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. Photo gallery voyager self steering sailing wind vanes. The wind vane itself does not possess sufficient power to steer the boat, this is augmented by the servo pendulum. A wind vane reacts to changes in the apparent wind direction and transmits this reaction to the servo pendulum in the water which, in turn, operates the boats steering rudder. Selfsteering gear project gutenberg selfpublishing. Gives different setups for classic, pahi and tiki designs. Holland windvane self steering a unique concept for the diy enthusiast. The hebridean offers diy sailors the opportunity to build an affordable wind vane in wood and stainless. Belcher really did write the book on self steering systems and provides simple to follow diagrams and patterns for vertical, horizontal, and servopendulum. He acquired a second boat in 1973 and equipped it with a vane driving an auxiliary. Using the plans for the ogt mk 1 horizontal wind vane. If it saves you the disappointment of a selfsteering failure and the exhaustion of hours at the helm in cold, dark and stormy seas, it will have achieved its aim. If it saves you the disappointment of a self steering failure and the exhaustion of hours at the helm in cold, dark and stormy seas, it will have achieved its aim. Why is proper sail trim so important for good selfsteering.
Since then, there had been no major improvement to windvane technology. The hydrovane is both a mechanical self steering windvane for offshore sailboats and an emergency rudder and. Belcher really did write the book on self steering systems and provides simple to follow diagrams and patterns for vertical, horizontal, and servopendulum systems. The windvane self steering handbook is the definitive guide to every aspect of sailing and working with the longdistance sailors best friend. Apr 25, 2017 how to make a wind vane self steering gear. Windvane selfsteering by bill belcher 1982, hardcover for. Diy yacht self steering system wind vane on cal34 youtube. Walt murrays website with plans for windvane self steering systems he did a lot of development on self steering that could be made with ordinary tools from ordinary materials. Wind vane self steering gear a wind vane self steering system is not an essential piece of equipment on a sail boat.
Good directions smithsonian eagle weathervane pure copper with golden leaf finish 23 inch, rooftop ornament, wind vane, roof decor 4. It also integrates electric autopilot steering when you drive the servopendulum with a small tiller pilot. I am looking for drawing for diy wind vane self steering. Shorthanded sailing made it imperative to have a light, powerful, wind vane steering gear on board and the book by john s. Oct 15, 2018 selfsteering gear achieves this by presenting a vane directly into the wind. Mar 09, 2018 this winter, i began building a hebridean windvane selfsteering system for emmelene. Blondie hasler, a pioneer in selfsteering development, endorses the book, saying, for the reader who wants concise and clear instructions on how to plan and build his own vanesteering gear, this is just about the best book ive yet seen, and i would gladly go to sea with any of the gears he recommends. The windvane selfsteering handbook is the definitive guide to every aspect of sailing and working with the longdistance sailors best friend. Find great deals on ebay for self steering windvane and wind vane self steering. Windvane self steering for wharram catamarans james wharram. No drawings i think, but lots of information in a free download book here.
When properly adjusted, there is an almost magical feeling that the boat is on rails as john letcher described it in his book selfsteering for sailing craft back. All of the existing windoperated selfsteering systems on the market use one or a. The hebridean self steering wind vane is a new design concept, good for diy sailors. Hi there sailor, welcome to the new website of aries vane gear. Even if youre not planning on building your own, its nice to understand the basic concepts of what they do, how they work, and the pros and cons of the different systems. Detailed drawings of how to build a lowcost wind self steering system for your wharram catamaran, mainly out of wood.
Self steering for sailing craft proved invaluable, giving all the design criteria. Strong stainless steel 316 construction high quality materials ball bearings for minimal friction. There are many good resources online relating to this system, and ill link to them in this post. He subsequently sailed extensively in english, scottish and irish waters, onto portugal, greece and israel. 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.
Downwind sailing in light airwhen apparent wind may be only a whisperis one of the biggest challenges for a windvane steering system. There is a definite learning curve to overcome when using a mechanical self steering windvane for the first time. A comprehensive manual of natural and sheettotiller steering systems for sailboats author lee woas book condition used good quantity available 1 binding hardcover isbn 10 0915160528 isbn 9780915160525 publisher seven seas press place of publication u. The hebridean selfsteering wind vane is a new design concept, good for diy sailors. Bill morris has created a new nautical classic with his book, the windvane selfsteering handbook. A wind vane self steering system is not an essential piece of equipment on a sail boat. Another version of wind vane self steering on sail boats is known as the vertical axis vane and usually, because of the inferior steering force output compared to servo pendulum devices it makes use of a trim tab hung off the rudder to control the course of the boat. Aries is your best crewmember for sailing around the world. Some customers can make the most of a great day march 22nd 2020 even in a tumultuous world.
The history of the sailomat selfsteering device, from the original. 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. The worlds largest manufacturer of windvane selfsteering and emergency steering systems for sailboats. Our aim with this book is to investigate the functioning and the pros and cons of the various systems, and to help. Now, self steering gears are found all over the world and this book has become the. However, for anyone who sails alone or cruises short handed over long distances the benefits can be immeasurable.
With jeandusud around the world the book jeandusud and the magick byrd. Long tricks at the helm are exhausting, concentration wanes, essentials such as eating, trimming sails, navigating, sleeping etc are neglected. The holland windvane is a windvane self steering device that excels in performance and is characterized by. For owners and future owners of windvane steering systems. 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. This book, i hope, will cut through the tangle of conflicting opinions and contradictory hearsay surrounding the subject of selfsteering. Buy a cheap copy of selfsteering without a windvane book by lee woas. A comparison of windvanes and autopilots for a voyaging sailboat. After he passed away his website was preserved and is kept available here, as close to the original as possiblle. Wind vane aries vane gear your best sailing crewmember at. One of the 2020 batch customers taking his system for the first spin. 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.
Back in brittany, he designed a definitive selfsteering gear to be used in a. The number one self steering wind vane, the aries a self steering wind vane for offshore sailboats and worldwide bluewater sailors. 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. Servo pendulum neptune yacht windvane self steering. Aug, 2011 reggy, gender neutral, is the result of a few hours work following the excellent plans and descriptions from bill belcher. The sensor vane is the brains of the selfsteering system, but it needs apparent wind to work. The fact is, however, that when a self steering vane gear the. Based on the system that sailed pahi 63 spirit of gaia round the world. This book, i hope, will cut through the tangle of conflicting opinions and contradictory hearsay surrounding the subject of self steering. Walt murrays website with plans for windvane self steering. The windvane selfsteering handbook book depository. Belcher and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
Yves gelinas on selfsteering caphorn regulateur dallure. Shipped from uk, please allow 10 to 21 business days for arrival. Lawrence, built a vane gear that used energy of water flowing past the hull to drive the rudder and keep course, similar to what blondie hasler had used in the 1960 ostar and called servopendulum. Buy the windvane selfsteering handbook book online at low. The vane spins at right angles to the ground and can lock to the trim tab in. He had often seen his auxiliary rudder overpowered in severe weather. Self steering gear achieves this by presenting a vane directly into the wind. When the wind acts on either side of this vane, it tips, transferring this action through the mechanism below to either a rudder or a servo pendulum which acts on the main rudder, altering the boats course. Wind screaming batteries flat autopilot down rudder failed weather helm yes, with a neptune. Another version of wind vane self steering on sail boats is known as the vertical axis vane and usually, because of the inferior power it has to its servo pendulum cousins it makes use of a trim tab hung off the rudder to control the course of the boat. When it comes to simple, robust, reliable selfsteering especially in snarly weather a mechanical windvane is hard to beat. 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.
Just about sailing november 2016 sea feather selfsteering windvane, installation and sea trial. This book was previously published as yacht wind vane steering and should be considered essential in a yacht. 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. Yves gelinas purchased a first boat in 1967, and to sail alone in the gulf of st.
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