Cape Horn windvane

[Anonymous]

To my knowledge, Cape Horn windvanes have been installed on at least two 424’s. I’d be interested in
communicating with those owners if you’re online, or if anyone can direct me to them.

Thanks,

Tor
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Silver Heels, P-424 #17
http://www.SilverHeels.us
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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[jontitus]

Hi Tor
I have Bel Canto, a 424 ketch, hull 99 -1980, with a Cape Horn windvane. I like it- the design is good the materials strong, the company ( the owner designer) very helpful. But I have not had much chance to use it. I have sailed with Aries and Monitor windvanes on other boats and this seems certainly comparable, perhaps superior in strength and simplicity.
We are sailing now in Nova Scotia again ( just sailed over from Maine) and plan on putting the Cape Horn to some tests. I’ll let you know

Jon

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[Anonymous]

Jon,

Monday evening I emailed Cape Horn to ask whether they had made any windvanes for 424’s. Owner Yves Gelinas
replied the next day saying, “We have built two self-steering gears for the Pearson 424 ketch…” I ee’d him
back asking for those owners’ contact info, but he may not want to divulge that kind of information without
the client’s permission. So I thought I’d check with the group, too. I’m in the “serious consideration” stage
of a Cape Horn windvane for Silver Heels. My intention is to combine it with a low-draw tiller autopilot for
all-in-one self-steering.

Regarding the Cape Horn’s installation, I believe I’ve resolved most of the external obstruction issues, at
least in my own mind – protruding mizzen boom, davits, aft cockpit dodger/bimini – but would be very
interested to hear how they affect the vane’s performance when you’ve had a chance to experiment. I still have
some close measuring to do to decide exactly how I’d configure the installation. In particular, I’m interested
to know just where the CH quadrant lies in your boat (forward or aft of the lazarette’s forward bulkhead), and
how you ran the control lines into the cockpit and where/how you secure them. Also, where would you connect a
tiller-drive autopilot? And, of course, any and all of your personal observations, etc.

Thanks,

Tor
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Silver Heels, P-424 #17
http://www.SilverHeels.us
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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[unabated]

I am waiting for your leg work to be completed Tor,
because I have yet to resolve the same issues. Davits,
solar panels, Mizzen boom…. yikes…. gets a little
crowded back there!!
alan
— Silver Heels <> wrote:

Quote:

Jon,

Monday evening I emailed Cape Horn to ask whether
they had made any windvanes for 424’s. Owner Yves
Gelinas
replied the next day saying, “We have built two
self-steering gears for the Pearson 424 ketch…” I
ee’d him
back asking for those owners’ contact info, but he
may not want to divulge that kind of information
without
the client’s permission. So I thought I’d check with
the group, too. I’m in the “serious consideration”
stage
of a Cape Horn windvane for Silver Heels. My
intention is to combine it with a low-draw tiller
autopilot for
all-in-one self-steering.

Regarding the Cape Horn’s installation, I believe
I’ve resolved most of the external obstruction
issues, at
least in my own mind – protruding mizzen boom,
davits, aft cockpit dodger/bimini – but would be
very
interested to hear how they affect the vane’s
performance when you’ve had a chance to experiment.
I still have
some close measuring to do to decide exactly how I’d
configure the installation. In particular, I’m
interested
to know just where the CH quadrant lies in your boat
(forward or aft of the lazarette’s forward
bulkhead), and
how you ran the control lines into the cockpit and
where/how you secure them. Also, where would you
connect a
tiller-drive autopilot? And, of course, any and all
of your personal observations, etc.

Thanks,

Tor
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Silver Heels, P-424 #17
http://www.SilverHeels.us
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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[Anonymous]

Hi Alan,

Yes, it does get crowded back there, but my preliminary measurements suggest it can be done. There will,
however, be some inevitable, probably acceptable compromises. For example, on Silver Heels I might have to
tilt the inflatable in the davits so that the bottom is facing aft to some extent, rather than carrying it
fully horizontal (unless I extend the davit arms a little). Also, the mizzen sail and possibly the
dodger/bimini may interfere with the real apparent wind reaching the vane in tact when beating, but with
reasonable sail trim our boats will self-steer to windward without any external device, and/or the mizzen can
always be doused to clear the air for the vane if necessary.

Another consideration is the Cape Horn’s provision for attaching a low draw tiller arm autopilot belowdecks,
something I’d definitely like to do. However, it seems to me the autopilot installed as they suggest would be
inaccessible on our boats for instant attachment and removal. I suspect we’d have to make that connection on
deck, which can, of course, be done on any windvane.

I had a Monitor on my last boat and liked it, but this Cape Horn features some attractive qualities, not the
least of which is the elimination of steering lines crisscrossing the cockpit. Clearly, though, I’ve still got
a good bit of head scratching do to. Am open to any and all input from you, the group or anyone else.

Tor
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Silver Heels, P-424 #17
http://www.SilverHeels.us
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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[Paul Lefebvre]

Tor:

I will also be interested in hearing how this turns out. While I had heard
of Cape Horn before, I had never checked out their web site. I didn’t
realize that they are made less than 2 hours from me. I like the design, as
I was never fond of having the lines running across the cockpit. If
something critical needed to be measured out or tried on the boat, I may be
able to assist.

As far as the dinghy davits go, I would have thought that the use of the
davits and windvane would be at different times. While offshore, where you
are likely to use the windvane, the dinghy will likely be stored out of the
way on the foredeck.

Paul

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[Anonymous]

Hi Paul,

Thanks for your offer of assistance, and your input. I agree with you about the davits/windvane use not
normally coinciding, but I think the windvane will still encroach on my davit-slung inflatable’s
forward-facing pontoon whether or not the vane is in use. The Cape Horn will be much better in this regard
than most other vanes because it normally mounts quite close to the transom. Still, it must necessarily take
up some space back there. My dinghy is deflated and stowed at the moment, so I have not had a chance to
measure exactly how much room there is between it and the transom. Anyway, as I said it’s not a deal killer
for me.

I confess I’m always looking for a deal on boat gear. I believe 18 or 20 of us did all right negotiating a
favorable bulk order price on mast pulpits a few months ago. (I finally mounted mine and am very pleased with
them.) If there are a number of us in the group who ultimately decide to go with a Cape Horn windvane, perhaps
we could band together again and negotiate ourselves a group rate. Anyway, it wouldn’t hurt to ask if it turns
out that several of us are ready around the same time.

Tor
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Silver Heels, P-424 #17
http://www.SilverHeels.us
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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[madsailor]

Hi Tor,

A bit off subject, but if you had a Monitor already mounted, would you change?

Thanks,

Bob

On Wed, Aug 6, 2008 at 12:14 PM, Silver Heels < ([email][/email])> wrote:

Hi Paul,

Thanks for your offer of assistance, and your input. I agree with you about the davits/windvane use not
normally coinciding, but I think the windvane will still encroach on my davit-slung inflatable's
forward-facing pontoon whether or not the vane is in use. The Cape Horn will be much better in this regard
than most other vanes because it normally mounts quite close to the transom. Still, it must necessarily take
up some space back there. My dinghy is deflated and stowed at the moment, so I have not had a chance to
measure exactly how much room there is between it and the transom. Anyway, as I said it's not a deal killer
for me.

I confess I'm always looking for a deal on boat gear. I believe 18 or 20 of us did all right negotiating a
favorable bulk order price on mast pulpits a few months ago. (I finally mounted mine and am very pleased with
them.) If there are a number of us in the group who ultimately decide to go with a Cape Horn windvane, perhaps
we could band together again and negotiate ourselves a group rate. Anyway, it wouldn't hurt to ask if it turns
out that several of us are ready around the same time.

Tor
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Silver Heels, P-424 #17
http://www.SilverHeels.us
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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[Anonymous]

Hey Bob,

As long as the Monitor steers well and doesn’t interfere with other installations, why change?

Tor
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Silver Heels, P-424 #17
http://www.SilverHeels.us
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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