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09-08-2017, 09:21
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 2
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Center cockpit needs wind vane
Hey everyone just wanted to see if you'd have any ideas on a wind vane for a 32' O'DAY center cockpit with a ketch rig. An auxiliary rudder seems to be the goto for this configuration.
Thanks for any help you can give 😁
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09-08-2017, 11:45
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#2
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Carlsbad, CA
Boat: 1976 Sabre 28-2
Posts: 7,505
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Re: Center cockpit needs wind vane
Happy with my WindPilot Pacific Plus. If the boat sails, the vane steers. Only negative is slow speed tight quarter maneuvering which not be a big issue with a fin keel boat. WINDPILOT - Products: Pacific Plus
__________________
Peter O.
'Ae'a, Pearson 35
'Ms American Pie', Sabre 28 Mark II
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09-08-2017, 11:52
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Oahu, Hawaiian Islands
Boat: Nauticat 43
Posts: 412
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Re: Center cockpit needs wind vane
Do you have an autopilot by Raymarine or B&G? If so, there are modes to sail by offset to either by the true wind or the apparent wind. These systems offer a virtual windvane solution.
__________________
"If you don't know where you're going, you might wind up somewhere else." Yogi Berra
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09-08-2017, 15:35
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#4
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2008
Location: cruising SW Pacific
Boat: Jon Sayer 1-off 46 ft fract rig sloop strip plank in W Red Cedar
Posts: 21,564
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Re: Center cockpit needs wind vane
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ded reckoner
Do you have an autopilot by Raymarine or B&G? If so, there are modes to sail by offset to either by the true wind or the apparent wind. These systems offer a virtual windvane solution.
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A virtual windvane! Somehow, this seems to miss out on the real strong points of a windvane: simple to build and repair if ever needed, no electricity drain, no reliance on complicated electronics or dodgy connectors.
For the OP: Besides the Wind Pilot mentioned above, the Autohelm auxiliary rudder vane, sold by Scanmar, is a somewhat less expensive alternative.
And either one would work well on your boat.
Jim
__________________
Jim and Ann s/v Insatiable II, lying Port Cygnet Tasmania once again.
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09-08-2017, 15:57
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#5
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Back in the boat in Patagonia
Boat: Westerly Sealord
Posts: 8,422
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Re: Center cockpit needs wind vane
Trim tab on Aux rudder is a good 'stringless' solution.
A discussion here http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...-115345-2.html
Photos of mine at post#25
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09-08-2017, 16:35
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#6
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Moderator

Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Between Caribbean and Canada
Boat: Murray 33-Chouette & Pape Steelmaid-44-Safara-both steel cutters
Posts: 8,911
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Re: Center cockpit needs wind vane
I have a John Belcher designed aux rudder vane on the small boat. Works well and I can drive it with a tiller pilot.
https://www.amazon.ca/Wind-Vane-Self.../dp/0877421587
The big boat is a center cockpit and was designed so that the rudder stock comes up through the aft deck with a permanently affixed tiller. The tiller is driven by a Monitor vane.
I've seen a couple of 44'ish steel French boats with the same arrangement.
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10-08-2017, 09:34
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#7
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Pacific NW.
Boat: KP 46
Posts: 792
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Re: Center cockpit needs wind vane
Quote:
Originally Posted by roverhi
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I had a Pacific Plus on a Halberg Rassy center cockpit and it was a GREAT vane, nice thing is you can balance the boat with its own rudder, then engage the vane and does not work hard at all.
A very good wind vane.
M
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10-08-2017, 09:48
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#8
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Marine Service Provider
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Eastern Shore, MD
Boat: Camper Nicholson 44 Ketch
Posts: 2,060
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Re: Center cockpit needs wind vane
The "Virtual" wind vane (AP with wind mode) can steer in very light winds, something a wind vane cannot do.
Chris
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10-08-2017, 10:00
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Alert Bay, Vancouver Island
Boat: 35ft classic ketch/yawl.
Posts: 2,002
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Re: Center cockpit needs wind vane
Agree that some form of aux rudder is the way to go. I have the same size and configuration but a transom hung rudder so attached a stub tiller directly to the rudder which give emergency steering as well.
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10-08-2017, 10:01
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Up the mast, looking for clean wind.
Boat: Currently Shopping, & Heavily in LUST!
Posts: 5,629
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Re: Center cockpit needs wind vane
__________________
The Uncommon Thing, The Hard Thing, The Important Thing (in Life): Making Promises to Yourself, And Keeping Them.
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10-08-2017, 11:11
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 122
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Re: Center cockpit needs wind vane
I have a pacific plus 2. I took of my 51 ketch. For sale. It missing the rudder section.
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10-08-2017, 14:50
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#12
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2008
Location: cruising SW Pacific
Boat: Jon Sayer 1-off 46 ft fract rig sloop strip plank in W Red Cedar
Posts: 21,564
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Re: Center cockpit needs wind vane
Quote:
Originally Posted by witzgall
The "Virtual" wind vane (AP with wind mode) can steer in very light winds, something a wind vane cannot do.
Chris
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Can it do so when the batteries are dead?
Jim
__________________
Jim and Ann s/v Insatiable II, lying Port Cygnet Tasmania once again.
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10-08-2017, 15:24
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Alert Bay, Vancouver Island
Boat: 35ft classic ketch/yawl.
Posts: 2,002
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Re: Center cockpit needs wind vane
Wind steering in light airs is never that good because the relative wind is constantly shifting. I think having the ability to steer to real not apparent wind via AP may help but not tried it. Windvanes are for when the wind picks up, unlike any electric AP the faster you go and the stronger the wind the more power you get from the vane. In 25kn a windvane is loving it whereas may AP's are struggling or drawing heavy amps.
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10-08-2017, 16:11
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#14
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: between the devil and the deep blue sea
Boat: a sailing boat
Posts: 21,188
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Re: Center cockpit needs wind vane
I think your boat does not lend itself (easily) to windvanes.
Try Windpilot Pacific Plus, Hydrovane, etc., see what fits.
Cheers,
b.
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10-08-2017, 16:33
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#15
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Carlsbad, CA
Boat: 1976 Sabre 28-2
Posts: 7,505
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Re: Center cockpit needs wind vane
Quote:
Originally Posted by witzgall
The "Virtual" wind vane (AP with wind mode) can steer in very light winds, something a wind vane cannot do.
Chris
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My Windpilot Pacific Plus can steer the boat in winds too light to deflect the wind vane even one that's 4' tall and made out of very light corrugated plastic. If you are talking winds that light, doubt that any wind sensing self steering, electric or mechanical would work well. If you are patient enough not to turn the engine on in those conditions, a compass controlled A/P is necessary. Nice thing about an aux rudder mechanical self steering is you can hook cheap tiller pilot to the vane and get a super low draw auto pilot.
As far as a mechanical vane steering getting better as wind and boat speed increases, that is most applicable to Pendulum Servo vanes that provide steering through the boats rudder. Pendulum Servo units that actually turns the rudder do get stronger as boat speed increases. Had an Aries that wouldn't steer the boat below 4kts boat speed but would handle the heavy helm better and better as wind/boat speed increased. On the WPPP aux rudder vane, assume others of the type, it's not necessarily the case. Not that they steer worse as boat speed/wind increase but that they aren't as reliant as a Pendulum Servo vane on water speed past the vane to generate turning force to the auxiliary rudder.
__________________
Peter O.
'Ae'a, Pearson 35
'Ms American Pie', Sabre 28 Mark II
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