Good luck with your new wind/hydro vane steering. I have a very old Sayes Rig. It was an old part of the boat when bought the vessel (twenty years ago.) I replaced the little sail recently and one part that bolts to the main rudder. Other than that, the thing refuses to die. I use it all the time and only take the helm when I must. I even use it while under low power and shortened sail. I prefer it to the old autohelm which has never worked properly. There are no electric loads of any kind and very few things to break. I never sail without it. I hope you learn to love and trust your system at least half as much as I do mine.
Thanks. I am very happy with the Hydrovane so far. It is performing really well but could track a little better with light, single-digit winds. No surprises there but I can always use my autopilot in those conditions.
Can't wait to see you solo sail to Hawaii! I just finished Christian Williams Alone Together autobiography/memoir and he makes the trip seem so easy for a 71 year old.
He's done that trip solo a few times now. I'm more inclined to head directly to French Polynesia and stop by Hawaii on the return. Still working on timing but Keeldragger will be ready.
@@keeldragger Considering doing the same with a brief stop in Mexico 1st then the jump to FP, Hawaii and back home. Excited for your progress on getting you and the boat prepared for wherever the journey takes you.
@@keeldragger Right on. I'm still working on some fairly big projects and this work gig keeps getting in the way. Right now I'm looking at the fall of 2025 as my target date and working the timeline backwards. A possible re-engine ( like you did) could be in the mix for me so...that could screw it all up but hey, its sailing.
Hi Mark, great stuff, as always! Q: What are your thoughts on aux rudder systems (like your Hydrovane) vs the pendulum-servo designs (e.g. Cape Horn, Aries, etc)?
I have zero hands-on experience with the other designs. I like the simplicity of the installation for Hydrovane as well as the ability to use it as an emergency rudder. Control authority seems good enough but I need to experiment with it in varying wind conditions and with the sails out of balance. I had an opportunity to do some of that this last weekend. I watched Christian Williams' install video on his Cape Horn, and subsequent issues with blocks and potential chafing that had to be remediated below decks. Scratch that one off my list. It is nice not to have additional lines and blocks run thru the cockpit to the helm like many of the servo-pendulum designs require. Maybe they have better control authority and respond better since they use your own rudder to hold course. Not sure as I haven't used one.
I'm glad you're back at the point where you feel you're ready to go when you're ready to go!
The list of unfinished projects never ends, but I am happy to have most of the major ones completed.
The Hydrovane is a great addition to Keeldragger! Looking forward to seeing it in action.
Looking forward to using it for its intended purpose!
Nice setup. Its cool to have a spare rudder too.
Thanks, Dawg. Pretty happy with it so far.
Good luck with your new wind/hydro vane steering. I have a very old Sayes Rig. It was an old part of the boat when bought the vessel (twenty years ago.) I replaced the little sail recently and one part that bolts to the main rudder. Other than that, the thing refuses to die. I use it all the time and only take the helm when I must. I even use it while under low power and shortened sail. I prefer it to the old autohelm which has never worked properly. There are no electric loads of any kind and very few things to break. I never sail without it. I hope you learn to love and trust your system at least half as much as I do mine.
Thanks. I am very happy with the Hydrovane so far. It is performing really well but could track a little better with light, single-digit winds. No surprises there but I can always use my autopilot in those conditions.
Heck yeah!
🤟
Can't wait to see you solo sail to Hawaii! I just finished Christian Williams Alone Together autobiography/memoir and he makes the trip seem so easy for a 71 year old.
He's done that trip solo a few times now. I'm more inclined to head directly to French Polynesia and stop by Hawaii on the return. Still working on timing but Keeldragger will be ready.
@@keeldragger Considering doing the same with a brief stop in Mexico 1st then the jump to FP, Hawaii and back home. Excited for your progress on getting you and the boat prepared for wherever the journey takes you.
@@kkots Depends on timing for me. If I depart early enough, I'd head down Baja and use Puerto Vallarta as my launching point for FP.
@@keeldragger Right on. I'm still working on some fairly big projects and this work gig keeps getting in the way. Right now I'm looking at the fall of 2025 as my target date and working the timeline backwards. A possible re-engine ( like you did) could be in the mix for me so...that could screw it all up but hey, its sailing.
@@kkots yeah. good to have a timeline to work towards, though
Hi Mark, great stuff, as always!
Q: What are your thoughts on aux rudder systems (like your Hydrovane) vs the pendulum-servo designs (e.g. Cape Horn, Aries, etc)?
I have zero hands-on experience with the other designs. I like the simplicity of the installation for Hydrovane as well as the ability to use it as an emergency rudder. Control authority seems good enough but I need to experiment with it in varying wind conditions and with the sails out of balance. I had an opportunity to do some of that this last weekend. I watched Christian Williams' install video on his Cape Horn, and subsequent issues with blocks and potential chafing that had to be remediated below decks. Scratch that one off my list. It is nice not to have additional lines and blocks run thru the cockpit to the helm like many of the servo-pendulum designs require. Maybe they have better control authority and respond better since they use your own rudder to hold course. Not sure as I haven't used one.