I'm shopping for a light, open, simple sailboat that I can use for
cruising/camping trips on big lakes and coastal waters. I'm most
interested in the 17' designs by Drascombe and Norseboat.
http://www.drascombe-association.org.uk
http://www.norseboat.com

My old 40' sloop had a Monitor windvane - a fantastic piece of
equipment.

Can anyone recommend a good windvane and/or self-steering solution
that could be used on a 17' open boat?

Thanks in advance.

The problem with windvane self steering on a small light displacement boat
is the frequent changes of boat trim when the crew moves about..

I have never tried a windvane on such a small boat but have worked with
sheet to tiller and other systems in the past. This crew movement was always
a problem..

I have read of small boat single handers doing ocean passages and they
discribed the same problem.

While it is true that a windvane should maintain the course, relative to the
wind direction, the changes boat trim is going to still cause problems.

However, on a boat with a heavy center board, where crew dispostion isn't
critical, it may be possible using some of the simpler methods that have
been devised over the years.

--
My opinion and experience. FWIW

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

Try http://www.uswayfarer.org/ for a 16 footer that has traversed the seas.
RichG

--
RichG
http://groups.msn.com/CarolinaSkiffOwners

On Tue, 09 Mar 2004 09:33:18 -0800, Arco wrote:

I'm shopping for a light, open, simple sailboat that I can use for
cruising/camping trips on big lakes and coastal waters. I'm most
interested in the 17' designs by Drascombe and Norseboat.

Look for a retired Lightning.

http://www.drascombe-association.org.uk
http://www.norseboat.com

My old 40' sloop had a Monitor windvane - a fantastic piece of
equipment.

Can anyone recommend a good windvane and/or self-steering solution
that could be used on a 17' open boat?

Thanks in advance.

Rodney Myrvaagnes J36 Gjo/a

Smoking in a bar is like peeing in a punchbowl.

Try the 200$ sailboat
http://home.att.net/~DaveCarnell/sailboat.html#Top

On Tue, 09 Mar 2004 09:33:18 -0800, Arco wrote:

I'm shopping for a light, open, simple sailboat that I can use for
cruising/camping trips on big lakes and coastal waters. I'm most
interested in the 17' designs by Drascombe and Norseboat.
http://www.drascombe-association.org.uk
http://www.norseboat.com

My old 40' sloop had a Monitor windvane - a fantastic piece of
equipment.

Can anyone recommend a good windvane and/or self-steering solution
that could be used on a 17' open boat?

Thanks in advance.

Well - I'm not looking for a boat design. Let me try to make myself
more clear.

Subject: OPEN BOAT SELF-STEERING

Question: Can anyone recommend a good windvane and/or self-steering
solution that could be used on a 17' open boat?




On Tue, 09 Mar 2004 20:23:50 -0500, Barlovento
wrote:

Try the 200$ sailboat
http://home.att.net/~DaveCarnell/sailboat.html#Top

On Tue, 09 Mar 2004 09:33:18 -0800, Arco wrote:

I'm shopping for a light, open, simple sailboat that I can use for
cruising/camping trips on big lakes and coastal waters. I'm most
interested in the 17' designs by Drascombe and Norseboat.
http://www.drascombe-association.org.uk
http://www.norseboat.com

My old 40' sloop had a Monitor windvane - a fantastic piece of
equipment.

Can anyone recommend a good windvane and/or self-steering solution
that could be used on a 17' open boat?

Thanks in advance.

[from a New Zealand site - Boat Books Ltd. ]

WIND-VANE SELF STEERING
By Bill Belcher. Pbk, perfect bound, 240mm x 170mm, 128 pages,
monochrome plans and tables.
This classic book describes the theory, principles and practice of
wind vanes for self steering. It tells the blue water sailor how to
construct his own wind-vane self steering system, including full
working drawings.
Wind-vane Self Steering is generally regarded world wide as the
definitive work on this topic and currently, as far as we know, is the
only such work generally available.
NZ$39.95 + Delivery


Brian Whatcott Altus OK


On Tue, 09 Mar 2004 18:18:18 -0800, Arco wrote:

Well - I'm not looking for a boat design. Let me try to make myself
more clear.

Subject: OPEN BOAT SELF-STEERING

Question: Can anyone recommend a good windvane and/or self-steering
solution that could be used on a 17' open boat?




On Tue, 09 Mar 2004 20:23:50 -0500, Barlovento
wrote:

Try the 200$ sailboat
http://home.att.net/~DaveCarnell/sailboat.html#Top

On Tue, 09 Mar 2004 09:33:18 -0800, Arco wrote:

I'm shopping for a light, open, simple sailboat that I can use for
cruising/camping trips on big lakes and coastal waters. I'm most
interested in the 17' designs by Drascombe and Norseboat.
http://www.drascombe-association.org.uk
http://www.norseboat.com

My old 40' sloop had a Monitor windvane - a fantastic piece of
equipment.

Can anyone recommend a good windvane and/or self-steering solution
that could be used on a 17' open boat?

Thanks in advance.

Try this link.....

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/boo...self%2Dsteerin
g&userid=359L8PF8NR

Steve
Stephen C. Baker - Yacht Designer
http://members.aol.com/SailDesign/pr...cbweb/home.htm

Arco ) writes:

Can anyone recommend a good windvane and/or self-steering solution
that could be used on a 17' open boat?

The crew weight issue is interesting. I sail a couple of small boats which
do not have rudders. There is some resolution of forces based on body
weight, boat displacement, sail area, and wind strength which determines
whether a boat can be sailed with or without a rudder or wind vane. It
should be possible to work it out mathematically. I find it easy (and
comfortable) to sit on the bottom of the boat facing forward and steer by
leaning from side to side while working the main sheet. When close hauled
with the sail pulled in tight I sit still. On a boat the size of a
Wayfarer or Albacore (15 ft, 250 lb) I'm sure I'd find that difficut to
do. I've done "wet assed" sailing in Albacores. It isn't enough to sit in
the middle of the boat, you have to get your weight out over the side. The
alternative to "sitting out" is to let out the sails to reduce power. A
wind vane will not let out the sails. However if you can depower
the sails by reefing, and accept lower speed, it should be possible.
Performance would depend on the variability of the wind. Might not work on
gusty days. Some cruising sailors simply tie off the tiller with shock
cord in steady winds. On a small boat you'd have to tie off the tiller and sit
still, like I do in my rudderless boats.



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homepage: www.ncf.ca/~ag384/top.htm
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What type of rudderless boats are you sailing? Spent a long weekend on
the east coast of Spain a few years ago (near Barcelona) and saw their
rudderless cats. Wanted to sail on one SOOO badly. There was also a
writeup in WB (I think) on those same boat, showed one of them
pitch-poling 8-( They were a rather narrow (by Hobie standards) cat.

Pirate_Dave

In article , William R. Watt wrote:
Arco ) writes:

Can anyone recommend a good windvane and/or self-steering solution
that could be used on a 17' open boat?

The crew weight issue is interesting. I sail a couple of small boats which
do not have rudders. There is some resolution of forces based on body
weight, boat displacement, sail area, and wind strength which determines
whether a boat can be sailed with or without a rudder or wind vane. It
should be possible to work it out mathematically. I find it easy (and
comfortable) to sit on the bottom of the boat facing forward and steer by
leaning from side to side while working the main sheet. When close hauled
with the sail pulled in tight I sit still. On a boat the size of a
Wayfarer or Albacore (15 ft, 250 lb) I'm sure I'd find that difficut to
do. I've done "wet assed" sailing in Albacores. It isn't enough to sit in
the middle of the boat, you have to get your weight out over the side. The
alternative to "sitting out" is to let out the sails to reduce power. A
wind vane will not let out the sails. However if you can depower
the sails by reefing, and accept lower speed, it should be possible.
Performance would depend on the variability of the wind. Might not work on
gusty days. Some cruising sailors simply tie off the tiller with shock
cord in steady winds. On a small boat you'd have to tie off the tiller and sit
still, like I do in my rudderless boats.



--
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
William R Watt National Capital FreeNet Ottawa's free community network
homepage: www.ncf.ca/~ag384/top.htm
warning: non-freenet email must have "notspam" in subject or it's returned