Want To Buy: Wanted: Windvane self steering la Paz

[goat]

Hi all, goat here.
I'm in la Paz and decided it's time to fetch up some self steering. I'm using my back up tiller pilot, after my old Raytheon packed 'er in.
I'm ready to buy a new one but it's going to be a bit of a hassle shipping it to Mexico, so I thought I'd see if anyone's got an angle on a used one already here.
I just talked to a boater who sold a hydrovane to make room for his davits, and thought "hmmmm, I'd better ask around before I lay down some cold hard cash".

Thanks in advance,
goat.

[JPA Cate]

Is there a "treasures of the bilge" on the local VHF net?

Goat, fwiw, people used to take the bus to TJ, and the train to SD and pick up things from Downwind Marine. If push comes to shove, that method might work for you, it's a real cruiser experience... Also, Downwind used to make deliveries once a month to La Paz, don't know if they still do.

Ann

[goat]

Thanks Ann, I'll definitely be looking into all of those options.

[gjordan]

You might get in touch with the marinas over in San Carlos that had such heavy hurricane damage. I suspect (just a guess) that there will be much salvaged gear for sale. There was an Aries for sale a while back from a damaged boat, at a reasonable price. Worth a try??? _____Grant.

[goat]

Originally Posted by gjordan

You might get in touch with the marinas over in San Carlos that had such heavy hurricane damage. I suspect (just a guess) that there will be much salvaged gear for sale. There was an Aries for sale a while back from a damaged boat, at a reasonable price. Worth a try??? _____Grant.

Definitely, there's a guy selling a scanmar auto helm here in la paz, I haven't heard much about them except that they also double as an emergency rudder (good) but you can't swing the rudder out of the water for reversing or motoring (bad). I'm probably just going to bite the bullet and order a cape horn and worry about importing when it comes to that. Thanks for the heads up on san carlos.

goat

[mexsailorgal]

Hi Goat, we have a Fleming WindVane attached to our sailboat in San Carlos, and
might be willing to sell/Mexico trade it.. It has two extra paddles for different winds.
We are in Arizona, and will be going down to Mexico for a bottom paint haul out,
whenever the work yard empties out (from the hurricane damaged boats) We also have the Autohelm pilot...used probably twice.

[basenay]

Goat,
I have a complete Monitor wind vane with regular & light wind vane, spare parts kit, manual, wheel adapter & spare tube in good condition. Did great job on my circumnavigation years ago. Recently removed as we now prefer coastal cruising ( loves swim ladder). Presently in Barra Navida for another 1 1/2 weeks then will continue heading North. Plan to sell wherever we decide to spend next hurricane season or sooner if reasonable offer comes along.

Bruce
S/v Dreamcatcher IP-45

[goat]

Originally Posted by mexsailorgal

Hi Goat, we have a Fleming WindVane attached to our sailboat in San Carlos, and
might be willing to sell/Mexico trade it.. It has two extra paddles for different winds.
We are in Arizona, and will be going down to Mexico for a bottom paint haul out,
whenever the work yard empties out (from the hurricane damaged boats) We also have the Autohelm pilot...used probably twice.

Thanks mexsailorgal, do you happen to know the model of Fleming windvane you have? The previous owner had a Fleming installed but sold it. I still have the brackets on the transom. Just wondering if a direct swap might actually work. Here's a photo of the brackets, don't expect you to remember your set up, but thought it might jog your memory.

[goat]

Originally Posted by basenay

Goat,
I have a complete Monitor wind vane with regular & light wind vane, spare parts kit, manual, wheel adapter & spare tube in good condition. Did great job on my circumnavigation years ago. Recently removed as we now prefer coastal cruising ( loves swim ladder). Presently in Barra Navida for another 1 1/2 weeks then will continue heading North. Plan to sell wherever we decide to spend next hurricane season or sooner if reasonable offer comes along.

Bruce
S/v Dreamcatcher IP-45

Thanks Bruce, I'm not in a rush as I'll be hanging out in the SOC for at least another 6 months. I don't need a wheel adaptor, but the rest sounds good. I took a spin around the marina, looks like a lot of people have removed or never installed windvanes in order to use swim ladders or davits. But of the 10% of boats with vanes installed, 80% are monitors. Must be a reason for that.

[southpaw]

Hi Goat,

We were surprised at how few boats in Mexico have windvanes nowadays. We wouldn't be without a vane. Hauling your dinghy on deck is a small price to pay.
Recently took off the bronze/stainless Aries which came with our Mariner 31, only because it has a fixed vane which interfered with the mizzen boom - plus a mate in NZ who retired from cruising practically gave us his Monitor. Contact Gary (osopretty333@gmail.com) to find out what he did with it - it may be at the Sea Chest in San Diego, as 5 months ago no-one in Mexico wanted to buy it. Friends with a Peterson 44 circumnavigated with this model Aries back in the 80's - they're stout.

[goat]

Thanks for the reply southpaw. San Diego still puts the importation problem in play.
Realistically you could buy two 50 watt solar panels two t105 batteries and 6 tiller pilots, and still have money left over for the price of a new windvane. I've never seen my tp2000 use more than 2 amps.
However, to me the windvane is like putting the sails up and cutting the engine. That's one part of sailing that never gets old.
A used windvane levels the playing field.

[robert sailor]

We had a Fleming vane on our last boat, steered a lot of offshore miles, I really liked it. I've owned 3 other types and they were all pretty good.

[goat]

Originally Posted by robert sailor

We had a Fleming vane on our last boat, steered a lot of offshore miles, I really liked it. I've owned 3 other types and they were all pretty good.

At the price of a new vane and the number of units they can sell, I'm sure the ones that don't work well would be quickly weeded out. That's my hope anyway. The vane originally mounted on my boat was the Fleming Minor, the PO never got it to work very well so removed it. I believe I could have got it to work, being a little more mechanically inclined. I guess that's a nice way of saying I'm simple minded. ;^)

[robert sailor]

Originally Posted by goat

At the price of a new vane and the number of units they can sell, I'm sure the ones that don't work well would be quickly weeded out. That's my hope anyway. The vane originally mounted on my boat was the Fleming Minor, the PO never got it to work very well so removed it. I believe I could have got it to work, being a little more mechanically inclined. I guess that's a nice way of saying I'm simple minded. ;^)

All the servo pendulum vanes work exactly the same. The only one that works slightly different is the Cape Horn as he uses bent pushrods to replace gears but other than that it's the same system. If you can't make a Fleming work, which of course you can, you wouldn't be able to make any of them work. The only difference is the quality of the assembly and the design of the structure. The Cape Horn is usually the least intrusive, the smaller Minor Fleming after that and the largest would be the Monitor. I think you have a tiller which is the ideal set up for a vane. Most of the heavy lifting has been done because you have the support brackets installed so it's just a case of cutting the ss tubes to size for the Fleming. I'd get their mounting directions off the WEB and make sure the last guy installed the vane at the correct height....after that it's just a case of making a decision.

[iseadreamer]

Goat,

My experience her in La Paz is Marcos, at Lopez Marine can get anything if you have 2-4 weeks. It ships to him and you pick up.