Hi all,
Im looking for a wind vane type self steering unit for a thunderbird 26 with
a view to using it for coastal cruising on the east coast of australia. I
would be happier to buy than to build, but after having had a bit of a read
up and doing some research, it looks like most of the commercial units are
made for vessels with a minimum length of about 30 feet. Any suggestions?
I really dont have the electricity generating capabilities to run a full
time autohelm.

thanks,
Shaun

On Mon, 07 May 2007 00:28:31 GMT, "Shaun Van Poecke"
wrote:

Hi all,
Im looking for a wind vane type self steering unit for a thunderbird 26 with
a view to using it for coastal cruising on the east coast of australia. I
would be happier to buy than to build, but after having had a bit of a read
up and doing some research, it looks like most of the commercial units are
made for vessels with a minimum length of about 30 feet. Any suggestions?
I really dont have the electricity generating capabilities to run a full
time autohelm.

thanks,
Shaun


Do a Google search. I have seen at least one do-it-yourself article on
building a wind vane. (they are bloody expensive to purchase). One
thing you probably already know, they don;t work when motoring.
'
Bruce in Bangkok
(brucepaigeatgmaildotcom)

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Shaun Van Poecke wrote:


Im looking for a wind vane type self steering unit for a
thunderbird 26 with
a view to using it for coastal cruising on the east coast of
australia.

Fleming.

Kevin Fleming, an Aussie who designed it while in San Diego, is back
in OZ someplace.

Should be able to help you.

Lew

Ocean Voyager - Annual Handbook of Offshore Sailing billing itself as
"an annual special issue of Ocean Navigator" just did an article on wind
vanes titled "Steering by the Wind."

I suggest you get this issue if at all possible. This article reviews
the general merits of each type of vane with special regard to vessel
size. I think you will find several that fit your needs nicely. I have
a 33-foot boat equipped with a home-built axillary rudder/trim tab type
unit that works very well, except when backing.

Wind vanes do work when motoring as long as you have some relative wind.
In a calm or with no apparent wind they are useless.

Names to research would include:
Monitor
Aries
Sailomat
Cape Horn
Windpilot
Auto-Helm
Scanmar
Hydrovane

Lew Hodgett wrote:
Shaun Van Poecke wrote:


Im looking for a wind vane type self steering unit for a thunderbird
26 with
a view to using it for coastal cruising on the east coast of australia.

Fleming.

Kevin Fleming, an Aussie who designed it while in San Diego, is back in
OZ someplace.

Should be able to help you.

Lew

I just finished installing my Cape Horn unit yesterday and am very pleased
with it. More work to install than some other types but much cleaner and
attractive when you are done.

Read my blog pager he

http://home.maine.rr.com/rlma/Windvane.htm

I don't think this unit would be oversized on a 26 foot boat. There is a
PDF file scale drawing on the site with a scale. If you fiddle a bit with a
scaling copier or computer graphics program and have a drawing of your boat,
you can see how it would look. The height of the wind vane tower can be
lowered.

Highly recommended.

Roger Long

Do a Google search. I have seen at least one do-it-yourself article on
building a wind vane. (they are bloody expensive to purchase). One
thing you probably already know, they don;t work when motoring.
'
Actually they do work when motoring, they don't work without wind, and
they don't work so well if you are motoring hard due to cavitation.
Also make sure you have a light air vane, else they won't work below
10 knts.
Tom
ps above applies to the Monitor wind vane from personal experience,
other
vanes may be different.

On 7 May 2007 05:04:42 -0700, tom wrote:


Do a Google search. I have seen at least one do-it-yourself article on
building a wind vane. (they are bloody expensive to purchase). One
thing you probably already know, they don;t work when motoring.
'
Actually they do work when motoring, they don't work without wind, and
they don't work so well if you are motoring hard due to cavitation.
Also make sure you have a light air vane, else they won't work below
10 knts.
Tom
ps above applies to the Monitor wind vane from personal experience,
other
vanes may be different.


Well, I was probably trying to simplify the answer too much. Wind
vanes don't work well while motoring unless the normal wind velocity
is higher then the relative wind generated by the boat's forward speed
as the vane reacts to relative wind.

Bruce in Bangkok
(brucepaigeatgmaildotcom)

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