Windvane Steering

[Robert Sheridan]

Hi all,
We would like to fit windvane steering to our Tiki 30 at some point and I am trying to work out the best way to do it. Unfortnalely I do not think we have suitable deckspace for the wharram design solution and we need something that we can adjust without leaving the cockpit. We have a old boom as a aft netting beam which we could put a fitting on but not sure if it would be adequate as I can't see how to triangulate the fitting.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

[Robert Sheridan]

Found a source of bespoke windvanes for smaller boats in Devon, UK called Sea Feather. Looks a good product and hope to get in a visit soon prior to placing an order.

[Robert Sheridan]

We have fitted the Sea Feather and it works great, even downwind and in gusty conditions. We added a douglas fir aft beam with a walkway out to it (recycled our old open bridge deck) and the windvane system just bolted on to the beam.
The supplier recommended a 2nd tiller bar for the control lines to be attached to, but it requires us to go to the back of the boat to engage and disengage the linkage when ever we tack or need to take evasive action which we dont like plus it fouls the horse and control lines for the mainsheet; so we are experimenting with the hook for the linkage being on the original tiller bar with control lines lead out to and along the tillers and hence to the hook. Has anyone any other suggestions?
Attached is a picture of the set up with the 2nd tiller bar, no vane and the blade raised out of the water.

[Jeff Kittle]

Ann
They may not need them, but here are some photos of what you were talking about. The one of the tiller pilot is too close up.

[Ann and Neville Clement]

Robert, I think you might borrow an inexpensive tiller pilot and try it on your small Tiki. I have heard of that working on a small Wharram where the push rod was attached to the tiller crossbar directly and the body of the tiller pilot was attached to the aft end of the cockpit where it was easily reached for adustment purposes and to connect and disconnect. It would be worth a try, in my opinion. I realize that the tiller pilot instructions usually say to attach the push rod about 16 inches from the rudder post, but I would experiment with the pushrod attached to the tiller crossbar anyway. Wharrams are light on the helm and steer as if on rails. It might work well enough for you. We will all be waiting to hear your results. Ann and NEv

[Robert Sheridan]

We do have a tiller pilot which was hooked up to the rudders, but we had a couple of experiences of it cutting out and doing a sharp turn so do not trust it, hence the wind vane steering. I actually now suspect that the original set up had too much friction in it when doing large corrections so we are going to try setting it up again with either a better universal joint or on to the windvane system with the push rod link replacing the air vane as in the photos from Jeff (thanks Jeff). We reckon we need the tillerpilot for inshore sailing when the course steered is a priority. Will update the post when I have done it.

We have used the wind vane a few times now and have been really impressed; Most of the times we have used the system it has been in strong, shifty and gusty conditions around the Solent and it is coped no proble plus, using the remote adjustment lines you can even steer the boat down a channel!!!

[Ann and Neville Clement]

Another thing to concern you re any kind of electric steering device is interference from other electronic or magnetic instruments of devices. My jack knife, my ship's radio, and other things have caused my old boat to turn off course. Ann and NEv

[Robert Sheridan]

That is interesting, the original location of our tillerpilot was right by the radio, GPS and navtex. I will definitely relocate!

[Russell and Janet Puryear]

I'm making the JW design for my Tiki 26. What area is appropriate for the vane?

[laurent]

what do you think of that wind vane . It is old model by QME then PLASTIMO . Is it worth for pahi 26 ?

 

 

[Robert Sheridan]

An update: we believe that the problems we had with the tillerpilot were because of the weight of the tillers; I there is a big course correction the tillerpilot is overwhelmed by the inertia of the tillers. We are now using shock cord on the tillers to help get them back towards centre when there is a big course correction. This does Not rule out that electronic interference was occuring as well.

[Ann and Neville Clement]

On my old monohull and also on Peace, we find that we must eliminate all the fricition and sticktion we can and be sure everything runs free. the blocks are fair so the steering lines don't drag etc.  We use best quality blocks and best quality non stretch line for any steering system  and make sure the rudders turn easily with minimum effort.  All that fuss really is worth the bother because it is so nice to have reliable self steering so you can relax and enjoy the view and your lunch or just a day dream.  The Wharram stitched on rudders need just enough tight and just enough slack to work well and it is the same with the steering lines to the self steering.  I always found it good to put in a tiny bit of lee helm so the windvane would be more sensitive and not have to take up any slack as it would if you had it perfectly balanced.  It is hard for me to describe this, but maybe one of you can say it better.  I love to watch any kind of self steering working.  It makes the boat seem to have a will of its own and it is just a joy to see it when it all works right.

[Robert Sheridan]

Picture of the tillerpilot setup we are currently using.  The long rod is a cut down carbon fibre skiff tiller extension; We tried using the same for the rod coming from the tiller but it was not stiff enough so will revert to stainless.  The joint is a standard dinghy tiller extension swivel from RWO.

Robert Sheridan said:

An update: we believe that the problems we had with the tillerpilot were because of the weight of the tillers; I there is a big course correction the tillerpilot is overwhelmed by the inertia of the tillers. We are now using shock cord on the tillers to help get them back towards centre when there is a big course correction. This does Not rule out that electronic interference was occuring as well.