Electric self steering windvane help

[Islander53]

I have practiced mine. I would not want to have to use it especially if I was solo....

It was originally designed to come up through the aft cabin hatch and be used in the center cockpit. But I have modified it to be used down below too. But yes it is miserable

[sailing_gal]

I realize this is not exactly what you are looking for, but I think one of the simplest windvanes on the market is the Hydrovane. It is fairly simple to install, takes much less space than the Monitor and provides good back-up to any system. I wouldn't want a vane to require electricity, in case you lose all instruments or electric power.

[scallowayuk]

hi, fit a hydrovane, no lines to the tiller.and emergency rudder if your hydraulics pack up.

[Brewgyver]

Originally Posted by roverhi

Doubt that hooking a wind vane self steering system direct to the rudder would work on a wheel/cable steered boat. The drag/inertia of the wheel steering would require too much force to overcome at slower speeds. Once had to use the emergency tiller to steer my boat with the wheel and cables still connected. It took a lot of force to overcome the inertia of the wheel and doubt a Pendulum Servo Vane like a Monitor would have the oomph to steer the boat for most of the speed range. Might work with a hydraulic system if there was a bypass valve to cut the hydraulics out of the system or on a cable system if you could easily disconnect the cables..

Why would you have to use the emergency tiller if the wheel was still connected? I would thing you had to use the tiller because of a malfunction with the wheel/cables/sheaves. That would of course add tremendous friction.