San Francisco Bay Area? Windpilot windvane?

[Debo]

We would like to buy a Windpilot Pacific, but we've never seen one. Unfortunately, the owner of the company has told us that returns are not an option, and the idea of buying something this expensive without being able to return it or being able to see it seems foolish.

If you are in the SF Bay Area and have a Windpilot self steering gear of any model, we'd love to come see it! We'd simply like to take a look at it to get a sense for the workmanship.

Many thanks.

Caitlin (and Jason)
of DEBONAIR

[roverhi]

Have a Pacific Light on a Sabre 28 at Fortmans on Alameda. Have a few things to do to run the steering lines before it will be functional. Won't be back to the boat till early March if you can wait that long.

Also have a Pacific Plus on my boat here in Kona. That vane sailed me single handed to Hawaii without ever touching the helm except to get in and out of harbor. If you want to get out of the wonderful weather you've been having, it's a short plane ride to paradise to look at it. Will take you for a sail if you'd like see how they work.

My experience is the WindPilot Pacific vanes are typical German engineering quality. Simple designs made from lovely castings and quality hardware that work.

[Debo]

Hi there! Thanks for posting and offering us a chance to look at your windpilot. We're at Fortman too! When you come back, look us up in slip A-2 (wooden double-ender DEBONAIR, we're there working on it often). In the meantime, we'll wander/row by your Pacific light. Can you let us know what dock you are on?

Thanks!

[brianb00]

Hello Debo,
Did you get the Windpilot Pacific ? I live in the South Bay with a boat in the West Bay. Any chance I could take a look at your Windpilot, take a few photos ?
Regards,
Brian s/v Red Sky

[cburger]

Originally Posted by roverhi

Have a Pacific Light on a Sabre 28 at Fortmans on Alameda. Have a few things to do to run the steering lines before it will be functional. Won't be back to the boat till early March if you can wait that long.

Also have a Pacific Plus on my boat here in Kona. That vane sailed me single handed to Hawaii without ever touching the helm except to get in and out of harbor. If you want to get out of the wonderful weather you've been having, it's a short plane ride to paradise to look at it. Will take you for a sail if you'd like see how they work.

My experience is the WindPilot Pacific vanes are typical German engineering quality. Simple designs made from lovely castings and quality hardware that work.

Hello Roverhi, can the Windpilot Pacific be installed on my Westsails boomkin crosspiece without the addition of any additional support bracing?

[roverhi]

The WindPilot is easy to install on a transom but would need a bracket made to bolt onto a W32 boomkin. Aries, Cape Horn, and Monitor have all been mounted to a W32 boomkin and should have all the gear that's needed to do it. Had an Aries on our W32 and it worked great.

[cburger]

Peter,

It's nice to hear from you again. I am ready to install a vane on the boat. Was leaning towards The Cape Horn. And discovered the Windpilot completely by accident. Looks lighter and simpler than anything I've seen, mostly aluminum German engineered.

I do not an oil derrick like a Monitor or Aires with all the associated support tubes fabricated and attached to the hull. When I redid "Moon Dance" I installed a new 1/4" thick stainless crosspiece at end of boomkins. When I've looked at Westsails on the Windpilot website it appears that the Pacific with a bracket can just be bolted directly to the crosspiece without the need for any additional bracing tubes, significantly simplifying the installation process and minimizing the aesthetic impact of some large ugly mechanism bolted to the end of the vessel?