Windvane installation thoughts

[drummer81]

Hello fellow sailors!

I bought a Flemming windvane. Their first model that looks like this. The picture attched is from newer version, but You get the point...

I didn´t take all the measurements that well and now I´m facing a problem (it usually happens when one doesn´t take the measurements well). Or maeby a problem is a big word for it, a challenge might be a better word.

So the problem or challenge is:

In the manual they say that the vane part (in the picture N) should be in water so that about 4 inches is above water.

My boat is only 95 cm above water so when I attach the windvane the whole rudder part will be under water.

And my biggest question is:

What will that do? Will it affect the working of windpilot and if then how?



Solutions I have thought:

The vane is little big for my boat (40ft. 13 metric tons), so just sell it and by smaller. Not very keen on this one. The windvane looks really robust and is in good condition.

Cut the J part (in the picture) 15 cm shorter and weld it. I do not know what will happen to the function of windvane. Does not sound a good idea to my ears.

Attch the windvane somehow to reelings on the back of the boat and that way lift the windvane up.

Yeah!

[sailpower]

This may be obvious and if you have already done it, I apologize for that.

Have you tried here and/or contacted support?

FLEMING | There and back for 40 years

[drummer81]

Hello!

I did send them a mail, but also today so have to wait for the answer. Just a little keen on installing the vane

And also usually one gets good answer also from here!

Thanks!

[Boatyarddog]

You might e-mail Peter Forthmann, at Windpilot.com
He has been very good at answering questions for my Windpilot
I believe length of the pilots rudder out of the water is because of Turbulance.


Sent from my iPad SV Cloud Duster

[model 10]

I don't think you should worry too much. It will put a little more drag on the boat but it will steer better heeled over. At some point the extra drag would slow down how quickly the rudder responds to input but I think it would take more than a few inches. Our Aires rudder is down a few inches and it still works great.

[roverhi]

A boat squats at the stern as the speed increases. The rudder will be well under water as boat speed increases. Not the best thing but it will probably still work fine.

The top of the steering rudder on my Windpilot Pacific Plus and the pendulum servo rudder were right at the water rather than the reccomended several inches above. Emailed Peter Forthmann and he said it wouldn't be a big issue and wasn't on the sail to Hawaii. The only problem was that the coupling of the steering rudder to the shaft was constantly being dunked in the water with passing boats and very small waves. Didn't slather enough Lanolin on the bolts in the coupling and they tried to corrode themselves into the aluminum coupling casting in less than a years service.

Decided to have the shaft shortened 6" to keep the coupling out of the water with the boat at rest.

[drummer81]

Thanks from the answers!

Maeby I worry too much. It would be just nice to have the installation done the right way at the first time. It is allways pain in the ass to fill holes in the boat

I think I will just put it on and test if it works.

Later guys!

[roverhi]

Have you looked at the shaft of the vane to see if it would be relatively easy to shorten??

[barnakiel]

See if part H can be removed, shortened, then re-set with the cog (imagine removing the top part of it where it meets the cog). Can be done?

But you may just as well let it be for a time before making any cuts - see how it works the way it is, then adjust accordingly.

4 inches does not sound like a world of difference. You may be fine the way you are.

b.

[senormechanico]

The way I see it, the only downside of shortening it is slightly less power to the boat's rudder. Light wind performance might be a bit less as a result.
The main thing in your installation is paying attention to keeping friction to the boat's rudder as low as possible.

We had a Monitor on a previous boat and loved it.

[s/v Beth]

I know that a monitor is a different beast, but when I installed it it was very important not to have the rudder under the water. I shortened the shaft going into the water to line up with factory specs. Has made a big difference (ie, at first I did what I think you are going to do) Shorten the shaft. It is not a big deal. A hacksaw and drill will do it just fine on mine.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Hi. I am no expert, so take what follows with a splash of salt water.

But given your statement that the part N is supposed to be about 4 inches above water level, I take that to mean "no more than" 4 inches showing OUT of the water. As I see it, the key point is to have enough of part N IN the water to function when the boat is heeled or underway.

Put another way, I would not cut the parts until I had tested the vane in real sailing conditions and only after determining that the part N and the system was not funtioning well if the Part N is too deep WHEN the boat is moving.

[roverhi]

Another thought, can you build brackets so the top mount is above the deck rather than bolted to the transom??? Seems like you could easily mount the vane 4" higher by doing that. Pendulum servo vanes do not put a lot of side stresses on the mounts 'cause all they are doing is pulling strings moving the tiller/wheel. Have seen Monitors mounted that way. Auxillary rudder systems are a whole different story, have a rebuilt transom to prove it.

A Monitor is an Aires, is a Cape Horn, is a Fleming, etc. They all work the same, just slightly different ways of mounting them.

[drummer81]

Hi!

I got the answer from Flemming. They just said that put it higher or cut it shorter. Just make shure that anything you do, do it so that it can take the forces that effect the windvane.

So the windvane will go little deeper to water in my boat. Lets see if it works well, if not I will cut and veld it shorter.


Thanks for all answers and ideas!!

A good day to all of You!