Unlike autopilots, wind vanes do not "steer our vessel back onto course." Nor do they even steer the boat back onto a heading. Rather, they help the boat maintain a constant bearing relative to the apparent wind. As the apparent wind changes, so does the boat's heading. The bearing relative to the apparent wind is set by the pilot or autopilot on the wind vane. In order to maintain a constant heading, wind vanes must be manually or automatically adjusted by the pilot or an autopilot. Course control is only achieved, either by the pilot or the autopilot, by monitoring position relative to course and making small correction back to course. Wind vanes have two primary benefits: 1) They reduce the pilot's workload, including prolong time away from the helm to adjust sails, cook, and rest. 2) They act as backups for the sailboat's autopilots. Without them, an autopilot failure requires a pilot manning the helm at all times. As with any sailboat steering system, it's best to set and trim sails such that large changes in either wind velocity or wind direction have minimal effect on helm load. This way, wind vanes will best be able to maintain a constant relative wind.
Your diagrams (animations?) are wonderful! It is so nice to learn about sailing by watching as opposed to reading. I’m not new to boating but I am new to sailing so these videos are a fantastic way to get started before going out to take lessons.
As I am recently discovering my desire to learn how to sail, I’m soaking in as much knowledge about every thing I can to expedite my learning curve. Hopefully to the extent of even on my first sail , having a comfortable level of confidence. Thanks for sharing this knowledge
Excellent explanation of the workings of wind vanes, now I see how they work. Thank you for such clear and easily understandable information! Greetings from the Emerald Isle. Ramey.
Fantastic expaination! I have always wondered how these systems work, never having owned a boat myself. Curiosity fully satisfied! Thank you very much:)
I commented 9 months ago, and after watching this video again, am going to repeat what I said below: excellent video, and you really put a lot of work into them! I'm enjoying the new ones as well. You deserve to have a lot more subscribers.
Your channel is a revelation, great information and useful insight. I've really found it to be a great source of practical information. With regards wind vanes I'm a hydrovane auxiliary rudder fan specifically, but for me any ARS vane is preferable to a servo pendulum type vane, although the likes of Monitor and Aries are great vanes the two big disadvantages of SPS vanes are the critical centerline mounting and control lines, and most importantly from a safety point of view they offer no secondary steerage alternative. I know of at least one instance where two simple 10mm bolts (port and stbd steering cable pulley mounting bolts) failes rendering the CPT and backup autopilot, helm and Aries all useless. This is a very well equipped high latitude Westsail 42' CC with a very experiencedoffshore skipper, I'm going for a hydrovane for the steel VDS 34' im negotiating price for as we speak, she also has 2 tiller pilots as autopilot and redundant autopilot. Offset mounting and the safety aspect of a hydrovane auxiliary rudder with only your continuous line to set vane angle on the worm gear pulley makes for a safe uncluttered cockpit with a second way to steer the boat. No brainer for a solo or shorthanded crew
@@searchingforcoconuts2248going to CT month end to fetch my Van De Stadt 34', the other factor re auxiliary rudder vanes is that I didn't mention, and this is a biggie for cable and quadrant helm steered boats is that you have ZERO wear on your main ship's steering gear, balance the boat, lock the helm and the vane takes over, better for the main steerage gear and vane as you'd already have balanced the main rudder so it's balanced and static so the vane doesn't have to take up the intrinsic weather/lee helm tendencies of the boat so the wear on the control head/gearing is reduced. Win win, for my boat a monitor is 74K and a hydrovane is 93K but I'm skeg hung tiller steered with a Scanmar Pelagic tiller pilot and a second redundant autohelm so no wear on cables etc and Scanmar make the monitor SP vane, also 8 tons of steel welded together, I'm not likely to lose the rudder and steerage. 19K is my new liferaft BREAK OUT ANOTHER THOUSAND 😂😂😂
@@jonnorousseau3096 great information again, thank you... Had my eye on a Van De Stadt '34 situated in CT, but due to lockdown etc. never got around to looking at her last year
Thanks for the walkthrough, I've been thinking of adding a windsteer system to my 30' Newport once it's done, mine has a advantage of still having it's original thru deck tiller mount as well as the original wheel mount, I've been thinking how to mount the wind vane on top of the arch I'm building and running a detachable connector to the tiller mount.
I see your project is up and running, wish you all the best. Would like to assist and offer advice but someone needs to be physically there to check your options. Good luck with the channel and your adventures
Once it has a manufacturers stamp or logo on it, the price goes through the roof.... many of the earliest systems were self-made and still today there are online guides and plans on how to make your own
Great video thank you. Iv decided on an auxiliary rudder system. better to have an emergency option, The other systems confuse me too much my cockpit is just a maze of sheets and pullies already better not have more lol
so if I understand this, for it to be used to keep you in course the wind would have to be constant. if the wind shifts the domain would direct you off course because it would realign you based on the new direction? meaning it holds relevance to the wind, not your heading. that seems like it could be bad to use if your resting because you could end up way off course right? sorry I dont sail, just learning concepts still.
yes, you are correct in your understanding, if the wind swings, your course will alter according to the wind. Best suited for trade wind sailing or if you just need some time to do some other tasks and need a free hand. On the plus side, it requires no electrical energy as an auto-pilot does... thanks for watching and contributing
Hi, just found this channel now & I find it vary interesting & easy to understand so for that, thank you. Q, I'm looking for a wind vane that will steer a 40 foot Bruce Roberts ketch that has a full keel & hydraulic steering. could you please point me in the right direction. Thanks. SV Kiwi Lady Opua Bay of islands New Zealand 👍.
Hi and thank you for such great feedback. I would love to be able to "steer" you in the right direction, but this kind of advice is way above my skills level, especially to make recommendations without physical inspection. What I would do, is surf the net looking for owners forums, or even similar models for sale, and contact those with wind steering systems. Hope it works out, keep us posted
The vane gets rotated manually so it faces the wind and stands straight up. At this stage the rudder is centered and steering straight... any deviation in the wind (caused by bearing away or luffing up) makes the vane tilt, causing rudder steer and course correction... hope this helps
The auxiliary ruder vane system, has been installed on 65 footers with success, it is not just suitable for mid range to smaller boats. If requested I will put the URL in a reply.
This video is excellent. However I am confused because some commentators use the terms 'Hydrovane' or Windvane' systems which seems to imply they are different systems!!!! So my question Is; Is using the term 'Hydrovane' or 'Windvane' one and the same???
thanks for watching and your amazing feedback, much appreciated. A wind vane is actually a system for showing from which direction the wind is blowing from, or any apparatus affected by the wind. I guess the correct term would be a wind vane self-steering system. Hydro refers to water so not sure how that fits in. Then some refer to the systems according to brand names, such as "Wind Pilot". While there are variations in design, they all perform the same function, keeping the vessel on a course in relation to the apparent wind. Hope this helps, thanks again
That's something for the professionals. You have to take into consideration how fast a catamaran can be, so apparent wind will probably change more dramatically. Then, it has to be installed where the wind is not obstructed or diverted, and between the hulls is not always possible or practical. If you place it on port side, starboard wind will not affect it etc etc... Yes, there are cats with these installed but not too many... Thanks for watching
Hi, and thanks for watching. The nice thing about an autopilot is that it also works while motoring, and a wind vane does not. The downside is that it needs power. If you have solar and/or wind generator, you will not have to worry about power. Hope this helps
This is the best explanation on youtube, thanks. One question. Say your heading is 360 degrees and wind direction say 240 degrees. Windvane set up nice. However, the way i understand is that the windvane keeps the boat on course relavant to the wind direction, say the wind direction changes to 230 degrees while your getting some shut eye, does that mean the boats heading will end uo being 350 degrees? Therefor going 10 degrees ofcourse? How would you counter act this? Cheers Paul
thanks so much for your positive feedback... yes, you are correct, if the wind swings, the vane will continue to steer in relation to the wind and you will be off course. A wind vane can only do what you ask of it, which is to steer according to the wind, there's no way to counter this. A small variation as you mention, can be rectified on your next watch, and there's a good possibility that any greater shift in wind will be felt and noticed by you or your crew, as the sea state and conditions will alert you to such changes. Sailing near land or any other dangers would not give you the luxury of shut-eye and if you really need a break, it might be a safer alternative to heave-to and rest, ensuring you have no lee shore. Hope this helps, thanks again
@@searchingforcoconuts2248 Thanks for your response. Makes perfect sense. The way I then understand it is then that the wind vane is great for long pasages/tradewind sailing. Again, many thanks for your response, love your channel
Amazing job; as a professional from the advertising world, I know how much tears & sweat go into these productions. One feedback thou; you can easily improve your audio with simply used hardware, like an old Zoom recorder and a proper microphone. Great Job and subscribed!
Hi, and thanks for watching. This one was a relatively simple one, took about 100 hours... there was no boat needed or any complicated animations, so overall quite a basic project. It was also a while back so I would probably get it done faster nowadays 😂😂
@@sanfranciscobay all the skills and tools are available in tutorials and community platforms, and all for free. Blender is also a free software, and all it's add-ons and upgrades are free. If you search in UA-cam blender tutorials, you will see what I mean, it's fantastic. It will take some time to learn but it's worth it
thank you, appreciate the comments... best advice I can give is to check out for any forums where other Yamaha 33 owners can offer some input. I'm guessing most of these will be situated in Asia.
I guess with any amount of imagination, a wind vane can probably be fitted on most vessels, even those with a sugar scoop such as a Hunter 42. Robin Knox John Johnston actually completed his solo circumnavigation with 2 wind vanes (although it must be said, he gave up on them due to technical failures in construction) one on each quarter...
Couldn't disagree more...if...one is a "cruiser"..my last one didn't but my new(?) one will get one...spending 18 hours at the helm singlehanded...is exhausting
basically what I should have said, but would have taken too long, is that I don't want to be responsible for someone trying to make one after watching this video. If they somehow got it wrong, fingers might be pointed my way. Thanks for watching and contributing, much appreciated
A physical device who's function is revealed by looking at it, even taking it apart to learn more fully, is not a trade secret. As soon as you build it and sell it to the public it stops being a secret. That's why you need a patent. In a patent you publicly disclose the method, at the same time you make the public claim that the method or design belongs to you. A trade secret is just that it's a secret. Trade secrets can be production methods, sales numbers, a chemical formula, etc. Things that you can keep secret. It's why the recipe for Coca-Cola is a secret instead of being patented.
they operate on apparent wind so the vane would have to on the windward side. this would mean you would have to a system on each side of a catamaran. not impossible
Sorry to not be overly enthusiastic about your videos but they don't explain something simple. How do you keep a course??? I mean if you have to sit there ensuring the rudder is always facing the wind what happens if the wind shifts? You're continually altering it so you may as well just use your helm, instead of a fancy, expensive rudder that does the same thing?
thanks for watching and adding your feedback. These systems are designed for long-distance sailing and ocean crossings where consistent trade winds can be expected. They cannot be used effectively for coastal sailing sailing where wind shifts are often and extreme.
Wow! The graphics in this are awesome. Is this Dimensions? The knowledge of sailing is brilliant but the skill in video design has floored me. Amazing! First time watcher. New subscriber 👍🏻
wow, your comments are much appreciated and highly encouraging... thanks for watching and subscribing... the videos are created using Blender 3D software
This is truly a complete instruction that is well thought out. It not only navigate through the mechanics of the systems and the sensitive issue of product copyright with ease, it also offer, importantly, an often neglected advice on having sail balance as a caveat before any systems can be put to effective use. Bravo! Very well done! Thank you.
Without dought pendulum systems are fragile. Try rudder trymtab this has to be the more robust construction its out lined in the book Self steering yours PJW
this system is on my to do list. you made it simple and pretty much understandable for beginners. Definitely, i've to study it more but for now, it serves the purpose.
This is the first explanation of wind vane systems and how they work that I’ve been able to comprehend, so thank you very much!
great comments, thanks so much
Unlike autopilots, wind vanes do not "steer our vessel back onto course." Nor do they even steer the boat back onto a heading. Rather, they help the boat maintain a constant bearing relative to the apparent wind. As the apparent wind changes, so does the boat's heading. The bearing relative to the apparent wind is set by the pilot or autopilot on the wind vane.
In order to maintain a constant heading, wind vanes must be manually or automatically adjusted by the pilot or an autopilot. Course control is only achieved, either by the pilot or the autopilot, by monitoring position relative to course and making small correction back to course.
Wind vanes have two primary benefits:
1) They reduce the pilot's workload, including prolong time away from the helm to adjust sails, cook, and rest.
2) They act as backups for the sailboat's autopilots. Without them, an autopilot failure requires a pilot manning the helm at all times.
As with any sailboat steering system, it's best to set and trim sails such that large changes in either wind velocity or wind direction have minimal effect on helm load. This way, wind vanes will best be able to maintain a constant relative wind.
The way you describe and show through animation on your videos are world class.
really appreciate your comments thank you, our next video to be released this coming week
I met Bill Belcher at his home in New Zealand many years ago, his book on how to make your own is all anyone needs!
👍
Thank you. You're the first to make me understand the principle of windvane steering.
Thank you, appreciate your great feedback
Thank you very much for explaining how these contraptions work! Beautifully simple vid and so useful!
very nice to see your great comments, much appreciated
Your diagrams (animations?) are wonderful! It is so nice to learn about sailing by watching as opposed to reading. I’m not new to boating but I am new to sailing so these videos are a fantastic way to get started before going out to take lessons.
Thank you very much!
I will admit, I knew nothing about this until this video. I have learned something for sure. Personally from this video I prefer the first one.
Finally someone expIains graphically how the vanes work. I was starting to think I was stupid or something seriously...!!! Thanks for the great job.
much appreciated, thank you for taking the time to add your great comments
Amazing job with the animation. I finally understand how these suckers work. Thanks!
thank you for your great comments, very motivating
As I am recently discovering my desire to learn how to sail, I’m soaking in as much knowledge about every thing I can to expedite my learning curve. Hopefully to the extent of even on my first sail , having a comfortable level of confidence. Thanks for sharing this knowledge
thank you for your contribution by providing such encouraging feedback
I dont have a boat yet. but thanks for making this video for future knowledge when time comes i sail. God speed
thanks so much, wish you well in your future plans, keep us updated
Excellent explanation of the workings of wind vanes, now I see how they work. Thank you for such clear and easily understandable information! Greetings from the Emerald Isle. Ramey.
much appreciated, thanks for watching and posting such great comments
It's like a magician just showed me how the trick is done.
thanks for watching and posting
Absolutely Brilliant... well done for such a great demonstration of how these systems work
thanks Paul for your great comments, much appreciated
Yet another fantastic and informative video. Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge with us. Please keep up the good work 👍🏴☠️👍
thank you, your amazing comments and contribution helps the channel grow
What a good video, it gives a wery calm and excellent full explanation of what You need to know about this issue with vind steering. Thanks for that
amazing thanks so much
Excellent video! I always wondered how these things work.
thanks so much, appreciate your kind comments
This is an excellent instructional video; clear and to the point. Outstanding! Thank you.
amazing feedback, thanks so much
You're a wealth of knowledge...thanks for making these videos...
my pleasure, thanks for taking the time to contribute with such positive feedback and comments
Fantastic expaination! I have always wondered how these systems work, never having owned a boat myself. Curiosity fully satisfied! Thank you very much:)
ah no, thank you, what amazing comments, much appreciated
I'm new to sailing,and watch your tutorials over and over, it's all sinking in beautifully!(excuse the pun!), waiting patiently for the next releases!
thanks so much, your comments are much appreciated
Excellent video as well as pros and cons. Thanks much. Jim Rodgers
excellent comments, thank so much
Best explanation and visuals. Great job. Thanks
thank you !!
great video and spoken explanation. well done and informative
thanks so much for your inspirational comments, awesome to hear
I commented 9 months ago, and after watching this video again, am going to repeat what I said below: excellent video, and you really put a lot of work into them! I'm enjoying the new ones as well. You deserve to have a lot more subscribers.
thanks so much, as in the past, your feedback is valuable and much appreciated
Very informative, many thanks now I understand. Greetings from the tropical paradise island 🏝of Kauai
Aloha, thanks for the great comments, much appreciated
Great job! It's difficult to work out exactly how they function without seeing the entire system.
thanks for watching and posting such great comments, much appreciated
Finally a great explanation of these systems :) Thank You!
thanks so much, great positive feedback
Thank you for this very instructive video
you're welcome, thanks for watching
Well done. Good animation and easy to follow.
awesome to hear, thanks for the great feedback
Your videos give me hope
😁 thanks so much
Excellent!! Thanks!!! I'll try to build one!
much appreciated, good luck in your project
Excellent video help me to understand how work this system, thank you
you are most welcome, thank you for adding such great comments
Brilliant explanation. Thank you.
thank you, much appreciated
Your channel is a revelation, great information and useful insight. I've really found it to be a great source of practical information.
With regards wind vanes I'm a hydrovane auxiliary rudder fan specifically, but for me any ARS vane is preferable to a servo pendulum type vane, although the likes of Monitor and Aries are great vanes the two big disadvantages of SPS vanes are the critical centerline mounting and control lines, and most importantly from a safety point of view they offer no secondary steerage alternative. I know of at least one instance where two simple 10mm bolts (port and stbd steering cable pulley mounting bolts) failes rendering the CPT and backup autopilot, helm and Aries all useless.
This is a very well equipped high latitude Westsail 42' CC with a very experiencedoffshore skipper, I'm going for a hydrovane for the steel VDS 34' im negotiating price for as we speak, she also has 2 tiller pilots as autopilot and redundant autopilot.
Offset mounting and the safety aspect of a hydrovane auxiliary rudder with only your continuous line to set vane angle on the worm gear pulley makes for a safe uncluttered cockpit with a second way to steer the boat.
No brainer for a solo or shorthanded crew
wow, thank you for informative review, and hope it all works out for you, thanks for watching
@@searchingforcoconuts2248going to CT month end to fetch my Van De Stadt 34', the other factor re auxiliary rudder vanes is that I didn't mention, and this is a biggie for cable and quadrant helm steered boats is that you have ZERO wear on your main ship's steering gear, balance the boat, lock the helm and the vane takes over, better for the main steerage gear and vane as you'd already have balanced the main rudder so it's balanced and static so the vane doesn't have to take up the intrinsic weather/lee helm tendencies of the boat so the wear on the control head/gearing is reduced. Win win, for my boat a monitor is 74K and a hydrovane is 93K but I'm skeg hung tiller steered with a Scanmar Pelagic tiller pilot and a second redundant autohelm so no wear on cables etc and Scanmar make the monitor SP vane, also 8 tons of steel welded together, I'm not likely to lose the rudder and steerage. 19K is my new liferaft
BREAK OUT ANOTHER THOUSAND 😂😂😂
@@jonnorousseau3096 my guess is you're talking Rands...? Thanks for the additional info, good luck and enjoy Cape Town
@@jonnorousseau3096 great information again, thank you... Had my eye on a Van De Stadt '34 situated in CT, but due to lockdown etc. never got around to looking at her last year
Thanks for the walkthrough, I've been thinking of adding a windsteer system to my 30' Newport once it's done, mine has a advantage of still having it's original thru deck tiller mount as well as the original wheel mount, I've been thinking how to mount the wind vane on top of the arch I'm building and running a detachable connector to the tiller mount.
I see your project is up and running, wish you all the best. Would like to assist and offer advice but someone needs to be physically there to check your options. Good luck with the channel and your adventures
@@searchingforcoconuts2248 appreciate it, thank you
Ideas on self steering rudder are so much clear now. However, I do not understant what makes this system so expensive? Thanks for the video!
Once it has a manufacturers stamp or logo on it, the price goes through the roof.... many of the earliest systems were self-made and still today there are online guides and plans on how to make your own
Brilliant video. Thanks for sharing 👏👏
Warren s/y Legend👍🏴🇬🇧⛵️⚓️🇸🇪
thanks so much, greatly appreciated, fair winds
Great video
that's so great to hear, thank you
Great job using graphics to explain something that's difficult to understand for most non sailors.
Thanks Jimmy for taking the time to add such great feedback
Dankie/ merci Searching 4 coconuts. My English is not so wel, but I do understand now. Thx.
lekker bra dankie
Nice animation.
thats great to hear, thanks so much
Finally I understand! Thank you!
you're welcome, glad you enjoyed
Super videos. Very helpful. Thank you very much.
most welcome, thanks for the great feedback
Thank you, very informative.
amazing thank you.... and thanks for watching, much appreciated
This really helps! Thank you!
Thank you again.. So Helpful
thank you again, much appreciated
best video on the topic Subscribed
thanks so much, welcome
that was helpful.
Thank you so much!
you're welcome, thanks for watching
That was helpful! Thanks :)
cheers, thanks for watching
Great video thank you. Iv decided on an auxiliary rudder system. better to have an emergency option, The other systems confuse me too much my cockpit is just a maze of sheets and pullies already better not have more lol
thanks for your great comments and good luck in your installation
Thanks!
A well balanced boat will sail with the rudder tied off when cruising so start with that
great channel. Everything perfect! =D
thanks so much, appreciate your great comments
so if I understand this, for it to be used to keep you in course the wind would have to be constant. if the wind shifts the domain would direct you off course because it would realign you based on the new direction? meaning it holds relevance to the wind, not your heading. that seems like it could be bad to use if your resting because you could end up way off course right? sorry I dont sail, just learning concepts still.
yes, you are correct in your understanding, if the wind swings, your course will alter according to the wind. Best suited for trade wind sailing or if you just need some time to do some other tasks and need a free hand. On the plus side, it requires no electrical energy as an auto-pilot does... thanks for watching and contributing
as engineer whom normally relies on my right brain.....this appealed to my left!
Ótimo vídeo
Uma dúvida: ele funciona a partir de qual velocidade do vento e até qual o máximo de velocidade do vento ?
ele terá dificuldades com ventos fracos, mas com ventos fortes, desde que as velas estejam corretamente ajustadas, não há problema
@@searchingforcoconuts2248 Obrigado pela informação
Hi, just found this channel now & I find it vary interesting & easy to understand so for that, thank you. Q, I'm looking for a wind vane that will steer a 40 foot Bruce Roberts ketch that has a full keel & hydraulic steering. could you please point me in the right direction. Thanks.
SV Kiwi Lady Opua Bay of islands New Zealand 👍.
Hi and thank you for such great feedback. I would love to be able to "steer" you in the right direction, but this kind of advice is way above my skills level, especially to make recommendations without physical inspection. What I would do, is surf the net looking for owners forums, or even similar models for sale, and contact those with wind steering systems. Hope it works out, keep us posted
Very good
welcome back, thanks again
Peg gears (wood dowels), levers and captive chord are a simple low tech solutions.
awesome input, thanks for sharing
What if the wind is blowing broadside how will it keep the direction of the vessel this is where I get confuse thanks
The vane gets rotated manually so it faces the wind and stands straight up. At this stage the rudder is centered and steering straight... any deviation in the wind (caused by bearing away or luffing up) makes the vane tilt, causing rudder steer and course correction... hope this helps
The auxiliary ruder vane system, has been installed on 65 footers with success, it is not just suitable for mid range to smaller boats. If requested I will put the URL in a reply.
thanks for the input, we appreciate any feedback and any links
This video is excellent. However I am confused because some commentators use the terms 'Hydrovane' or Windvane' systems which seems to imply they are different systems!!!! So my question Is; Is using the term 'Hydrovane' or 'Windvane' one and the same???
thanks for watching and your amazing feedback, much appreciated. A wind vane is actually a system for showing from which direction the wind is blowing from, or any apparatus affected by the wind. I guess the correct term would be a wind vane self-steering system. Hydro refers to water so not sure how that fits in. Then some refer to the systems according to brand names, such as "Wind Pilot". While there are variations in design, they all perform the same function, keeping the vessel on a course in relation to the apparent wind. Hope this helps, thanks again
@@searchingforcoconuts2248 Thank you. Yes I think Hydrovane is a manufacturer but it is still a windvane steering system. I am clear now.
What software are the graphics made in? Very impressive!
Hi again. I use Blender 3D, which is amazing, yet free software... www.blender.org
which system would you advise for use on a 40ft cat?
That's something for the professionals. You have to take into consideration how fast a catamaran can be, so apparent wind will probably change more dramatically. Then, it has to be installed where the wind is not obstructed or diverted, and between the hulls is not always possible or practical. If you place it on port side, starboard wind will not affect it etc etc... Yes, there are cats with these installed but not too many... Thanks for watching
thanks a lot
if I have a Raymarine autopilot in my sail, will it have any advantage? or not needed since I hace the autopilot?
Hi, and thanks for watching. The nice thing about an autopilot is that it also works while motoring, and a wind vane does not. The downside is that it needs power. If you have solar and/or wind generator, you will not have to worry about power. Hope this helps
Muito bom 😃😃
This is the best explanation on youtube, thanks. One question. Say your heading is 360 degrees and wind direction say 240 degrees. Windvane set up nice. However, the way i understand is that the windvane keeps the boat on course relavant to the wind direction, say the wind direction changes to 230 degrees while your getting some shut eye, does that mean the boats heading will end uo being 350 degrees? Therefor going 10 degrees ofcourse? How would you counter act this?
Cheers Paul
thanks so much for your positive feedback... yes, you are correct, if the wind swings, the vane will continue to steer in relation to the wind and you will be off course. A wind vane can only do what you ask of it, which is to steer according to the wind, there's no way to counter this. A small variation as you mention, can be rectified on your next watch, and there's a good possibility that any greater shift in wind will be felt and noticed by you or your crew, as the sea state and conditions will alert you to such changes. Sailing near land or any other dangers would not give you the luxury of shut-eye and if you really need a break, it might be a safer alternative to heave-to and rest, ensuring you have no lee shore. Hope this helps, thanks again
@@searchingforcoconuts2248 Thanks for your response. Makes perfect sense. The way I then understand it is then that the wind vane is great for long pasages/tradewind sailing.
Again, many thanks for your response, love your channel
What size vessel would be too big for this?
Hi, lot of factors involved, keel and vessel design, best to check with the distributors or agents in this field. Thanks for watching
Amazing job; as a professional from the advertising world, I know how much tears & sweat go into these productions. One feedback thou; you can easily improve your audio with simply used hardware, like an old Zoom recorder and a proper microphone.
Great Job and subscribed!
Thanks for your great comments and informative recommendations, much appreciated
How many hours did it take you to make this video?
Hi, and thanks for watching. This one was a relatively simple one, took about 100 hours... there was no boat needed or any complicated animations, so overall quite a basic project. It was also a while back so I would probably get it done faster nowadays 😂😂
@@searchingforcoconuts2248 Is this a hobby or do you get paid when you make this video? 100 hours is a lot of time to be working for free.
@@sanfranciscobay this is a hobby... I make some money by monetizing the channel, a few Patreon supporters and PayPal sponsors...
@@searchingforcoconuts2248 How did you learn how to use the computer to make these videos? Are you self taught, did you take classes?
@@sanfranciscobay all the skills and tools are available in tutorials and community platforms, and all for free. Blender is also a free software, and all it's add-ons and upgrades are free. If you search in UA-cam blender tutorials, you will see what I mean, it's fantastic. It will take some time to learn but it's worth it
I plan to make with my 3d printer a small wind vane for my autonomous micro boat. Do you know if with BLENDER we can have static STL outputs?
although I have no experience in doing this myself, check out docs.blender.org/manual/en/latest/addons/import_export/mesh_stl.html
Great video but you excluded the one design that is applicable to many sailboats.. that is the Trim Tab style..!
Thanks for the instructive video! Which system would you recommend for an old Yamaha 33 and ocean crossing?
thank you, appreciate the comments... best advice I can give is to check out for any forums where other Yamaha 33 owners can offer some input. I'm guessing most of these will be situated in Asia.
Can the same system be used on a CC boat such as a Hunter 42 CC? Thanks
I guess with any amount of imagination, a wind vane can probably be fitted on most vessels, even those with a sugar scoop such as a Hunter 42. Robin Knox John Johnston actually completed his solo circumnavigation with 2 wind vanes (although it must be said, he gave up on them due to technical failures in construction) one on each quarter...
I'm sure something could be fitted to the tiller directly. Thanks for the reply.
So this holds the vessel on course, and I can set an alarm for myself and take a nap, yes?
as long as it's a long offshore passage, yes
Takes some of the fun from sailing, BUT, let's face it...sometimes you're exhausted.
Couldn't disagree more...if...one is a "cruiser"..my last one didn't but my new(?) one will get one...spending 18 hours at the helm singlehanded...is exhausting
YOU cannot get in trouble for showing "trade secrets" as anything sold is able to be taken apart and shown.
basically what I should have said, but would have taken too long, is that I don't want to be responsible for someone trying to make one after watching this video. If they somehow got it wrong, fingers might be pointed my way. Thanks for watching and contributing, much appreciated
Rule number 1 > Get the boat sailing in its mot balanced form before ingajing the windvane .
agreed, thanks for your input
A physical device who's function is revealed by looking at it, even taking it apart to learn more fully, is not a trade secret. As soon as you build it and sell it to the public it stops being a secret. That's why you need a patent. In a patent you publicly disclose the method, at the same time you make the public claim that the method or design belongs to you. A trade secret is just that it's a secret. Trade secrets can be production methods, sales numbers, a chemical formula, etc. Things that you can keep secret. It's why the recipe for Coca-Cola is a secret instead of being patented.
thanks for sharing, much appreciated
I wonder why we don’t see them on catamarans.
they operate on apparent wind so the vane would have to on the windward side. this would mean you would have to a system on each side of a catamaran. not impossible
👍👍🙂
💪💪😊
👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
thanks mate, much appreciated
Sorry to not be overly enthusiastic about your videos but they don't explain something simple. How do you keep a course??? I mean if you have to sit there ensuring the rudder is always facing the wind what happens if the wind shifts? You're continually altering it so you may as well just use your helm, instead of a fancy, expensive rudder that does the same thing?
thanks for watching and adding your feedback. These systems are designed for long-distance sailing and ocean crossings where consistent trade winds can be expected. They cannot be used effectively for coastal sailing sailing where wind shifts are often and extreme.
the price of these things put me off sailing tbh....when i was a young ya could buy a 22ft sailboat for 3k... now thats what this wind vane cost :-(
Astoundingly bad explanation.
Go back and think about 'cause and effect' when you try to explain something.
need a better voice like Mickey Mouse r Donald Duck...lol
I have been a casual daysailor my whole life and never understood how these operated. Thanks.
you're welcome, thanks for posting
I still dont.....?
Thankyou!
no no no, thank you 😁
Wow! The graphics in this are awesome. Is this Dimensions? The knowledge of sailing is brilliant but the skill in video design has floored me. Amazing! First time watcher. New subscriber 👍🏻
wow, your comments are much appreciated and highly encouraging... thanks for watching and subscribing... the videos are created using Blender 3D software
Thank you! Exactly what I needed to know. 😁 This is such a useful and well made video. 👏
so great to hear, thank you for your amazing feedback
This is truly a complete instruction that is well thought out. It not only navigate through the mechanics of the systems and the sensitive issue of product copyright with ease, it also offer, importantly, an often neglected advice on having sail balance as a caveat before any systems can be put to effective use. Bravo! Very well done! Thank you.
thanks so much, what great comments
Another amazing video! This answers many questions for me. Thank you so much for your effort. Happy to subscribe to your channel!
thank you, welcome aboard
Thank you for this explanation. Very easy to understand the way you present it.
that's great to hear, thank you for your comments
Without dought pendulum systems are fragile. Try rudder trymtab this has to be the more robust construction its out lined in the book Self steering yours PJW
this system is on my to do list. you made it simple and pretty much understandable for beginners.
Definitely, i've to study it more but for now, it serves the purpose.
thanks for watching and taking the time to review
Thanks guys for these brilliant explantion and animation. As many before, I always wondered how this gadget works.
my pleasure, thanks for watching and adding your positive feedback
Very good video, thank you. This made the operation very understandable.
thank you for your positive comments