I watched all those episodes and was almost as relieved as you guys were when you got the wind vane. I am an engineer, but also a big believer that simpler is better. I would always opt for the wind vane over an electronic system as my primary autopilot, I think.
We had a B&G auto pilot on our Morgan 462 ketch and it was always dead on course no matter what was going on. When there are only two people it makes it a lot safer to be able to make changes.without a helmsman. I enjoy watching you guys.
Hi Guys! From Nova Scotia (but I am from Newfoundland originally - loved that series!!). I sailed across the Atlantic way back in 1978. We used an Aries wind vane that work very well on all points of sail - including running wind-and-wing straight down wind. But I agree that the lovely Canadian-made "K Porn" is much prettier hanging off the stern!! I was 24 when I crossed the Atlantic. I am older now. After almost 50 years, I wonder at the life I would have had if I had kept going. But, my time has turned out pretty well. In those days there was no You-Tube or its ilk - tough to make a living while sailing full time. And, frankly, it seemed an almost aimless life. So, in the end, we sold the boat and had six kids, 10 grandkids and my own company instead. Fair trade, I'd say. But... I do wonder at times.
More power to you. I lived on my Challenger 35" Ketch, on Lake Ontario NY/Canada, with my wife and 2 boys 7 and 11 yo at the start. Each year for 20 years we moved on our Challenger, as we called her, on April 1st and moved off November 01st. We had friends all around the entire perimeter of Lake Ontario. It was a most wonderful life. Somewhat the best of both worlds, as we owned a small business in Buffalo, NY.
@@generossano2800 Hi Gene... thanks for you interesting response! Wow!! It sounds like an idyllic life. Our boat was a Golden Hind 31 that we lived aboard in BC for a year when we only had one kid. Our first daughter was a little girl, 3 years old at that time. But when we got pregnant the second time we decided to "move back east" and "settle down" so we sold the boat and moved to Toronto. We schemed every day for eight years as to how to get out of there! We moved to Halifax, NS in 1991 with five kids and had the last one here. And here is "home" for us now (after 30 years!). Maybe we should unpack those boxes now! 73, Larry
Several people use an inexpensive linear drive tiller pilot to drive the turret (where the wind paddle mounts) of the wind vane. This consumes VERY little power, and gives you autopilot like control without buying another expensive and complicated system. The tiller pilots are relatively cheap, so if it breaks, simply replace it.
I think you comments that the Cape Horn is the only wind Vane steering that works on all points of sail is wishful thinking. Its a servo pendulum system like many others. Our Wind Pilot works on all points of sail and has taken us across oceans. Every wind vane steering system relies on apparent wind across the vane to sense the wind. Down wind in light conditions the apparent wind is low. Depending on how you set your lines and any inherent friction in the system will adversely effect the system. You may well have your system set up very well where others do not. Our system is set up well with minimal friction. The other issue to consider is hull design. Some modern hull shapes with skinny fin keels dont lend themselves to wind self steering as the hulls are not directionally stable like a long a long keel boat. There are so many variables that influence a good wind self steering installation. It is not as simple as the Cape Horn is the best and I seriously doubt that is the case. You mention that the servo pendulum trips in weed. Our Windpilot doesn’t do this. It has a break away device should we hit something substantial but weed wont trigger this. I suspect the Cape Horn has this break away set so low as the Cape Horn is less robust than the Windpilot. In addition, setting up the Windpilot is far quicker. The servo rudder stays fitted. It swings up out of the way when not in use. No need to hang over the stern with the risk of losing the rudder when at sea. I am sure there are other good Wind Self steering gears out there as well
And what about the Moitessier/Gerbault system. Super reliable and cheap 😜 you end up zigzagging but goes straight on the long run. Requires a good sails balancing skill of course....try it guys and do a video about it 😉 not everyone can afford huge AGM battery park and high end BnG gear 😅 fair winds to you guys you are awesome
you should tell the story of Jean du Sud which is the owner of your cape horn autopilot. his life story is very interesting. He rounded the world singlehanded back in the 70's with a small boat like yours. we met him in Europe while sailing. he has an award winning movie and a book of his story. great man...
an interesting note, the cape horn guarantee is "one around the world" instead of 12 months… and he designed the autopilot during his singlehanded trip. He came home and started the company. you should interview him.
The audio on this was quite good - we did not hear much of the noises you reference in the video shoot - maybe you were able to clean up in post-production or your mics are better than you might think ;)
Let me see i I understand correctly, looks as though the Cape Horn needs to attach to the boats rudder via the rudder quadrant. I was under the impression that some servo-pendulum wind vanes do NOT connect to the boats rudder post/quadrant . Am I incorrect in that assumption ?
If you searching for cat ideas, I think you´r in the wrong spot, try cat channels. ;-/ If you seek information for cars, you don´t search in motorcycle- channels for information! Sorry for asking, but, how knumb is it possible to get?
A Master's Class. i have followed since near the beginning and have seen the improvements in so many areas. When u sit down and talk to us about some part of your boat/life....yes you have become Master Teachers. Fair Winds :)
Hi! I'm Otto, I will be your pilot today! : - ) And I really enjoy the K Porn with every (weather) vein/vane (?) in my body. Not sure I'm being honest? Come on, would I steer you wrong? Off course knot! : - )
Have you two ever considered setting up a consultancy for people learning to sail, or building/modifying sailboats? I think you'd be brilliant at that. Love the technical videos, btw.
Some people just don’t wanna listen to other peoples opinions. They were expecting to hear they were right and when they didn’t, dislike. I got criticized because I said how I liked the auto pilot because it being more accurate and got criticized because it waste power and the wind vane the only thing you should have. So like I say some people just don’t want to hear other peoples opinions.
Sold me on the Cape Horne several episodes ago, reaffirmed it again. But I will NOT be installing one on my pick up truck! Thanks, Mike, for the heads up!
@@petergreen3381 To add to your adequate critic, it's actually both + some other meanings :-). I'd say "moving with difficulty" is probably the common denominator.
“A good designer knows they have achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there’s nothing left to take away.” So true! Who are you quoting here, you architects you!?? I like the look of the Caphorn too. I don’t know anything about “k porn”, though, lol. I might have to google it. Naaa, I prefer sailboat restoration ‘porn’. Like autopilots, it’s "courses for horses,” eh? Sailing Uma video library is like a really good book. I try to resist the temptation to skip to later chapters but I can’t help myself! I like that the Caphorn is Canadian too. Nice flag! Thanks for sharing :-)
@@SailingUma It's may work a clip here and there, both inside and out. Like showing rough Seas during a storm underway or a really bad anchorage location. Just an idea, love the videos, ideas and advice. Keep up the adventure.
Guys, thank you very much for another excellent video. Those K-Porn should pay you, you just have made very nice promotional video. Sold to me for sure, may sell to other people too.
A tiny tip for squeaking fenders. Put 1 drop.. not 2 just 1 drop of Zalo (Dishwashing soap) on the fenders. It removes 99% of all squeaking :) Love your tour :D Thank you for sharing with us :)
We've had the same weather in the Netherlands last week. Wind coming from Norway/the north, and it brings cold, wind, clear skies and sun, rain and snow, all in one day, a few days in a row.
You probably know that Cape Horn has a small arm that can attach down below to the vane mechanics that allows you to attach a small "tiller pilot" to. This way the Cape Horn can chase a wind angle OR a track on the water! I saved the Auto Helm 2000 autopilot ram from my Jeanneau 34' for just that purpose when I got a larger boat. It's only electric and doesn't pull a lot of current and it still has the sensitivity settings so it doesn't need to chase EVERYTHING in a boat movement. Did you have a fire going in the fireplace? That would have been great to have in the background of your video on a cold & windy day. Or did the wind blow down into the stack eliminating a chance for a draft?
Is it a Cape Horn? Or a Cap Horn? You guys refer to it as a Cape Horn, but the signs on the machine seem to say Cap Horn. Either way, it seems to be a good piece of kit. Certainly looks less ugly than a whacking great Hydrovane hung off the back of the boat. (Oops, now I'm in trouble, having upset a large group of sailors!)
Congratulations on your videos, they are nice and very well popularized. In 1999, we set off as a family for a round-the-world sailing trip. We installed what seemed to be the best windvane on the market. Since then, the CapHorn manufactured by Yves Gélinas, near us in Quebec, has steer Balthazar over more than 50,000 miles, not only for our round-the-world tour, but also from Quebec to Alaska via the Northwest Passage. There are essential things on a sailboat and, as far as we are concerned, the CapHorn is one just like the mast and the sails! Félicitations pour vos vidéos, ils sont sympathiques et très bien vulgarisés. En 1999, nous sommes partis en famille pour un tour du monde. Nous avons installé ce qui nous semblait être le meilleur régulateur d’allure sur le marché. Depuis, le régulateur d’allure CapHorn fabriqué par Yves Gélinas, près de chez nous au Québec, a barré Balthazar sur plus de 50 000 milles, non seulement pour notre tour du monde, mais aussi du Québec en Alaska via le passage du Nord-Ouest. Il y a des choses indispensables sur un voilier et, en ce qui nous concerne, le CapHorn en est une au même titre que le mât et les voiles !
How well do you find the wind angle mode works on your autopilot? One of the common comparisons between a windvane & autopilot is that an autopilot will try to steer a compass bearing regardless of the apparent wind, and therefore doesn't achieve max efficiency from the sails. Windvanes on the other hand couldn't care less about the compass and just respond to changes in wind, therefore keeping the sails performing better. With a windvane, even in spite of the big Ss you're tracking you can achieve better performance overall, so long as you're keeping alert I suppose, doing a U-turn might change things a bit :) This seems to tie in with what you were saying, but have you played around with the wind angle mode on your autopilot to see how that compares?
The "wind" setting works really well actually. But just like the windvane, it does better in consistent wind. Big gusts and variable angles make it work harder.
Excellent summary. You're conclusion of, in effect, horses for courses, the right system(s) for your particular boat is spot on. When looking at competing systems I also like the KISS principle (Keep It Simple, Stupid!). Every component has a failure rate so the fewer, the more reliable. Fair Winds!
I've b even researching wind vanes for a while. Though I'm a year or so away from my refit being done, I'm settling between the Cape Horn and Hydrovane. Having that "second" rudder, it's like having an emergency rudder ready to go. I will get an electronic autopilot, as well but the wind vane will be first. I'm single handed on a 34' so hydraulic is overkill, though I'm well aware of the better efficiency, but they are super great on >40' boats, where wheel pilots don't do well. Having the boat balanced as you mentioned is the key. So I'm bringing all the lines, including all 3 reefs to the cockpit to help me better trim the sails. Fair winds.
Day 10, crossing the North Atlantic 11:28 We remember that episode will..✅ It was the FIRST video we watched of yours that UA-cam put up for us, we watched a few more Then went back to Episode #1, “Don’t buy a Couch” 🛋 and watched them all from the beginning 😎👍
I don't know how you two do it. Your videos make it all look so easy. The sailing, videos, posting and working together so well. Not to mention Uma and how you have educated on changes made and real feedback on how they work out. Very nice escape for me stuck on land in a job that I love but covid is making unbearable. Not to mention losing my dad to cancer and spending every weekend with my mom while she grieves almost alone during sheltering in place. Great escape. Thanks.
Completely agree. The Cap Horn windvane is one of the best piece of gear I ever bought. Don't forget the quality of construction and material used. Of all the stainless steel present on my boat, it is the only piece that never displayed any traces of corrosion. It is intended for longer passage. If you're doing only coastal, go for the electronic one. Another drawback of windvane, they don't work when motoring. To resume, windvane is the best crew you can have for passages, it does not consume any power, does not eat, complain nor sleep and above all, does not drink your beer or wine.
You both (three) are really sweet. Great experience to view your vids every time! Plus you teach al lot, which is very welcome. Roland from good old Germany
Wonderful explanation. I want to add some points: - wind vane: It will steer not perfectly to the course, but healthy to the boat. Nobody is interested loosing some miles on a sea passage. You will be very interested in a boat handling that is save during a sleep - and that's you may expect from it. - Sail trim: So often I see people do not enough trim or they don't care. All autopilots need a good sail trim! On charter boats I saw a lot of autopilots dying due to overload. If it does not die, it consumes a LOT of energy. With a not so good trimmed boat, the autopilot (and the rest of Nav) empties the batteries in less a day. - building in the autopilot. Some people may think Dan is always doing to big /heavy --- NO! The Autopilot produces a lot of power, easily destroying some of the base plate. - An electronic autopilot has to have a slack free operation. If there is only 1/2inch slack, your autopilot will drive like drunken!
Nice change of pace. Always wanted to know more about what that "cape horn" is. Yeah, I kinda started at the middle of the whole Uma series, so I missed those steps. I'll be circling back to them soon. Safe sails Kika and Dan.
I also discovered them at step 60-something and had to binge watch to catch up. I watch a few sailing channels and Uma ranks among the best. A few are falling prey to commercialism, but not this pair. They don't hesitate to sing praises of, or acknowledge support from vendors, but they are (often brutally) honest in their ratings of products.
I’m not a blow boater...yet... but loved your analysis and the examples you included. The fact the CH can do what you want it too... in the conditions you describe is incredible... would love to have CH give us the “why” on your channel. As a Power Boater I rely on my AP (Garmin) for all my long reaches in Florida/Bahamas.... I am alway amazed at how good the technology is compared to just 30 years ago. So a 42ft gofastfishboat with an accurate AP can save many, many gallons of 🦖 juice. Now I find out its all the same for a “Wind Jammer”!! BEST... Bill! GREAT VID!!
Sorry for the second post but there is something I have been thinking about for a longtime. Have you guy ever considered hanging out a shingle (metaphorically) Dan & Kika "NAVAL ARCHITECTS" or naval designers.
Ok. I started watching this and clicked the screen off. Grabbed the the groceries and then we( wife and myself) sat down together. Pulled my phone out of my pocket and lit up my screen. My wife is sitting next to me and I have a Samsung note+ (phablet). So she just got back from the store. As far as she's concerned I was here alone hanging out with the dogs.... boom I unlock the screen and the man candy Dan tanning his hammys flexing his sexy sixer in full screen landscape HD thumbnail... she kinda looked at me funny 😆🤣 so I'm just gonna ask for the lady's.... Dan when's YOUR 2021 calendar coming out??? 😀
Thanks... strangely enough I purchased a new Ray Marine EV1 wheel pilot which I also integrated with the instruments and the chart plotter. Doing the chart plotter (an older one with NEMA 0183) required buying a communications bridge - but it communicated perfectly and I needed to keep the NEMA 0183 for things like DSC on my VHF. The wheel drive actually works perfectly on our 34' sloop. The problem I have is with the software from Ray Marine. It DEMANDS acknowledgment on a GPS route at EVERY course change which means I have to be behind the wheel defeating the very purpose of the auto pilot - freeing me from being behind the wheel. Like you the very time I need it to do a route is when we are levying or coming back from a dock when I want to be rigging or de rigging the boat but this stupid demand from Ray Marine says I can't do this - I have to say it is ok to change course... As far as I know Ray Marine is the ONLY company that does this - B&G does NOT do this. For me the only way round this is to get the expansive wireless remote where I can acknowledge the course change from a position other than the helm. So ... there goes another $800 that I would not otherwise need to spend.... I don't need a wind vane as we simply coastal sail but I do NEED an auto pilot that actually auto routes and Ray Marine ... is not that pilot the SOFTWARE is the culprit not the hardware which works fine ... Ray Marine alone does this... no one else does it.
warning / warning / warning/ Hi. My name is Christian. I am located in Norway and I've sailed the last 13 years. I really enjoy your channel, Thank you so much!! : and /but just to repeat myself - the last video with Kika catching the drone without a vest - and the water is probably 5-8 degrees. what? Are you wearing a vest underneath? If not - put it on!
Hi Dan and Kika, I cannot speak highly enough of wind vanes, I'm a solo sailor and have an outohelm (redundant) a Scanmar Pelagic tiller pilot and a hydrovane self steering vane. I'm most definitely an auxiliary rudder vane guy and although the most expensive vane I could have it's also the best, I do have 880 watts of solar and ample batteries (420Ah) from 4 105Ah AGM batteries which is ample to power an autopilot overnight but I need to brush the cobwebs off the autopilots because I use the hydrovane almost exclusively. PS I'm on a chined steel Van De Stadt 34'. At 7 grand not a cheap bit of kit but it will steer the boat for days with minor adjustments and because you're not using your main rudder you can balance the boat, take any weather or lee helm into account, lock off the steering (tiller~ keep it simple stupid) and the vane doesn't have to work as hard as a servo pendulum, also with an AR vane if youre wheel steered there is 0 wear on your steering gear. You mentioned that CapHorn is the only customisable vane, incorrect, every hydrovane is manufactured specifically for your specific setup, pivot shaft length, A and E bracket options and the actual vane/foil size are all customised for your boat, and you can do an offset transom mount with a hydrovane because there are no control lines, nothing wrong with control lines but don't be spreading falsities when clearly other vanes are customisable (PPS I know that Scanmar's monitor is also customisable because I got a quote and their customised monitor mounting for my Stadt 34')
Reference Sargasso: UK and European freshwater Silver Eels, travel more than 3,000 miles across the ocean to the Sargasso Sea, to spawn. Once hatched, the larvae make their way back somehow and become transparent 'glass eels'. Fascinating creatures, little understood, but heading for extinction like so many species killed off by us, over - numerous humans sprawling uncontrollably over the planet, so far.
I sailed a 31' Nantucket Clipper from W Wales to Las Palmas and then Antigua in 1976. I was singlehanded all the way but fortunately I had my Aries Wind vane. I just loved that thing as it had a personality and I even talked to it when the stress levels were high-(Bay of Biscay in November).The boat was free of any electronics also. I hated losing that vane when I eventually sold the boat in Guadeloupe.
Good discussion there., especially as you weren't going too far into specifics. I fitted HydroVane because I must have an off-centre installation (rudder projects a bit aft of the stern and the boarding/swim ladder on my older-style HR-38 is centrally mounted and can't really be moved) and there's no simple way to connect the cables of the servo-pendulum systems. My RayMarine Evo works great too - and it has an alarm if it switches into standby - which brings me to a significant issue. With lockdown in the UK, I couldn't do as much test sailing with the system as I wanted to and, while I noticed that the AP seemed to be keeping on a few extra degrees of port rudder, I didn't think much of it - until later. I paid a listed installer to install the system as it's a bit heavy to do single-handed and I wasn't going to buy specialist tools like a drill good enough to deal with inch thick GRP - but hindsight said he botched things a bit; the HydroVane was twisted off a few degrees so that it was fighting the main rudder and there's no means to finely adjust things as you can with your system. Also, having not used it as much as I wanted to, I opted for the AP on that first big leg - across Biscay single-handed, my third such crossing. But here it started to bite hard. In 20 knots, 4 metre quartering seas, sailing deep reach, all was fine - until the squalls stated hitting; I stopped counting at 40! But with 30 knots gusting 40, that steering bias load really started to add up and the AP kept going into stand-by (thankfully it does have that alarm). The extra load on the steering just became too much for the AP drive and I basically couldn't rest for the last 3 of the 4 days passage. In the end I worked out that I could put pressure on the wheel during squalls so that the AP wasn't bearing the full load, but I've never been so tired in my life - 4 days crossing a stormy Biscay in the wrong season, single-handed, no sleep for days and largely hand-steering a lot of the way. Fixed now, simply loosened off the control head mounting bolts and twisted the mainshaft back into the right position but that's not something I could do at sea in those conditions. Other dislike is that the rudder can't easily be pivoted out of the water like your system does but that's just how having a simple drive system goes. My HR-38 also has a high stern so I can't simply unclip the HydroVane under way because I have no easy way to put it back again later. Your picture of Sargassum makes me nervous for the same reason. But I suppose cover-19 helped set this mess up - just huge problems sailing in the UK at the moment. I needed to test sail more and I just couldn't. Next leg within the week - Portugal to the Caribbean single-handed an hopefully not needing to stop at the Canaries. HydroVane it will be, unless I find sets of conditions that system doesn't like. But I've sized my solar system so that I can drive the AP 24/7 if I must. One thing Would put on my wishlist, though, is something built into course-setting systems to factor in the shadowing on my solar panels but that's not gonna happen any time soon.
Very good discussion on selfsteering. What you did not metion is that the Cape Horn the quadrant is installed inside the boat (which is why it looks so clean outside). This takes up some space which, on a small boat, is an issue. Also, some sailing boats designs simply dont have that space available at the required locaction like any more modern boat with open ended cockpit for example). We sail a Pacific Seacraft Dana 24 where the Cape Horn cannot be fitted unless you install the quadrant outside, at the stern. We had a Pacific Light Windpilot installed when we bought the boat and we love it but balancing the sails is key. Take care!
Yes, the quadrant on the Cape Horn can be mounted externally, and off centre. Thats the beauty of working with them, they will custom make each unit to fit your boat exactly. It does start to get complicated, but they claim they can instal one on any boat.
@@SailingUma Ah, I wasnt aware of that, good to know, thanks! The way you have itinstalled on Uma though is by far the least disturbing and estetically pleasing of all windvanes....
Because of you two I will definitely be more prepared when I finally get out on the water in 5 to 15 years thank you for all the information that you have shared with myself and the rest of the world!
a few more: 1) wind vanes have trouble above 10-12 knots boat speed 2) wind vane oar adds some drag 3) wind vane does not steer as straight as autopilot. Maybe as good as b&g, but this autopilot isn't the best. This can be several miles per day difference. 4) you can get many autopilots for the price of a wind vane The pendulum wind vane is by far the best because it receives feedback from not just the air vane but also the water dragging the oar. The cape horn is one of the best designs out there, however the other designs will work in almost all conditions as well if the boat is small enough, many boats are way too big with average size vane and this is a problem.
Hey, how is that man as click bait working? I was thinking about it because of sailing GBU. Kristan has great click bait properties, and she's working it. But, shouldn't it be a two way street? Then I noticed you guys were doing it.
These tech videos are fantastic .. more to do with the way things are explained then the explanation, You could call these episodes "Sailing for Dummies" !! Stay Safe, Stay Warm & Fair Winds !!
Cap Horn and a squeaky wheel pilot on my Alberg 35 which has been home for 32 years. I did find a learning curve with the vane, mostly in having to learn to sail the boat balanced. Otherwise, if I'm sailing, its driving, even in close waters. I had the opportunity to tell Yves, its creator, he had made me a passenger on my own boat even when I singlehand. Eric runs Cap Horn now and is awesome. He has more than once refused any payment for bushings and plastic parts even after 30 years service. Squeaky is for motoring. Mine doesn't nap, but has an odd aversion to heading W, where he is apt to loose data. Im old enough to sympathize with such lapses. Love your channel and only wish I'd crossed tracks with you guys when you were in Fairhaven buying Uma! I'm a naval architect and occasionally work in that shipyard.
1 Hi to both of you, you are doing a wonderful job to shine some lite on sailing and the Autopilot. You are mentioning so many topics on this that anybody who is listening to you understands that an Autopilot can`t just be taken from the shelf and function the way you want it to do. There are so many data having influence on the outcome, 2 That understanding what type you should implement you would have to read a hole book about sailing , boats, weather , streams,.... You could write that book and maybe have an impact on the way Autopilots are built. I am IT developer of software that would maybe give the commands for the units driving the Autopilot. To develop the logic you seem to be ready to put together all the influence the APP would have to deal with. So get going, start the system analysis. I`m sure your video has helped a lot of sailors to think a little longer on what to use as their third "person" UMATIC on the helm.
I noticed in the short clip of you catching your drone you're not wearing any safety gear. You should be wearing gloves and some kind of eye or face protection. One tilt in the wrong direction and one of those blades will do some serious damage. Especially to the eyes or face. Be safe.
I must admit I did consider the Cape Horn, but after doing my research settled on the Hydrovane, and could not be happier. Glad the Cape Horn works so well for you guys.
So you've turned the tables on all those channels using scantily clad women with this thumbnail! Love it! Had to comment on this because your channel is one of the few that doesn't use simple clickbait. Your content is awesome and I truly believe that you have a demographic of viewers here for the real life love affair. Take care!
kevin on sailing oceans does a video on a home made wind vane that works like a dream and simple to make. my own evaluation shows there's not a lot of difference between manufacturers, all simple, minimal mechanicals to fail. but check out kevin's wind vane. i forget, but at least one other budget channel i think did a video about their home made set up. no need to spend the few thousands for folks with tools, ambition and mechanical skills. It seems Wharram has plans too for their system (I could be wrong about that, I"ve heard, but not seen with my own eyes). Either way, as usual, great video. i do pout a little when i realize what i thought was a great video was really paid advertisement, for the few that fall into selling their souls for chump change.
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I understood perfectly your point that these two Auto-Pilots actually compliment each other very well.... Great Piece!
I thought Dan said “sailing through patches of sarcasm”. I was like, yeah, it’s not good to sail through that.
I watched all those episodes and was almost as relieved as you guys were when you got the wind vane. I am an engineer, but also a big believer that simpler is better. I would always opt for the wind vane over an electronic system as my primary autopilot, I think.
Horses for courses. Offshore, where accuracy not necessary, windvane, coastal, where varying accuracy is required, a well setup autopilot.
I have the Cape Horn yet to be installed in my '72 P33!! Still have to complete the rebuild! Fair winds......! 😁
We had a B&G auto pilot on our Morgan 462 ketch and it was always dead on course no matter what was going on. When there are only two people it makes it a lot safer to be able to make changes.without a helmsman. I enjoy watching you guys.
Hi Guys! From Nova Scotia (but I am from Newfoundland originally - loved that series!!). I sailed across the Atlantic way back in 1978. We used an Aries wind vane that work very well on all points of sail - including running wind-and-wing straight down wind. But I agree that the lovely Canadian-made "K Porn" is much prettier hanging off the stern!! I was 24 when I crossed the Atlantic. I am older now. After almost 50 years, I wonder at the life I would have had if I had kept going. But, my time has turned out pretty well. In those days there was no You-Tube or its ilk - tough to make a living while sailing full time. And, frankly, it seemed an almost aimless life. So, in the end, we sold the boat and had six kids, 10 grandkids and my own company instead. Fair trade, I'd say. But... I do wonder at times.
I hope you get out sailing again soon!
More power to you. I lived on my Challenger 35" Ketch, on Lake Ontario NY/Canada, with my wife and 2 boys 7 and 11 yo at the start. Each year for 20 years we moved on our Challenger, as we called her, on April 1st and moved off November 01st. We had friends all around the entire perimeter of Lake Ontario. It was a most wonderful life. Somewhat the best of both worlds, as we owned a small business in Buffalo, NY.
@@generossano2800 Hi Gene... thanks for you interesting response! Wow!! It sounds like an idyllic life. Our boat was a Golden Hind 31 that we lived aboard in BC for a year when we only had one kid. Our first daughter was a little girl, 3 years old at that time. But when we got pregnant the second time we decided to "move back east" and "settle down" so we sold the boat and moved to Toronto. We schemed every day for eight years as to how to get out of there! We moved to Halifax, NS in 1991 with five kids and had the last one here. And here is "home" for us now (after 30 years!). Maybe we should unpack those boxes now! 73, Larry
Agree, Aries worked perfectly all through an Atlantic Circuit. But it could never be called aesthetic!
Great topic. It would be nice if you also discuss the pros and cons of the pendulum type vs the rudder type. Maybe next episode.
They sidestepped that, saying you should do your own investigation, as to which suits you, and your boat.
Cheers
Several people use an inexpensive linear drive tiller pilot to drive the turret (where the wind paddle mounts) of the wind vane. This consumes VERY little power, and gives you autopilot like control without buying another expensive and complicated system. The tiller pilots are relatively cheap, so if it breaks, simply replace it.
I think you comments that the Cape Horn is the only wind Vane steering that works on all points of sail is wishful thinking. Its a servo pendulum system like many others. Our Wind Pilot works on all points of sail and has taken us across oceans. Every wind vane steering system relies on apparent wind across the vane to sense the wind. Down wind in light conditions the apparent wind is low. Depending on how you set your lines and any inherent friction in the system will adversely effect the system. You may well have your system set up very well where others do not. Our system is set up well with minimal friction. The other issue to consider is hull design. Some modern hull shapes with skinny fin keels dont lend themselves to wind self steering as the hulls are not directionally stable like a long a long keel boat.
There are so many variables that influence a good wind self steering installation. It is not as simple as the Cape Horn is the best and I seriously doubt that is the case. You mention that the servo pendulum trips in weed. Our Windpilot doesn’t do this. It has a break away device should we hit something substantial but weed wont trigger this. I suspect the Cape Horn has this break away set so low as the Cape Horn is less robust than the Windpilot.
In addition, setting up the Windpilot is far quicker. The servo rudder stays fitted. It swings up out of the way when not in use. No need to hang over the stern with the risk of losing the rudder when at sea. I am sure there are other good Wind Self steering gears out there as well
Nice to se you two in thick pullovers!Barbro Sweden
I can't I live my dream right now but I live it through you guys. Love your videos.
Thank you. Always a pleasure to watch and learn. 🙂
Still the best,Thankyou! Dan&Kika
Great video! I have learned so much from you guys!
And what about the Moitessier/Gerbault system. Super reliable and cheap 😜 you end up zigzagging but goes straight on the long run. Requires a good sails balancing skill of course....try it guys and do a video about it 😉 not everyone can afford huge AGM battery park and high end BnG gear 😅 fair winds to you guys you are awesome
Fascinating content - thank you for sharing your knowledge and experiences. Stay well and positive. Hello from the London, England Landlubbers ; - ) x
you look a little chilly . keep on trucking
I love those talky video. You should do more of those, like Q&A and just talking. Every video don't have to be Oscar winning quality one. Thx
The " just talking videos" would also be Oscar winning becouse them beeing who they are! ;-D
Excellent video, very well explained!
Love watching your sailing youtube show
in love
love your journey and your story
I would love to see the snake like from the ocean passage
ua-cam.com/video/CxNdW81YTWw/v-deo.html we show our course in there
you should tell the story of Jean du Sud which is the owner of your cape horn autopilot. his life story is very interesting. He rounded the world singlehanded back in the 70's with a small boat like yours. we met him in Europe while sailing. he has an award winning movie and a book of his story. great man...
an interesting note, the cape horn guarantee is "one around the world" instead of 12 months… and he designed the autopilot during his singlehanded trip. He came home and started the company. you should interview him.
The audio on this was quite good - we did not hear much of the noises you reference in the video shoot - maybe you were able to clean up in post-production or your mics are better than you might think ;)
Do you lv your water maker?
Do you have the necessary permits in order for the use of the drone in Norway?
wow never been this early to a video before
Long time in harbour waiting for a good weatherwindow makes a lot of sparetime. ;-)
Let me see i I understand correctly, looks as though the Cape Horn needs to attach to the boats rudder via the rudder quadrant. I was under the impression that some servo-pendulum wind vanes do NOT connect to the boats rudder post/quadrant . Am I incorrect in that assumption ?
Some wind vanes do have their own rudder. But their a lot bigger and bulkier and add more complexity.
@@SailingUma Yawl do a EXCELLENT job in sharing the narrative of your video's ... well done guys !
Wishing you Fair Winds and Calm Seas .... 👌 ⛵
I wonder about installing the CH on a cat.... Not seeing much info on that.
If you searching for cat ideas, I think you´r in the wrong spot, try cat channels. ;-/
If you seek information for cars, you don´t search in motorcycle- channels for information!
Sorry for asking, but, how knumb is it possible to get?
Yep. You definitely can.
I have caught up! Four weeks of binge-watching and I am up to date. What a journey, what amazing people you are! Long may you sail!
Instablaster...
I'm still 2 yearth back. But I'll come in big steps.
A Master's Class. i have followed since near the beginning and have seen the improvements in so many areas. When u sit down and talk to us about some part of your boat/life....yes you have become Master Teachers. Fair Winds :)
I was so impressed by this I bought a wind vain, I wrote off my car 5 minutes later. My advice, only use them on boats.
LOLOLOL!!!
Oh i better cancel my order then...
That one tickled me 🤣🤣🤣
next time, try a wind vane.
@@SuperDirk1965 Just one caught that, good for you.
Its sunny on the bow and raining on the stern... And snowing in the middle.! IM CRYIN HAHAHAH
Could they be secretly in Tennessee .................. That's our weather to a "T" ................
As an Norwegian, I confirm! The weather nowadays is crazy, outside right now it is sunny and snowing
Came for the hot Dan thumbnail, stayed for the quality content! XD
ha! I had to check. Sho enough, a good one for the ladies (or whomever)
Hi! I'm Otto, I will be your pilot today! : - ) And I really enjoy the K Porn with every (weather) vein/vane (?) in my body. Not sure I'm being honest? Come on, would I steer you wrong? Off course knot! : - )
Have you two ever considered setting up a consultancy for people learning to sail, or building/modifying sailboats? I think you'd be brilliant at that. Love the technical videos, btw.
We need a video going over the amazing sweaters you guys have!
I do not sail, but learned a lot from this video.
Whoever ONE person disliked this video, his wind vane got stuck on sargussum.
Some people just don’t wanna listen to other peoples opinions. They were expecting to hear they were right and when they didn’t, dislike. I got criticized because I said how I liked the auto pilot because it being more accurate and got criticized because it waste power and the wind vane the only thing you should have. So like I say some people just don’t want to hear other peoples opinions.
13 now... I guess haters just gotta hate. Not worth the effort, imho.
If I could I would put 2 likes 🤣🤣 I love these guys 👍👍
Sometimes it’s just an error
@@maxmboothe1957 You're a charitable soul.
Sold me on the Cape Horne several episodes ago, reaffirmed it again. But I will NOT be installing one on my pick up truck! Thanks, Mike, for the heads up!
In case you didn't know: The horn signal played in the intro (long - short - short) is the marine open water signal for unmotorised/ sailing vessels.
That's better ;-)
It's actually 'my vessel is disabled/manoeuvring with difficulty, keep well clear'
Or
Long -short -short is the letter D in Morse Code. Dan. Need one for Kika. Long -short- long.
@@petergreen3381 To add to your adequate critic, it's actually both + some other meanings :-). I'd say "moving with difficulty" is probably the common denominator.
From our research, back at the beginning, it means, "Sailboat approaching in the fog".
I do look forward to your video's on Thursdays. Please keep them coming
“A good designer knows they have achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there’s nothing left to take away.” So true! Who are you quoting here, you architects you!??
I like the look of the Caphorn too. I don’t know anything about “k porn”, though, lol. I might have to google it. Naaa, I prefer sailboat restoration ‘porn’. Like autopilots, it’s "courses for horses,” eh?
Sailing Uma video library is like a really good book. I try to resist the temptation to skip to later chapters but I can’t help myself! I like that the Caphorn is Canadian too. Nice flag! Thanks for sharing :-)
Guy's try mounting a camera on a lamp gimbal to show the rocking of Uma as you film at the table on a windy day.
That may or may not cause some sea sickness 😅
@@SailingUma
It's may work a clip here and there, both inside and out. Like showing rough Seas during a storm underway or a really bad anchorage location.
Just an idea, love the videos, ideas and advice. Keep up the adventure.
@@charonstyxferryman at 5:1 scope that's only 6.5 km of chain :)
I have been watching from day one love how chill they are and how they support each other. I wish I could find one like her..
Guys, thank you very much for another excellent video.
Those K-Porn should pay you, you just have made very nice promotional video.
Sold to me for sure, may sell to other people too.
I had Closed Captions turned on and it consistently displayed "Cape Horn" as "K-Porn" :-)
Plus the wind vane was invented by a French Canadian so I have been told. Good old Canadian know-how. Ya Canada.
A tiny tip for squeaking fenders. Put 1 drop.. not 2 just 1 drop of Zalo (Dishwashing soap) on the fenders. It removes 99% of all squeaking :) Love your tour :D Thank you for sharing with us :)
Have you tried the cape horn without the vane and a cheap autopilot connected to the pendulum?
The legend says that Vivaldi visited Norway only one day and then composed "The four seasons"
Sounds about right. There is definitely an abundance of each season here (each a unique and magical experience )
We've had the same weather in the Netherlands last week. Wind coming from Norway/the north, and it brings cold, wind, clear skies and sun, rain and snow, all in one day, a few days in a row.
Should be enough with just a coupple of minutes now in april...
Legends don't lie they are telling a better reality
@Konstantin Ridaya I learned about 2 years ago that Vivaldi actually wrote "Five Seasons". Check it out, inquiring minds want to know.
You probably know that Cape Horn has a small arm that can attach down below to the vane mechanics that allows you to attach a small "tiller pilot" to. This way the Cape Horn can chase a wind angle OR a track on the water! I saved the Auto Helm 2000 autopilot ram from my Jeanneau 34' for just that purpose when I got a larger boat. It's only electric and doesn't pull a lot of current and it still has the sensitivity settings so it doesn't need to chase EVERYTHING in a boat movement. Did you have a fire going in the fireplace? That would have been great to have in the background of your video on a cold & windy day. Or did the wind blow down into the stack eliminating a chance for a draft?
Good point...that little arm came with our CH and it works like a charm.
Is it a Cape Horn? Or a Cap Horn? You guys refer to it as a Cape Horn, but the signs on the machine seem to say Cap Horn. Either way, it seems to be a good piece of kit. Certainly looks less ugly than a whacking great Hydrovane hung off the back of the boat. (Oops, now I'm in trouble, having upset a large group of sailors!)
It’s both.
Love the whistle at the end but hate to hear it because it means my favorite entertainment is over.
Love your technical expertise. You both have analytical minds. You educate us well. Thanks.
Congratulations on your videos, they are nice and very well popularized.
In 1999, we set off as a family for a round-the-world sailing trip. We installed what seemed to be the best windvane on the market. Since then, the CapHorn manufactured by Yves Gélinas, near us in Quebec, has steer Balthazar over more than 50,000 miles, not only for our round-the-world tour, but also from Quebec to Alaska via the Northwest Passage. There are essential things on a sailboat and, as far as we are concerned, the CapHorn is one just like the mast and the sails!
Félicitations pour vos vidéos, ils sont sympathiques et très bien vulgarisés.
En 1999, nous sommes partis en famille pour un tour du monde. Nous avons installé ce qui nous semblait être le meilleur régulateur d’allure sur le marché. Depuis, le régulateur d’allure CapHorn fabriqué par Yves Gélinas, près de chez nous au Québec, a barré Balthazar sur plus de 50 000 milles, non seulement pour notre tour du monde, mais aussi du Québec en Alaska via le passage du Nord-Ouest. Il y a des choses indispensables sur un voilier et, en ce qui nous concerne, le CapHorn en est une au même titre que le mât et les voiles !
How well do you find the wind angle mode works on your autopilot?
One of the common comparisons between a windvane & autopilot is that an autopilot will try to steer a compass bearing regardless of the apparent wind, and therefore doesn't achieve max efficiency from the sails. Windvanes on the other hand couldn't care less about the compass and just respond to changes in wind, therefore keeping the sails performing better. With a windvane, even in spite of the big Ss you're tracking you can achieve better performance overall, so long as you're keeping alert I suppose, doing a U-turn might change things a bit :)
This seems to tie in with what you were saying, but have you played around with the wind angle mode on your autopilot to see how that compares?
The "wind" setting works really well actually. But just like the windvane, it does better in consistent wind. Big gusts and variable angles make it work harder.
Excellent summary. You're conclusion of, in effect, horses for courses, the right system(s) for your particular boat is spot on. When looking at competing systems I also like the KISS principle (Keep It Simple, Stupid!). Every component has a failure rate so the fewer, the more reliable. Fair Winds!
I've b even researching wind vanes for a while. Though I'm a year or so away from my refit being done, I'm settling between the Cape Horn and Hydrovane. Having that "second" rudder, it's like having an emergency rudder ready to go. I will get an electronic autopilot, as well but the wind vane will be first. I'm single handed on a 34' so hydraulic is overkill, though I'm well aware of the better efficiency, but they are super great on >40' boats, where wheel pilots don't do well. Having the boat balanced as you mentioned is the key. So I'm bringing all the lines, including all 3 reefs to the cockpit to help me better trim the sails. Fair winds.
Day 10, crossing the North Atlantic 11:28 We remember that episode will..✅
It was the FIRST video we watched of yours that UA-cam put up for us, we watched a few more
Then went back to Episode #1, “Don’t buy a Couch” 🛋 and watched them all from the beginning 😎👍
I don't know how you two do it. Your videos make it all look so easy. The sailing, videos, posting and working together so well. Not to mention Uma and how you have educated on changes made and real feedback on how they work out. Very nice escape for me stuck on land in a job that I love but covid is making unbearable. Not to mention losing my dad to cancer and spending every weekend with my mom while she grieves almost alone during sheltering in place. Great escape. Thanks.
Completely agree. The Cap Horn windvane is one of the best piece of gear I ever bought. Don't forget the quality of construction and material used. Of all the stainless steel present on my boat, it is the only piece that never displayed any traces of corrosion. It is intended for longer passage. If you're doing only coastal, go for the electronic one. Another drawback of windvane, they don't work when motoring. To resume, windvane is the best crew you can have for passages, it does not consume any power, does not eat, complain nor sleep and above all, does not drink your beer or wine.
I crossed the Pacific with a Sailomat, and it WOULD self steer while motoring in calm conditions at 5 knots. That was on a 41 ft. Ketch.
A salute from someone who hand steered for 4.000 miles from Dover to the balearics (31ft )
I've hand steered from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town, 380NM
Never again
You both (three) are really sweet. Great experience to view your vids every time! Plus you teach al lot, which is very welcome. Roland from good old Germany
Stop saying K Porn Dan.
it seems like more of your videos are just long advertisements.
This isn’t advertising... this is sharing what we’ve learned about the gear we have...
Greetings from Jamaica 🇯🇲. Very informative as usual
Wonderful explanation.
I want to add some points:
- wind vane: It will steer not perfectly to the course, but healthy to the boat. Nobody is interested loosing some miles on a sea passage. You will be very interested in a boat handling that is save during a sleep - and that's you may expect from it.
- Sail trim: So often I see people do not enough trim or they don't care. All autopilots need a good sail trim! On charter boats I saw a lot of autopilots dying due to overload. If it does not die, it consumes a LOT of energy. With a not so good trimmed boat, the autopilot (and the rest of Nav) empties the batteries in less a day.
- building in the autopilot. Some people may think Dan is always doing to big /heavy --- NO! The Autopilot produces a lot of power, easily destroying some of the base plate.
- An electronic autopilot has to have a slack free operation. If there is only 1/2inch slack, your autopilot will drive like drunken!
Nice change of pace. Always wanted to know more about what that "cape horn" is. Yeah, I kinda started at the middle of the whole Uma series, so I missed those steps. I'll be circling back to them soon. Safe sails Kika and Dan.
I also discovered them at step 60-something and had to binge watch to catch up. I watch a few sailing channels and Uma ranks among the best. A few are falling prey to commercialism, but not this pair. They don't hesitate to sing praises of, or acknowledge support from vendors, but they are (often brutally) honest in their ratings of products.
@Christopher Tysen Henriksen I stand erected. I mean "corrected". Typo, my bad. Hahaha
Talk to us about your water maker now that you are out of harbor? Lots of hot showers, I hope😁👍
Wow pictures of blind Dan. And uma’s blue decks...memories
Found footage!!! How Kika met Dan!!! ua-cam.com/video/ArKheLYhLiw/v-deo.html (Dog Jumps Into Stranger’s Car And Refuses To Get Out)
Now we know.
Love the “sexy Dan pose” thumbnail. I thought for sure you’d jumped to a different location! 😀
I’m not a blow boater...yet... but loved your analysis and the examples you included. The fact the CH can do what you want it too... in the conditions you describe is incredible... would love to have CH give us the “why” on your channel. As a Power Boater I rely on my AP (Garmin) for all my long reaches in Florida/Bahamas.... I am alway amazed at how good the technology is compared to just 30 years ago. So a 42ft gofastfishboat with an accurate AP can save many, many gallons of 🦖 juice. Now I find out its all the same for a “Wind Jammer”!! BEST... Bill! GREAT VID!!
Sorry for the second post but there is something I have been thinking about for a longtime. Have you guy ever considered hanging out a shingle (metaphorically) Dan & Kika "NAVAL ARCHITECTS" or naval designers.
Ok. I started watching this and clicked the screen off. Grabbed the the groceries and then we( wife and myself) sat down together. Pulled my phone out of my pocket and lit up my screen. My wife is sitting next to me and I have a Samsung note+ (phablet). So she just got back from the store. As far as she's concerned I was here alone hanging out with the dogs.... boom I unlock the screen and the man candy Dan tanning his hammys flexing his sexy sixer in full screen landscape HD thumbnail... she kinda looked at me funny 😆🤣 so I'm just gonna ask for the lady's.... Dan when's YOUR 2021 calendar coming out??? 😀
Thanks... strangely enough I purchased a new Ray Marine EV1 wheel pilot which I also integrated with the instruments and the chart plotter. Doing the chart plotter (an older one with NEMA 0183) required buying a communications bridge - but it communicated perfectly and I needed to keep the NEMA 0183 for things like DSC on my VHF. The wheel drive actually works perfectly on our 34' sloop. The problem I have is with the software from Ray Marine. It DEMANDS acknowledgment on a GPS route at EVERY course change which means I have to be behind the wheel defeating the very purpose of the auto pilot - freeing me from being behind the wheel. Like you the very time I need it to do a route is when we are levying or coming back from a dock when I want to be rigging or de rigging the boat but this stupid demand from Ray Marine says I can't do this - I have to say it is ok to change course... As far as I know Ray Marine is the ONLY company that does this - B&G does NOT do this. For me the only way round this is to get the expansive wireless remote where I can acknowledge the course change from a position other than the helm. So ... there goes another $800 that I would not otherwise need to spend.... I don't need a wind vane as we simply coastal sail but I do NEED an auto pilot that actually auto routes and Ray Marine ... is not that pilot the SOFTWARE is the culprit not the hardware which works fine ... Ray Marine alone does this... no one else does it.
warning / warning / warning/ Hi. My name is Christian. I am located in Norway and I've sailed the last 13 years. I really enjoy your channel, Thank you so much!! : and /but just to repeat myself - the last video with Kika catching the drone without a vest - and the water is probably 5-8 degrees. what? Are you wearing a vest underneath? If not - put it on!
Hi Dan and Kika, I cannot speak highly enough of wind vanes, I'm a solo sailor and have an outohelm (redundant) a Scanmar Pelagic tiller pilot and a hydrovane self steering vane. I'm most definitely an auxiliary rudder vane guy and although the most expensive vane I could have it's also the best, I do have 880 watts of solar and ample batteries (420Ah) from 4 105Ah AGM batteries which is ample to power an autopilot overnight but I need to brush the cobwebs off the autopilots because I use the hydrovane almost exclusively.
PS I'm on a chined steel Van De Stadt 34'.
At 7 grand not a cheap bit of kit but it will steer the boat for days with minor adjustments and because you're not using your main rudder you can balance the boat, take any weather or lee helm into account, lock off the steering (tiller~ keep it simple stupid) and the vane doesn't have to work as hard as a servo pendulum, also with an AR vane if youre wheel steered there is 0 wear on your steering gear.
You mentioned that CapHorn is the only customisable vane, incorrect, every hydrovane is manufactured specifically for your specific setup, pivot shaft length, A and E bracket options and the actual vane/foil size are all customised for your boat, and you can do an offset transom mount with a hydrovane because there are no control lines, nothing wrong with control lines but don't be spreading falsities when clearly other vanes are customisable (PPS I know that Scanmar's monitor is also customisable because I got a quote and their customised monitor mounting for my Stadt 34')
Reference Sargasso: UK and European freshwater Silver Eels, travel more than 3,000 miles across the ocean to the Sargasso Sea, to spawn.
Once hatched, the larvae make their way back somehow and become transparent 'glass eels'.
Fascinating creatures, little understood, but heading for extinction like so many species killed off by us, over - numerous humans sprawling uncontrollably over the planet, so far.
I sailed a 31' Nantucket Clipper from W Wales to Las Palmas and then Antigua in 1976. I was singlehanded all the way but fortunately I had my Aries Wind vane. I just loved that thing as it had a personality and I even talked to it when the stress levels were high-(Bay of Biscay in November).The boat was free of any electronics also. I hated losing that vane when I eventually sold the boat in Guadeloupe.
Good discussion there., especially as you weren't going too far into specifics. I fitted HydroVane because I must have an off-centre installation (rudder projects a bit aft of the stern and the boarding/swim ladder on my older-style HR-38 is centrally mounted and can't really be moved) and there's no simple way to connect the cables of the servo-pendulum systems. My RayMarine Evo works great too - and it has an alarm if it switches into standby - which brings me to a significant issue.
With lockdown in the UK, I couldn't do as much test sailing with the system as I wanted to and, while I noticed that the AP seemed to be keeping on a few extra degrees of port rudder, I didn't think much of it - until later. I paid a listed installer to install the system as it's a bit heavy to do single-handed and I wasn't going to buy specialist tools like a drill good enough to deal with inch thick GRP - but hindsight said he botched things a bit; the HydroVane was twisted off a few degrees so that it was fighting the main rudder and there's no means to finely adjust things as you can with your system. Also, having not used it as much as I wanted to, I opted for the AP on that first big leg - across Biscay single-handed, my third such crossing. But here it started to bite hard. In 20 knots, 4 metre quartering seas, sailing deep reach, all was fine - until the squalls stated hitting; I stopped counting at 40! But with 30 knots gusting 40, that steering bias load really started to add up and the AP kept going into stand-by (thankfully it does have that alarm). The extra load on the steering just became too much for the AP drive and I basically couldn't rest for the last 3 of the 4 days passage. In the end I worked out that I could put pressure on the wheel during squalls so that the AP wasn't bearing the full load, but I've never been so tired in my life - 4 days crossing a stormy Biscay in the wrong season, single-handed, no sleep for days and largely hand-steering a lot of the way.
Fixed now, simply loosened off the control head mounting bolts and twisted the mainshaft back into the right position but that's not something I could do at sea in those conditions. Other dislike is that the rudder can't easily be pivoted out of the water like your system does but that's just how having a simple drive system goes. My HR-38 also has a high stern so I can't simply unclip the HydroVane under way because I have no easy way to put it back again later. Your picture of Sargassum makes me nervous for the same reason. But I suppose cover-19 helped set this mess up - just huge problems sailing in the UK at the moment. I needed to test sail more and I just couldn't.
Next leg within the week - Portugal to the Caribbean single-handed an hopefully not needing to stop at the Canaries. HydroVane it will be, unless I find sets of conditions that system doesn't like. But I've sized my solar system so that I can drive the AP 24/7 if I must. One thing Would put on my wishlist, though, is something built into course-setting systems to factor in the shadowing on my solar panels but that's not gonna happen any time soon.
Very good discussion on selfsteering. What you did not metion is that the Cape Horn the quadrant is installed inside the boat (which is why it looks so clean outside). This takes up some space which, on a small boat, is an issue. Also, some sailing boats designs simply dont have that space available at the required locaction like any more modern boat with open ended cockpit for example). We sail a Pacific Seacraft Dana 24 where the Cape Horn cannot be fitted unless you install the quadrant outside, at the stern. We had a Pacific Light Windpilot installed when we bought the boat and we love it but balancing the sails is key. Take care!
Yes, the quadrant on the Cape Horn can be mounted externally, and off centre. Thats the beauty of working with them, they will custom make each unit to fit your boat exactly. It does start to get complicated, but they claim they can instal one on any boat.
@@SailingUma Ah, I wasnt aware of that, good to know, thanks! The way you have itinstalled on Uma though is by far the least disturbing and estetically pleasing of all windvanes....
and with the CH, no cockpit lines to wheel or tiller.
Because of you two I will definitely be more prepared when I finally get out on the water in 5 to 15 years thank you for all the information that you have shared with myself and the rest of the world!
a few more:
1) wind vanes have trouble above 10-12 knots boat speed
2) wind vane oar adds some drag
3) wind vane does not steer as straight as autopilot. Maybe as good as b&g, but this autopilot isn't the best. This can be several miles per day difference.
4) you can get many autopilots for the price of a wind vane
The pendulum wind vane is by far the best because it receives feedback from not just the air vane but also the water dragging the oar. The cape horn is one of the best designs out there, however the other designs will work in almost all conditions as well if the boat is small enough, many boats are way too big with average size vane and this is a problem.
Hey, how is that man as click bait working? I was thinking about it because of sailing GBU. Kristan has great click bait properties, and she's working it. But, shouldn't it be a two way street? Then I noticed you guys were doing it.
Kika, shame on you for pimping Dan on your thumbnail for views ;-)...Ha Ha
These tech videos are fantastic .. more to do with the way things are explained then the explanation, You could call these episodes "Sailing for Dummies" !! Stay Safe, Stay Warm & Fair Winds !!
That thumbnail is everything
My Cape Horn windvane looks terrific. I just wish I had a boat.
Hi guys.. Amazing vidz, but use more map i video i think. Its possible to watch a hole video without knowing were you are
Cap Horn and a squeaky wheel pilot on my Alberg 35 which has been home for 32 years. I did find a learning curve with the vane, mostly in having to learn to sail the boat balanced. Otherwise, if I'm sailing, its driving, even in close waters. I had the opportunity to tell Yves, its creator, he had made me a passenger on my own boat even when I singlehand. Eric runs Cap Horn now and is awesome. He has more than once refused any payment for bushings and plastic parts even after 30 years service.
Squeaky is for motoring. Mine doesn't nap, but has an odd aversion to heading W, where he is apt to loose data. Im old enough to sympathize with such lapses.
Love your channel and only wish I'd crossed tracks with you guys when you were in Fairhaven buying Uma! I'm a naval architect and occasionally work in that shipyard.
1 Hi to both of you, you are doing a wonderful job to shine some lite on sailing and the Autopilot. You are mentioning so many topics on this that anybody who is listening to you understands that an Autopilot can`t just be taken from the shelf and function the way you want it to do. There are so many data having influence on the outcome,
2 That understanding what type you should implement you would have to read a hole book about sailing , boats, weather , streams,.... You could write that book and maybe have an impact on the way Autopilots are built. I am IT developer of software that would maybe give the commands for the units driving the Autopilot. To develop the logic you seem to be ready to put together all the influence the APP would have to deal with. So get going, start the system analysis. I`m sure your video has helped a lot of sailors to think a little longer on what to use as their third "person" UMATIC on the helm.
I noticed in the short clip of you catching your drone you're not wearing any safety gear.
You should be wearing gloves and some kind of eye or face protection.
One tilt in the wrong direction and one of those blades will do some serious damage. Especially to the eyes or face.
Be safe.
I must admit I did consider the Cape Horn, but after doing my research settled on the Hydrovane, and could not be happier. Glad the Cape Horn works so well for you guys.
So you've turned the tables on all those channels using scantily clad women with this thumbnail! Love it! Had to comment on this because your channel is one of the few that doesn't use simple clickbait. Your content is awesome and I truly believe that you have a demographic of viewers here for the real life love affair. Take care!
What would happen if you accidentally had both on at the same time; would they fight each other?☺
kevin on sailing oceans does a video on a home made wind vane that works like a dream and simple to make.
my own evaluation shows there's not a lot of difference between manufacturers, all simple, minimal mechanicals to fail. but check out kevin's wind vane. i forget, but at least one other budget channel i think did a video about their home made set up. no need to spend the few thousands for folks with tools, ambition and mechanical skills. It seems Wharram has plans too for their system (I could be wrong about that, I"ve heard, but not seen with my own eyes).
Either way, as usual, great video.
i do pout a little when i realize what i thought was a great video was really paid advertisement, for the few that fall into selling their souls for chump change.
Just bought a sailboat, enjoy watching your early videos restoring Uma!
Let's be honest, they all are amazing! For me it was the Hurricane Mathew video that that hooked me.
May the wind always be at your back,and the sun in your face. Congratulations.
Me too! I watched them back when they came out for entertainment but now I watch them for ideas for my new (to me) Beneteau 30.
12:44 Sounds like sailing in Newfoundland! I was wondering how the Cape Horn dealt with erratic gusts and wind directions.