Hydrovane Windvane Self-Steering Introduction and Operation
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ก.ย. 2024
- This video serves as an introduction as well as an operational tutorial for a Hydrovane windvane self-steering unit that is installed on a Contessa 38. A broad overview is then followed by how to install the vane itself, and then the rudder. Setting the vane angle to wind is covered in detail as is setting the gearing to provide more or less "rudder" for varying wind and wave conditions. An overview of how the device works is also covered. Finally, the Hydrovane is used while sailing and the viewer can watch it in action on points of sail from a dead run through broad reach to close hauled. Tacking is also discussed.
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Great video, I purchased a boat with a hydrovane and wasn’t sure how it worked. After watching this I’m confident to set it up and get into it 👍
Glad it helped. Good luck with it. I still love mine 13 years and 10,000 ocean miles later! Glad to help if you have any questions. All the best. :)
Much appreciated @@respecttherisk2022 👍
Thanks for watching. The end of Hydrovane rudder post sits slightly above the water line at the dock. The rudder slides on the end of the rudder post until the holes line up, and the holding pin can be inserted. Can be done on low freeboard boats hanging from stern, like I did, or you can put boat stern in and do it from the dock. (easier). The rudder can be taken off quite easily by pulling the rudder pin with a boat hook pole and pushing it off the shaft also with the boat hook -- pulling it aboard with the safety belay line.
Hi great video I have been using my Hv for many years and enjoy even using it for local Sailing tacking with it and just generally having fun. I have also gone to some trouble trying to make it easier when berthing in reverse, I have tried a strong bungee on the tiller to pull the tiller to PORT and a single line from the other side through a block and back to my steering station so going as stern I can control the hydra rudder from the wheel. Sounds complicated but in fact it’s not I’m not really sure it helps. I find that if my hydra rudder is fixed deadhead, I can still manoeuvre as learn. I have also spent many hours trying to work out a method of being able to swing the hydro vane rudder out of the water. I know it must be possible it’s just a matter of having the necessary machines to manufacture one. When I’m motoring I tend to let the hydro vane rudder just follow the water flow so it doesn’t affect turning when going forward. My boat is centre cockpit so I can’t reach the tiller on my hydro vane without climbing out of the cockpit. One thing that hasn’t been mentioned is the fact that if our main steering has a fault we still have our hydro vane as a back up rudder. I also carry a tiller pilot on board to connect to the Hydrovane tiller this works well I have had reason once when my autopilot failed me on a long passage under power, steered perfectly in a straight course. My boat is a 35 ft Westerly Corsair
Great note. Thank you for sharing all that. The TillerPilot is an excellent idea and is on my list to add. I also love using it for local sailing. I love how quiet and elegant the boat is under sail with the HV. It feels like a mediation when the boat is in harmony with the wind. Beautiful. That is an interesting idea with the bungy cord and line. Thanks for sharing that. For tight docking scenarios I have done both -- taken it off just outside the marina or used the HV rudder in addition to the main rudder. I can turn tighter with both, but it is more to handle for sure. The center cockpit you have would add complexity. Thanks for sharing. You have given some great ideas. All the best mate.
Thanks for sharing a most instructive video on your hydro/windvane. Which is it, wind or hydro?
Thanks for the question and comment. It's a wind-vane -- but its brandname is Hydrovane. It operates and steers using the wind as a mode of force, which steers the rudder in the water. So I suppose it's both.
What's the price for one of these contraptions? Is there a "better way" to do the same thing?... maybe with integration into the electronic navigation gear? It would be nice to be able to set an "autopilot" course that also accounts for points of sail.
You can go here for supplier pricing hydrovane.com/prices/
It looks like they are around $8,000 CND quickly totaling the numbers. I paid about $5,000 in 2010. I moved it to my second boat in 2016. I always said I am going to buried with my Hydrovane. LOL.
Yes, you can use either a Wheel or Tiller-Pilot (Cheaper) often independent of the navigation system or a piston or ram-operated AutoPilot. These of course consume power. The ram-operated power consumption can be quite a lot depending on conditions. These units generally are set on a compass bearing so if the wind changes, the sails will no longer be in tune -- but the boat will remain on course. With the Hydrovane, when the wind changes, the boat changes course, but the sails stay in tune. So Hydrovane uses on power, and keeps sails tuned in wind shifts -- though you will go off course in a wind shift. The compass pilots will keep you on course but you will have to adjust the sails if the wind changes.
Can you use the hydrovane to point you into the wind whilst you go forward and raise / maintain sails? I'm solo and my raymarine selfsteering is not working. Thanks.
I haven't done it but yes, it should work. Run the engine to get forward speed of a few knots, point the boat into the wind, set the Hydovane dead center into the wind and you should be fine.
*it would be a challenge to put the rudder on in a Sea-way with swell and waves. Not recommended. Singlehanded, I think you would have to put harness on, and lower over the side and hang with feet in the water right at end of rudder post to get enough control of rudder to install it in a sea-way. I have not done that: it would be a wrestling match for sure with waves and boat motion. Install in calm - still water, or at the dock.
It would be a caliente to put the rueden opiniones a Sea-way Witherspoon swell ansiedad waves
Good video, I was wondering how the rudder came off.
Thanks for watching.
with a pin, I think he said.
Terrific video, thanks. A properly set up Hydrovane is lanyards tied to everything. Just as you have it. Seems a bit much...but it's just how it is. I've got the two shapes of the windvane. The taller one unless it's tilted backwards hits my outboard bracket.
At 3:10 is the problem I'd like to solve. I tried out my Hydrovane a couple weeks ago at sea, in 15-20 knot winds. First I learned, at 6 knots don't even think about it. I heaved to and my speed through the water dropped to 3.3 knots. I got the rudder attached but it really wants to float and the moving water wanted to pulls and tilts it backwards. Aligning it was fussy because it's underwater and you can't see most of it. I'm lucky to have a sugar scoop, but I was still down on my knees arms in the water up to my elbows, tether of course.
My thinking is to make an installer bracket to hold the rudder making it easier to attach at sea. (That is where you'll need to do this.) A twist latch will go through the hand hole on the rudder. A turn will keep the bracket attached.
A side piece has projections at the front and the back of the rudder, A pole sticking connects it all and provides leverage.
A fulcrum projection on the pole would push against the bottom knuckle or shaft.
Now you just hold the pole to guide the rudder into place. If my fingers worked against 3 knots, the pole and backet will be much better.
Some part of the pole is vertical so you know when the hole in the rudder is vertical and aligned with the shaft. Be much easier to put into place.
Once the rudder is on its buoyancy wants to keep it on while you lean down, stick in the rudder pin, the retaining loop... then just twist the thing holding the tool to the rudder and it comes off. Of course it would have it's one lanyard....
Seems fussy, but.... Ideally this bracket & pole would be small but not too small. (I find things you almost never use that have multiple parts sometimes get separated even in the same lazarette.)
The line at 7:00 has a whole set up with a block and bungee. If you don't do this the line (I used paracord) jumps right off the grooved wheel. What I did was to just give that line a twist after it goes through the two guide holes. Then just put that loop around the wheel. Even with a slack control line it stays in the groove. Another sailor said to make a continuous loop for this just melt a couple pieces of line together. (I was thinking of splices for jib furlers...)
And even in the conditions I was in I could easily steer the boat with just that handle. I didn't need the longer handle.
What I was trying to do at sea was to see if in an emergency: Could I set it all up in some rougher seas, winds and make it work? It did. I didn't have the sail set correctly, but it was good enough that changing the direction wheel I could easily steer the boat changing course 10 degrees, left and right, pointing at the end of the island, at the middle of it and out to sea past the end. Good enough. In an emergency I can use it. Then if I have a long way to go without my rudder I can practice getting better with the Hydrovane. It's a beautiful robust piece of safety gear. Mine is 20 years old, probably needs a lube, but still works great. Incredibly reliable.
Thanks for the note. A lot of great detail there. I agree it is a challenge to get the rudder on in a seaway. Let us know how your ideas work out there. I have also climbed in my dingy and mounted it from the water which has been quite a bit easier than being upside down hanging off the boat -- though this was still at the dock. I used a continuous loop which did work. I haven't had the problem of it jumping off the wheel. Mine is 15 years old and I do sail with it quite regularly even in the islands - I like the quiet and elegance of it. All the best mate.
Good explanation and the type’s of wind direction
Thanks for the gracious comment. I hope it was helpful.
I have a question on your hydrovane. Do you ever encounter issues with the rudder over powering your vessel rudder. Example when you are backing out or tacking with it? I have encountered issues on both. I went to tack and went into irons. I had to turn both rudders in order to tack. Same goes with backing out. Nobody ever talks about it. It can't just be me. I am almost to the point of calling hydrovane. I also get some disturbance on the rudder when motoring. Thanks Don
I have not encountered overpowering to the extent that your are talking about, however, there is an effect for sure. I noticed on my full keel Contessa 26 that the boat turned more slowly with the Hydrovane rudder installed and fixed to center. I did start using both rudders for tight turns and that definitely helped me turn more tightly. I recently was trying some very technical docking techniques on my Contessa 38 using prop walk and the main rudder to turn 180 degrees on the spot -- so I took off the Hydrovane rudder before I made the attempt so there were less variables involved in the technique. I have also used both rudders to make tight turns on my Contessa 38 as well. There is some disturbance while motoring but I haven't fell it was too big an impact. It's probably worth calling Hydrovane to discuss. I have always found them very helpful. There is not much they haven't seen before, or heard about. Good luck. Steve
@@respecttherisk2022 Thank you so much for the response. I did reach out to Hydrovane and they were great. They know of the issues i have. Basically impossible to backout unless using both rudders simultaneously. The motoring was interesting. They want me to put a snubber on the rudder line and keep it taught.. Mine is full keel also double ender. They did say these have more vibration while motoring. Basically these are made for open ocean passages, but can be modified for my 30 to 60 mile Island hopping. Being a solo sailor most of the time the tacking becomes an issue in rough seas beating.
For tacking you could add a pilot to free you to handle the sheets.
I would love this for my Island Packet 35 but I worry my boat is too heavy (17,500 lbs). What are your thoughts on this? Also, have you have had any component break and if so, which one and why?
My boat is a Contess 38 and is about 15,000 pounds. If I recall, the specs on the Hydrovane mention boats up to about 45 or 50feet. The Hydrovane Website says they have fitted them on boats up to 60,000 pounds. Give them a call at Hydrovane out of West Vancouver or check out their website at hydrovane.com -- they are super friendly and I have found their service outstanding. They ship anywhere in the world. I have not had anything break, but they do sell spare parts -- I have a bag for "critical spares" on my boat.
The hydrovane can steer boots up to 55ft, so I woudn't think your boat is too heavy, but the hydrovane has to be costumed to the size of your boat.
Is the rudder always moving to the opposite direction as the windvane ? Appreciated.
When you are sailing up wind -- that is the case: If you are close hauled on a port tack for example, the wind coming over the port rail, and the boat goes off the wind -- the port side of the vane will be exposed to the wind thus moving the vane to starboard. This action moves the rudder to port, which steers the boat back up wind. (Vane moves to starboard, rudder moves to port.) When you are sailing on a dead run, however, and the boat veers up wind to port, the port side of the vane is exposed to the wind thus moving the vane to starboard. Moving the vane to starboard in when it is set for a dead run, moves the rudder also to starboard bring the boat back down wind. So vane to starboard, rudder to starboard in this case.
@@respecttherisk2022 That's fascinating. You put the puzzles together for me. I never thought about the dead run and closed haul wind will have different affect to the boat. I watched many videos sheet to till steering too. Try to understand the cause and result actions. I never own a sailboat. But have experiences handling a canoe in wind, current and turning and rudder action. Thank you again bro! Enjoy sailing.