CapeHorn compared to Windpilot

[summercamp]

When comparing the Capehorn and Windpilot self steering both look like nice and get great reviews with respect to product and customer service.

When comparing the Windpilot Pacific Pilot (U.S $1,850) model and the Capehorn Varuna (U.S $3495) there is a big difference in price.

Is there anything that justifies the higher price for the Capehorn?

[Benz]

As far as I can see, the Cape Horn requires armature to be installed inside the lazarette, which might make it more expensive. If you have room for that, it's a lot less clutter outside, and more elegant, though I'm not sure worth the extra price. Given you have a small boat, a smaller (and more affordable), externally mounted windvane should be fine.

[estarzinger]

Just as an fyi - we had a pacific plus. I thought it was a piece of crap. The sleeve bearings are great when new/clean, but they collect and trap salt and dirt quite quickly and then the friction builds up and the thing stops working well. You then have to take it all apart and clean the bearings. Also we had the aux rudder snap off a couple times.

The Monitor was a MUCH better wind vane.

We never tried a cape horn.

[Sailmonkey]

We've got the cap horn, it's been great, on our smaller boat having the quadrant and lines internal makes the cockpit far less cluttered.

And it's been zero maintenance other than cleaning .

[Alberg30Shill]

Spend the money, the price difference reflects a substantial difference in quality and the designer is reachable for any questions before and after purchase.

[daletournier]

Originally Posted by estarzinger

Just as an fyi - we had a pacific plus. I thought it was a piece of crap. The sleeve bearings are great when new/clean, but they collect and trap salt and dirt quite quickly and then the friction builds up and the thing stops working well. You then have to take it all apart and clean the bearings. Also we had the aux rudder snap off a couple times.

The Monitor was a MUCH better wind vane.

We never tried a cape horn.

I know of two others that have had the rudder snap off.

[Sailorlady323]

Also had a Wind Pilot. Would not recommend it

[Roniszoro]

A friend has a Cape Horn and it works great for him...even down wind in light air. That's what I'd be doing if buying one now.

[double u]

...why does one have to lierally drag this information out of youall? I've been collecting all the available information about windvanegears for months...

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by double u

...why does one have to lierally drag this information out of youall? I've been collecting all the available information about windvanegears for months...

What?!?

[seandepagnier]

Originally Posted by daletournier

I know of two others that have had the rudder snap off.

The rudder snapped off on my monitor wind vane.

You could build your own wind vane that works as good as a monitor for under $200. I met plenty of people who built wind vanes.

I built my own electric autopilot for much cheaper and it uses 0.25 amps power and works better than a monitor wind vane in up to 20 knots of wind.

[mkriley]

Originally Posted by boat_alexandra

The rudder snapped off on my monitor wind vane.

You could build your own wind vane that works as good as a monitor for under $200. I met plenty of people who built wind vanes.

I built my own electric autopilot for much cheaper and it uses 0.25 amps power and works better than a monitor wind vane in up to 20 knots of wind.

how about some info?
mk

[roverhi]

Have done a TransPac on my Pearson 35 with a WindPilot Pacific Plus. Vane would steer the boat if it was making less than a knot of boat speed all the way up to surfing doing double digits. Only issue I had was bolts loosening up but lock washers and LocTite hopefully has cured that problem.

Bought the vane used off a 40 plus foot boat that the vane steered from New England to the Caribbean then up to San Francisco. The owner said the vane steered the whole way without any problems.

If the auxiliary rudder broke off on WinPilot Plus, something really heavy must have hit it. The rudder shaft is hell for stout on the 'plus'..

WindPilot makes Pendulum Servo and Auxiliary Rudder Vanes actuated by a Pendulum Servo. Have sailed with both and they've worked fine as has an Aires. Originally had a Monitor on the P35 but it wouldn't steer the boat below 4 knots boat speed. Lucked onto the WindPilot Pacific Plus so ditched the Monitor before I had much of a chance to figure out why it didn't work. The Monitor has worked on other boats from 50' on down so may have been able to work out the issues on the P35 but whatever the problem was, it was wasn't obvious