be able to design a system to stabilize the boat.
The holland windvane is a windvane self steering device that excels in performance and is characterized by. Dec, 2005 wind vane selfsteering systems must be as frictionless as possible between the sensing vane and the actuating servo rudder. A book on selfsteering systems has long been overdue. Mister vee windvane self steering freedom with a vee windvane. Self steering marine equipment pdf manual download. The number one self steering wind vane, the aries a self steering wind vane for offshore sailboats and worldwide bluewater sailors.
Wind vane aries vane gear your best sailing crewmember at. I was so happy with my new self steering gear, i made this short clip for trenchard bowden at neptune as a thanks. You might need to consider oversizing the trim tab some, ensuring you still have enough torque from the dampened wind vane to steer the boat properly. Dec 08, 2011 i had a fleming wind vane and as soon as the wind started blowing, it did not work unless we completely underpowered the boat im my eyes it was not because of the windvane but because the boat was really hard to balance, not having to use a lot of power to steer please tell me if im compeltely wrong. Some customers can make the most of a great day march 22nd 2020 even in a tumultuous world. His talks and workshops became an instant success, not only because he knows this subject better than anyone else in the world, bus also because he always speaks generically about both wind operated self steering. The windvane self steering handbook by morris, bill. Find great deals on ebay for wind vane steering and windvane steering.
Voyager self steering vanes have been steering yachts on bluewater voyages across all the worlds oceans since 1998. Fitting and using a windpilot wind vane self steering system. Holland windvane self steering a unique concept for the diy enthusiast. Rotate the turret at 300 on the cher side of the axis of the boat. Wind vane self steering is a mechanical device which automatically pilots a sailboat without the intervention of a helmsman by orienting it with respect to the wind. How vane gears work a clear discussion of how to match vane design with boat invaluable instructions for how to sail with a windvane settings, sail trim, and more a detailed look at nine commercial models, plus plans and instructions for readers to build their own.
Adjusting the vane angle is done by loosening these wing nuts. When the wind drops below that, we resort to our autopilot. The downsides of using a wind vane self steering system is the cost of purchase, which is significantly more than an electric autopilot. The trade name holland windvane and bouvaan as well as the s of this handbook and all drawings of the holland windvane belong to. Operating principle of the servopendulum selfsteering. Windvane self steerin g handbook by bill morris hardcover quick free delivery in 214 days. Put the vane in irons pull one or other of the course setting lines to turn the vane until it is approximately in line with the wind direction, ie. Even in sailboats running under engine, the self steering gear can be used to keep the boat heading into the wind to easily set or change sails exception. Apr 24, 2014 wind vane self steerers do require five knots or more of wind across the deck to work properly. Video 1 a broad reach buffeted by strong winds testing the vane in difficult conditions.
In addition the installation can take some thinking about and once installed you will have added some weight just where it is not wanted at the extreme end of the boat. Prepare to be pleasantly surprised by your new windvane steering system. Self steering gear have to be heavy, large, cumbersome and difficult to install. Wheel steering needs a few more guide blocks to get the steering. Find great deals on ebay for wind vane steering and hydrovane self steering. Servo pendulum neptune yacht windvane self steering. There is a lot of information on the internet and a few sketches but no comprehensive drawings to allow for home made fabrication of a wind vane. The worlds largest manufacturer of windvane self steering and emergency steering systems for sailboats. Universally acknowledged among world cruisers as the most advanced selfsteering systems available a sailomat is a masterpiece of design and function.
The windvane self steering handbook by morris good descriptions and lots of tips. How to make a sailboat wind vane and your search ends here the results of research that many people look for a pdf version too. The windvane selfsteering handbook book, 2004 worldcat. Without written permission from the author it is forbidden to copy, scan, or save on digital media, drawings or articles from this document. Feb 24, 2004 here is the definitive manual for choosing, purchasing, installing, maintaining, repairing, using, and even building a windvane self steerer, that amazing device that relieves longdistance sailors from the the helm while using not one amp of precious electrical power. My time in wisconsin, however, suggests hot and humid and light wind, unless a storm is passing. Jul 23, 20 sensitivity can be adjusted with counterbalances on the wind vane and variable points on the length of the levers. I am looking for drawing for diy wind vane self steering. Self steering gear can only steer a yacht at certain points of the wind. The pdf documents are intended to be viewed with two pages side by side, odd. Your new fleming self steering unit has been developed over many years of wind vane design evolution.
When it comes to simple, robust, reliable self steering especially in snarly weather a mechanical windvane is hard to beat. At just 1260 grams the complete windvane is lighter than most competitors windvanecounter weight. Congratulations on the delivery of your new fleming wind vane. Bill morris has created a new nautical classic with his book, the windvane selfsteering handbook. Be sure to check that the supplied parts agree with the packing list and there is no apparent shipping damage. Now release the wind vane from the locked position and index the vane so its pointing into the apparent wind making the. The hebridean self steering wind vane is a new design concept, good for diy sailors. Leading edge with hydrovane printed and balance weight pointing into wind. Operation operating principle of the servopendulum self steering the turret is rotated until the apparent wind hits the windvane on its edge.
The windvane selfsteering handbook is the definitive guide to every aspect of sailing and working with the longdistance sailors best friend. Build your own trim tab selfsteering system part 2. When it comes to simple, robust, reliable selfsteering especially in snarly weather a mechanical windvane is hard to beat. For yachts with vertical transom hung rudders with or without a skeg, this is the simplest wind vane self steering system you could have. Bill belcher also has an excellent book, wind vane self steering, international marine publishing 1982, isbn 0877421587. That is the best way i can describe it in english without a drawing. Before the advent of radio control, model yacht racing started before ww1 was typically contested on long narrow ponds, and the number of stops along the banks was counted as a penalty in the final result. Compact and lightweight, the wind vane combines simple design with robust construction in a fold flat solution that can easily be stored in a boat locker. A wind vane self steering system is not an essential piece of equipment on a sail boat. Wind vane self steering by belcher, bill and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Nov 19, 2016 self steering systems wind vanes if this is your first visit, be sure to check out the faq by clicking the link above.
If it isnt, then you can forget about sailing down wind with one. Aries wind vane self steering gear autohelm with tiller kit yacht boat. Windpilot windvane self steering contessa 32 class association. The windvane self steering handbook is the definitive guide to every aspect of sailing and working with the longdistance sailors best friend. Apr 11, 2017 my diy servopendulum windvane self steering gear on my islander excalibur 26. Sailomat is the worlds leading professional design team and manufacturer specializing in stateoftheart mechanical selfsteering systems for all cruising sailboats. Hi there sailor, welcome to the new website of aries vane gear.
Both the windvane and the pendulum rudder can be easily removed from. John letchers selfsteering for sailing craft is a good resource and of interest to anyone using selfsteering, with or without vane gear. This means that the only time that an electronic self steering system is necessary, is when the winds are light. A comparison of windvanes and autopilots for a voyaging sailboat. Save self steering windvane to get email alerts and updates on your ebay feed. Buy the windvane selfsteering handbook book online at low. Navik self steering wind vane and other sailing discussion in the seabreeze general forums, page 1. These videos were taken in scotland in varying sea and wind conditions.
There are many good resources online relating to this system, and ill link to them in this post. Preface before we get started i would like to clarify that the ideas presented in this document were developed chronologically, reusing as much of the material and the previous design. It deals, in detail, with everything to do with self steering, and is a must for anyone in my position. The windvane self steering handbook is the definitive guide to every aspect of sailing. The hebridean selfsteering wind vane is a new design concept, good for diy sailors. The windvane selfsteering handbook by bill morris, hardcover. The electronics module calculates the required steering movement and a drive mechanism usually electrical, though possibly. Mechanical self steering gear is made by a number of manufacturers, 2 but most systems produced today share the same principle servo pendulum rudder, see below. Electronic self steering is controlled by electronics operating according to one or more input sensors, invariably at least a magnetic compass and sometimes wind direction or gps position versus a chosen waypoint. A development of the brilliant pendulum servo systems created by the pioneers of deep sea sailing, voyagers are strong, efficient, and reliable shipmates.
Find great deals on ebay for self steering windvane and wind vane self steering. Initially, i wasnt going to blog about this build, thinking it a bit superfluous. Wind vane aries vane gear your best sailing crewmember. Apr 25, 2017 i was so happy with my new self steering gear, i made this short clip for trenchard bowden at neptune as a thanks. Wind vane selfsteering system all boating and marine. Mar 01, 2004 a windvane self steering system is the most reliable means of steering your small vessel on long ocean passagesand it doesnt use one amp of your precious electrical power. Also, you need good steady wind, not just some wind. I studied it thoroughly, both to learn the principles of self steering gears, and gradually to work out by elimination, which gear was my central cockpit. Bill morris here is the definitive manual for choosing, purchasing, installing, maintaining, repairing, using, and even building a windvane self steerer, that amazing device that relieves longdistance sailors. Handbook deel tekst als pdf download holland windvane. His talks and workshops became an instant success, not only because he knows this subject better than anyone else in the world, bus also because he always speaks generically about both wind operated self steering gears and electronic autopilots.
Wind vane video these videos were taken in scotland in varying sea and wind conditions. The windvane selfsteering handbook is the definitive guide to every aspect of sailing. For owners and future owners of windvane steering systems, this is definitely a boating bible on the same scale as nigel calders works on diesel mechanics and general boat maintenance. Vane is no longer on offer, its legacy is still at the heart of mister vee windvane self steering. The turret is rotated until the apparent wind hits the windvane on its edge.
This is also true with self steering and you want your vane to give just enough rudder angle to. Page 8 mister vee windvane self steering jan alkema looking at the mister vee version of his usd windvane concept. Some browsers may have problems in playing videos, if using internet explorer or firefox try the links below. My diy servopendulum windvane self steering gear on my islander excalibur 26. As wind direction sensors are used a a wind vane mounted on an axis being tilted more or less towards the horizon wind vane self steering. I have seen and often modified wind vane controlled self steering gears that have been owner built.
Wind vane steering attachments are available for most autopilots, but in light air they are no better than wind driven self steering gear. However, for anyone who sails alone or cruises short handed over long distances the benefits can be immeasurable. A reasonable wind vane self steering unit will steer in winds as low as force 2 when the vessel is likely to start motoring anyway. Although well constructed many of these units did not work well, this was because there had been little understanding of the basic principles that must. Twentyfive years of wind vane steering ocean navigator. Under these conditions an electronic unit, considerably smaller than normal will suffice. The hydrovane is both a mechanical self steering windvane for offshore sailboats and an emergency rudder and steering system ready to go. How they worksheettotiller steeringtrimtab gearsvertical vane trim tabs horizontal vane trim tabsservopendulumsvertical vane servopendulum horizontal vane servopendulum pendulum trim tab pendulum trimtab tiller armnotes on. The first time that it was used to cross an ocean was on a motorboat. Many thanks to len hiley for converting john letchers book to pdf files and. Aries is your best crewmember for sailing around the world. Mar 16, 2004 a windvane self steering system is the most reliable means of steering your small vessel on long ocean passagesand it doesnt use one amp of your precious electrical power.
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