Pathfinder Self Steering

[s/v 'Faith']

The plans offered by;

http://www.pathfinderselfsteering.com/

Sound interesting. Anyone know of anyone who has used them?

[doctor dave]

pathfinder self steering systems have been used since the mid sixties.
You can see some early ones in "Ocean Voyaging" ( DeGraf 1975) I sailed to Hawaii a few times with one, several have done Tahiti, and one or trwo "did the circle" but these were earlier, less sophisticated and less powerful systems..

The most recent, the one in plans form was used on Dawn Treader II ( 42 ft cutter) for several trips to the Guadeloupe Is, and down and up the Baja.
Stardust ( catalina 27) has used one for seven years, but she was sunk in Katrina.
Sans Fruscins ( col 8.7 uses one( New Orleans last I heard)..Psyche( col 8.7) made several thousand mile trips using one...
Any one can e-mail me and I'll be happy to talk wind vanes endlessly <G>

[Captrob02]

dr. Dave

I just bought a new boat and it has a Pathfinder wind vane the problem is I don't have a manual on it and all the pieces are in the lazarette I really don't know how to put it together or set it up I've read your article and it seems you're very knowledgeable about them do you know where I can get a manual or do you know where I can get some type of schematic so I know the familiarity of putting it together.

Thanks for any and all information you can give me I do appreciate it.

Thank you very much Rob

[guggech]

Hi Rob,

I think Doctor Dave is probably not with us anymore (looking at his birthday). Anyway, I just purchase a PathFinder windvane from Ebay and trying to find more information. Have you had success in finding a manual and getting it to operate properly?

Thanks,

Charles

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Dave, Rob, & Charles.