Would you get rid of a self steering wind vane if you had one?

[sailingunity]

Our boat was built in 1974, so obviously due to technological limitations at the time the original owner installed a wind vane self steering on the stern. It is a bolt in style, the rudder is stored in the lazarette I have to lower it in the water with the mizzen sheet and bolt it to the bottom of the bracket. Our boat now has an autopilot and I'm wondering if we need to keep the wind vane at all.

Keep it:
-We could steer at sea without having to use any power
-Could act as a backup rudder (though not impossible to makeshift something else)

Ditch it:
-The components take up valuable storage space
-Unable to have a ladder directly at the stern gate; cumbersome to board from the stern.
-Could possibly have a small boarding platform instead.
-I spend more time cleaning rust off of it than actually using it.
-Limited maneuverability when the rudder is in the water; must remove it before entering tight spaces.

[masonc]

Originally Posted by sailingunity

Our boat was built in 1974, so obviously due to technological limitations at the time the original owner installed a wind vane self steering on the stern. It is a bolt in style, the rudder is stored in the lazarette I have to lower it in the water with the mizzen sheet and bolt it to the bottom of the bracket. Our boat now has an autopilot and I'm wondering if we need to keep the wind vane at all.

Keep it:
-We could steer at sea without having to use any power
-Could act as a backup rudder (though not impossible to makeshift something else)

Ditch it:
-The components take up valuable storage space
-Unable to have a ladder directly at the stern gate; cumbersome to board from the stern.
-Could possibly have a small boarding platform instead.
-I spend more time cleaning rust off of it than actually using it.
-Limited maneuverability when the rudder is in the water; must remove it before entering tight spaces.

Very similar: 1972 boat, voyager windvane, good auto pilot. Can't get into the boat.
Wife wants a stern platform and get rid of the windvane.
Two weeks ago, auto pilot failed on a passage. I switched to the windvanecabd continued the voyage.
So it comes down to how much redundancy is important to you. The boat would be more enjoyable without it, and we're not sailing around the world. But it's there and it works.

[Paul L]

Depends a lot on your cruising plans. Long passages I'd keep it and after you learn it see how well it steers the boat. If you are only planning a few, shortess passages, then rely on the AP. If you've not owned and used a windvane before, it is a pretty steep learning curve to get them dialed in on a particular boat.

[Stu Jackson]

Unless you have a redeeming reason to eliminate it, if it was my boat I wouldn't.

Of course, much depends, like every boating question ever asked, "How do you intend to use your boat?"

If the "mission" has changed, then the options should be reconsidered.

The end result may be the same, but you will have addressed the entire process for that decision. Now, for you, not when it may have been originally decided upon.

Good luck, either way.

Take notes!


PS I sailed SF Bay for a while with John Letcher's Self Steering for Small Craft sheet to tiller system, even tacking 'cuz it was set up so well. I may be mistaken, but changing course is also "allowed" with those things, right?

[Don C L]

Not if it worked!!!
I have yet to install my old-school vane but if it works well, I ain't never gonna take it off

[Pegu Club]

Me, i would keep it, we use our monitor wind vane on our Bristol 29.9 frequently, it was easier to learn how to dial it in than I thought it would be. You need to balance your sails well, and it will do the helm work for you.
It is after all your boat, do what works best for you.

Fair winds,

[Mike OReilly]

I’ve not used this style of vane, but there’s no way I would get rid of a functioning vane.

I suppose if all you’re doing is short-hop day sailing, and you have a functioning electric pilot (and perhaps a spare or two ), then you could get rid of it. But on my boat the wind vane is our primary self-steerer. Even for short sails it works great.

I’d suggest learning how to use if effectively first, and THEN decide if you still want to remove it.

[roverhi]

If the boat is sailing the vane is steering the boat on the three different boats I've owned with a vane. Don't like being chained to the tiller. Would rather trim sails, handle sheets, set the spinnaker, almost anything other than driving. Typically the sails go up and the self steering drives, even short tacking in a narrow estuary. Haven't done it but hooking up a tiller pilot to the self steering vane seems a great way to get a truly low drain autopilot. So, keep the vane and learn how to use it. You won't regret it,

FWIW, use the self steering vane as a stern ladder.

[sanibel sailor]

It will teach you to sail better- trim/balance, etc

[gamayun]

I think it depends on whether you're full time cruisers or not. I just removed mine because most of my sailing is near coastal and in the bay. It's sitting in my office right now, all put together. All I need is to attach it to the four brackets at the stern. It'll go back on when I do another passage. I'd never get rid of it.

[AKA-None]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

I’ve not used this style of vane, but there’s no way I would get rid of a functioning vane.



I suppose if all you’re doing is short-hop day sailing, and you have a functioning electric pilot (and perhaps a spare or two ), then you could get rid of it. But on my boat the wind vane is our primary self-steerer. Even for short sails it works great.



I’d suggest learning how to use if effectively first, and THEN decide if you still want to remove it.

This makes sense to me, never know when it might be handy to get some experience.

[Singularity]

Originally Posted by sailingunity

-Could act as a backup rudder (though not impossible to makeshift something else)

To me this is really the most important point of the analysis. It sort of doesn't make sense to remove a quality back-up rudder system from a cruising boat unless somehow replacing it with another quality back-up rudder system. I think you can trim/hand-steer for a lot longer than you can survive without a rudder.

Once the above is accomplished, I'd certainly sell the vane and buy something like a new CPT autopilot (~$1900) as a backup (you can probably get more than $1900 for your used vane) assuming that you have a robust electrical system with some redundancy.

[Kenomac]

Get rid of it. Most of the CF populous have their heads stuck in the 1970s-80’s sand... technology has moved on.

[MartinR]

Never - it works as a backup autopilot and a backup rudder and also without electricity. Why get rid of it.

As for boarding, why not use a side boarding ladder like Amel?

[Don C L]

I dunno Ken, I think mine might fit on your Oyster in case you want to try it!