"NE Sailboat" writes:
I would love to get a wind vane system ............ but at $3,000 ???
Probably won't happen.


If $3k seems like an impossible dream, then perhaps you
could never really afford a cruising boat anyway.


I wonder if there is a Poor Man's Wind Vane... a system that could use the
apparent wind to steer and the controls would go to the tiller in the
cockpit.


It certainly would be. Ya just gotta know how!


Lauri Tarkkonen wrote:
The problem is that if you want a windvane that works in almost any
conditions and lasts for years and years and does not let you down when
you have gone in the cabib to make some coffee and sandwiches or to goo
to the loo, then it is not a cheap system to build.


It need not be very expensive though (in terms of what boat
stuff costs, anyway). The main expense would be getting the
frame strong & rigid enough, and after that, providing low
friction bearings to reduce working drag down to the point
where there is sufficient power to control the helm.


If you think that the power generated by the wind will be the one used
to actually steer the boat, then you need some wind or your wane must be
very big. In the best windvanes the steering action is geretade by the
boats speed through the water with a servo pendulum oar and the wind is
just controlling the angle of this oar to the water.


Exactly. The geometry of these must be very cleverly worked
out in coordination with the boat's steering characteristics.

They say, that a poor man can not afford to buy cheap,he must buy
quality.


Or know how to make his own.

I would not recommend anyone to depend on a cheapo windvane, this does
not mean, that one should not be avare of ways to make tackles for
temporary use, as it is possible you need it for various reasons while
underway.


It's easy enough to go astray with top quality equipment.
Gear that is difficult to set on course properly, does not
follow a course accurately, is quirky about what condition
it will work at all, suffer minor breakdowns, etc etc, will
be more aggravation & potential hazard than it's worth.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King