Monitor windvane questions?

[gjordan]

I talked to the seller yesterday and then called Scanmar and yes they were very helpful, but they gave me many reasons that the newer vanes are better. They have a good video about the changes made over time and make it seem like the old ones are marginal. I dont know if they are just trying to keep people safer, or trying to get you to buy a new vane. The good part is that they have all the parts to rebuild or maintain the older vanes. I am waiting on the seller to set a price and I will decide from there. It seems like with the number of older Monitors in use that the problems cant be very bad, or they would all be scrapped by now. It is interesting that the seller is going to buy a Cape Horn. He has had a Cape Horn before the Monitor and thought it was better. WHO KNOWS??? _____Grant.

[robert sailor]

I had a Cape Horn as well, wasn't crazy about cutting a hole in the stern but I got over it. That crazy Frenchman who designed it did a pretty good job. No gears, just bent pushrods so the friction is very low, you can tell by just looking at the small wind vane. Some of my friends rigged theirs to go direct to the steering quadrant which seemed to work quite well. Basically all servo pendulum vanes work the same way and I sort of like all of them in one way or the other. Monitor was always considered to be one of the better ones. These days it's all about autopilots and genset, cruising has changed over the years.

[double u]

I'm surprised though that trawling the net intensly I discover there are probably more manufacturers of windvanes today than in our voyaging days (80ies & 90ies)...