Fleming Wind Vane Help!

[DefinitelyMe]

Hi everyone. So, i'm finally getting around to fitting a Fleming wind vane. It's quite an old model (10+ years) but i'm only just getting around to fitting it. Unfortunately i have a problem. The people at Fleming were very good about getting back to me when i was interested in buying stuff from them but don't seem to be too interested when all i'm looking for is help and advice.

The servo-pendulum and auxiliary rudder are coupled via a pin (on the rudder side) that slots in between two prongs on the servo-pendulum side. You can see from the pictures that the two mechanisms are too close together, so they can't engage. I can't see any way to adjust this but surely Fleming haven't screwed up so spectacularly as this when they made the thing?! I can't see any alternative but to cut off the prongs and then re-weld them about 1 1/2" further aft. Am i missing something?

Help and advice much appreciated, preferably from someone in the know about such things!

Thanks!

[paulajayne]

Does this help?

http://www.ftp.tognews.com/Projects/...021_4_2009.pdf

[DefinitelyMe]

Originally Posted by paulajayne

Does this help?

http://www.ftp.tognews.com/Projects/...021_4_2009.pdf

Unfortunately not. This is for the 'Global Equipe' model, which does not have an auxiliary rudder and does not discuss the problem i am having. Thanks though.

[roverhi]

I'm assuming that the forked piece has to fit around that pin on the other piece. There appears to be a pinch bolt on the piece with the pin. Can you loosen that bolt, pull the piece off and reposition with the jaws of the other piece in the right place and reassemble???

[model 10]

The way it looks to me is you remove the extrusion looking piece ( as mentioned,) and fit it between the forks. Looks like it would fit perfect.

[DefinitelyMe]

Damn....... you're right; i need to undo the bolts holding the extrusion with the auxiliary rudder inside it and slide the whole thing down to allow that to engage. Unfortunately that will also have the effect of moving the rudder down by about 3 inches, which will put it much lower in the water than it is supposed to be (it's supposed to be 200mm above the waterline, but it's already too low as it's pretty much on it at the moment). The alternative would be to completely re-do both mounting brackets onto the transom, but the top bracket is already pretty close to the top of the transom so i'm not sure that's even an option............ damn damn damn damn damn damn damn damn damn damn damn damn!

Cheers guys..........

[model 10]

I don't know how much trouble the rudder being to deep could be. A little more drag maybe but as long as it does not go below your rudder so what? Try it before you re-mount it
I've noticed that if you are heeled way, way over, a little longer/deeper is better.

[roverhi]

All you have to do is get the pin in the forked piece. From the pictures looks like everything will still be in the same position except the for the fork engaging the pin.

The rudder being deeper is no big thing unless it will make something corrode that shouldn't. On my Aluminum WindPilot Pacific Plus having the rudder too deep didn't hurt the vanes performance but caused corrosion issues with SS fasteners because I didn't coat them liberally with lanolin.

[Terra Nova]

There is certainly a right way to mount this. Did you follow Fleming's printed instructions?

[leftbrainstuff]

Dont cut and weld.

Reassemble the pin between the fork.

Sent from my SM-N900T using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[DefinitelyMe]

Thanks guys. I have lowered the rudder and the mechanism now engages properly. Unfortunately it's now about 40cm lower than it should be. With the auxiliary rudder and the servo-pendulum in their folded-up position they are both just out of the water which is good. Unfortunately when underway the pivot mechanism with all its little greased springs and stuff is under water. I guess i'll just have to grease it very, very regularly with some really heavy grease and hope for the best. Worst-case scenario i can take it to a machine shop while i'm still in the relatively well-appointed Atlantic for the next few months and get the shafts cut, shortened and re-welded.

It's good to hear from those of you that have some experience with having these things mounted too low. It's a shame about all that extra drag but good to know it'll still work fine.

Yes i did follow the instructions for installation, but unfortunately those instructions assume that you're installing a vane that has been custom-designed for your boat. I, on the other hand, figured i'd save some money by buying mine second-hand (though it has never actually been installed on any boat) and i guess the boat it was designed for, a cheoy-lee somethingorother, has a transom that's 40cm higher than mine.

I've had experience with a monitor servo-pendulum model and a windpilot pacific plus. I have to say i think the Pacific Plus is a better piece of equipment than this Fleming one i've just installed. Everything just seems a little better made on the Pacific Plus. A little more rigid and the tolerances narrower which keeps things tighter.