What an incredible video. Appreciated the history. Hydrovane is the best. I love having a Hydrovane on my boat. A guy came to look at my boat to possibly buy it, but the Hydrovane kept me from selling it. He just wanted a condo near the ocean when it got hot in Palm Springs.... He shouldn't have been standing next to my Hydrovane when he made his offer. Ah... that's not what this boat was born to do. The control line. When I did my proof of concept test: Can I make the Hydrovane do it's thing? First time. 22 knot winds. No problem. I didn't do the whole control line set up. Instead I just used 50' of paracord. It kept hopping off the grooved wheel. I just gave it a twist so when it comes out the two holes it crosses to go around the wheel -- completely solved the problem. The infinite loop, pulley and bungee would be best of course. What I learned from my trial run: Heave to to put on the rudder. (3 knots or less). It's fairly easy to make it work. It's responsive so the feedback/learning loop is excellent. And because I make mistakes, I have tethers on everything. Slipping on your new cover. This is exactly like pulling electrical wire and cables. All set up, lots of lube - easy. No lube? much much harder. (In the Netflix series Vikings Valhalla. The rudder on their long ship breaks. They look at it and say, "We need an iron strap..." I thought of you James. When I see my still unused ratchet straps in my aft lazarette I always think, No problem. When I, or someone else needs them... Fair winds
Recently started watching your content love your Videos there very inspirational been thinking about getting involved in sailing so watching your content has been very helpful thanks brother
Really an interesting history of them! I sure remember that -"This Aint Good" moment. It couldnt have been much rougher 🌊I Loved Your Peanut Gallery! -They make a UV Protectant Spray for Fabric,(lots of em) it might help. Happy Vane Gain.
Thanks for your educationally entertaining style and content. Boat techy things are always interesting to a lot of us viewers and this was a very good description/explanation of a mysterious piece of critical gear.
The automatic steering wind vane reminds me of a young fellow who sailed around the globe in the ‘70s. Similar size boat as yours. His story was covered by National Geographic, in instalments as it went. First name Robin, iirc. Along the way he found a soul mate and married her, but I don’t recall her joining him on-board, just she flew to his ports of call.
Top stuff guys. Btw James, you know when you were communicating with the seagulls, you do realise they don't understand English.?? Yeah mate, there's always one in a crowd. 😮 Anyway looks like the vane is going to do the job eh.? Watch this space. Thanks again for sharing. All the very best from across the ditch.
@RoversAdventure developed a build it yourself windvane called the Mark III that you can build in your backyard on a reasonable budget, worth checking out. See his channel. Just crossed the Atlantic on a self built boat and raved about the MKIII the whole time.
@@SailorJames Apology for the pirate flag question, except that I learned something. “Tacky cosplay” suggests that there are plenty of jerks that fly it. I have very little knowledge of seagoing civilian culture, but know that the US Navy Destroyer USS Kidd is authorized to fly it. Clear skies and fair winds to you both.
What an incredible video. Appreciated the history. Hydrovane is the best.
I love having a Hydrovane on my boat. A guy came to look at my boat to possibly buy it, but the Hydrovane kept me from selling it. He just wanted a condo near the ocean when it got hot in Palm Springs.... He shouldn't have been standing next to my Hydrovane when he made his offer. Ah... that's not what this boat was born to do.
The control line. When I did my proof of concept test: Can I make the Hydrovane do it's thing? First time. 22 knot winds. No problem. I didn't do the whole control line set up. Instead I just used 50' of paracord. It kept hopping off the grooved wheel. I just gave it a twist so when it comes out the two holes it crosses to go around the wheel -- completely solved the problem. The infinite loop, pulley and bungee would be best of course.
What I learned from my trial run: Heave to to put on the rudder. (3 knots or less). It's fairly easy to make it work. It's responsive so the feedback/learning loop is excellent. And because I make mistakes, I have tethers on everything.
Slipping on your new cover. This is exactly like pulling electrical wire and cables. All set up, lots of lube - easy. No lube? much much harder.
(In the Netflix series Vikings Valhalla. The rudder on their long ship breaks. They look at it and say, "We need an iron strap..." I thought of you James. When I see my still unused ratchet straps in my aft lazarette I always think, No problem. When I, or someone else needs them...
Fair winds
Recently started watching your content love your Videos there very inspirational been thinking about getting involved in sailing so watching your content has been very helpful thanks brother
I used one on a S&S 34 from Brisbane to the Whitsunday Islands. Totally mesmerising!
It’s like magic
@SailorJames it becomes distracting. You have to scan the direction you're heading regularly.
thats just good seamanship
Amazing invention
Like magic
Really an interesting history of them! I sure remember that -"This Aint Good" moment. It couldnt have been much rougher 🌊I Loved Your Peanut Gallery! -They make a UV Protectant Spray for Fabric,(lots of em) it might help. Happy Vane Gain.
Oh that’s good to know about the spray 🙏🏻 thanks !
Thanks for your educationally entertaining style and content. Boat techy things are always interesting to a lot of us viewers and this was a very good description/explanation of a mysterious piece of critical gear.
Thanks for watching and the kind comment 🙏🏻
The automatic steering wind vane reminds me of a young fellow who sailed around the globe in the ‘70s. Similar size boat as yours.
His story was covered by National Geographic, in instalments as it went. First name Robin, iirc. Along the way he found a soul mate and married her, but I don’t recall her joining him on-board, just she flew to his ports of call.
Yep, “Dove” is a famous book, I saw his second boat in Hawaii laying in a state of disrepair.
@@SailorJames Thank you.
My grand father Henri Brun was the inventor of the Atom’s self steering vane.
Awesome!
Top stuff guys. Btw James, you know when you were communicating with the seagulls, you do realise they don't understand English.?? Yeah mate, there's always one in a crowd. 😮 Anyway looks like the vane is going to do the job eh.? Watch this space.
Thanks again for sharing. All the very best from across the ditch.
Why would Australian seagulls not understand English?
@SailorJames It's a throwaway comment mate. With a bit of kiwi humour included. 😇
And many thanks for sharing your knowledge on the history of the wind vane. Cheers.
😂😂😂
⛵ ❤
👍
@RoversAdventure developed a build it yourself windvane called the Mark III that you can build in your backyard on a reasonable budget, worth checking out. See his channel. Just crossed the Atlantic on a self built boat and raved about the MKIII the whole time.
Yeah in the 50s and 60s everyone built their own
@ what do you think the advantage of buying off the shelf v a diy project like that is? Reliability?
Very few people have the ability to make a DIY windvane that withstand the abuse of the open ocean
The new vane surface looks great, the tattered half flag looks terrible.
And where’s your Jolly Roger?!
You trying finding USA flags in foreign countries.
I think pirate flags are tacky cosplay, I am not a big fan of robbers, murderers and rapists
@@SailorJames Apology for the pirate flag question, except that I learned something. “Tacky cosplay” suggests that there are plenty of jerks that fly it.
I have very little knowledge of seagoing civilian culture, but know that the US Navy Destroyer USS Kidd is authorized to fly it.
Clear skies and fair winds to you both.
Too Legit to Quit.