The presence of wind powered self-steering is one of the surest ways to tell if a sailboat is used for passage making (sailing for extend times to different destinations). And Kaleo will soon enough be among the ranks of those boats. A wind powered self-steering system uses the wind to steer the boat on a steady course and once set, doesn’t require anyone to be at the helm. When sailing somewhere more than a few hours away, hand steering can be tiring and it’s hard to stay on the correct course after hours at the helm.
Cape Horn – Integrated Self-Steering System Schematic
We recently ordered our Cape Horn self-steering system and are now in the 6-8 week build window, anxiously awaiting its arrival. We did a lot of research on self-steering gear (in fact Matt read up on this topic before we even owned a boat) and considered many brands and types – Monitor, Hydrovane, self-made. We ultimately landed on the Cape Horn for three reasons:
- Its reputation among the blue water sailing community
- Its integration into the hull structure
- A recommendation from an Aloha 34 owner who sailed with it to the South Pacific
Custom made for each vessel, the Cape Horn is built in Canada and will arrive via UPS in the next few weeks. Expect some pics of us unwrapping the system and a post or two detailing the install.
For the crusing inclined, read on about our reasoning for going with a wind vane over an autopilot. There are advantages to both systems and since they both cost about the same we chose the wind vane because it:
- Requires zero power
- Functions no matter what the boat systems are doing (important if you’re offshore for extended periods of time)
- Requires crew dilegence in monitoring the wind and course (There is potential that an autopilot gives you an excuse to be lazy)
- Doesn’t involve a computer. After all, part of going cruising is to get away from daily dependence on computers :)
- It makes the boat look like a true blue water cruiser, which is very important for your in-port credibility!
Lastly, I can’t say enough about how great Yves Gélinas, owner, designer, and builder of Cape Horns was during the research and order process. Matt had so many questions that Yves answered and he even had numerous phone calls with Matt to talk him through the measurement and optimal install for Kaleo.
Right on! Good choice. No other piece of gear will add more to the safety of your voyage.
Quick tip: if you can (when doing the install) think about a way that you might jury-rig an auxiliary rudder if you lost steering or control of the boat’s rudder. This can be as simple as a welded tang on the vane’s mounting post or as complex as a separate steering tube.
Why do I bring this up?
We personally know five boats who lost steering completely while underway. One lost hydraulics and went to emergency tiller on their skeg-hung rudder. The emergency tiller was not powerful enough to steer the boat. Two boats broke the rudder stock/steering tube and lost all control of their rudder (one was on departure from Mazatlan and they ended up on the rocks). Two sheered their rudders clean off.
Sinking / flooding of course is the most critical emergency you can face on board. Fire is second, but loss of steering is third-way more critical than even a dismasting. Auxiliary steering is also one of the easier to prepare for before you leave.
Hi Christie and Matt!
Thanks for looking at our blog! I finally (after over a month!?) updated it with our most recent adventures in Banderas Bay. You’re more than welcome to follow along our blog- and we’ll be checking out how you guys are when we have internet as well!
It looks like the two of you have been busy with all the joys of owning a boat… spending money and fixing things!
One thing that both Eric and I have noticed while sailing down here in Mexico is that almost everyone has a windvane- and almost nobody uses them… that being said, we are fanatics with our windvane… when it’s windy enough to use it.
Eric spent two years cruising by himself before I joined him on Nanu. Before his first southern trip, he installed a Norvane windvane, which has been working for us ever since!
We’re both firm believers that if you have to figure out the ropes for yourself. More than likely if anyone cruises for any extended period of time we’ll find things that are obsolete (that people told you you should have) and other things are absolutely necessary (like a self-steering mechanism).
Nanu has both a windvane and an autopilot. The captain’s reasoning: It’s not always going to be windy enough, which may leave you for hours with your hand on the tiller (or wheel) until the wind comes up enough to get your windvane going again. Not that that’s a bad thing- we all love streering a boat… but not for days’ straight… although we do know people who have done it… and enjoyed it…
Both Eric and I have a close friend who is an avid sailor who has been down here for the last three years. His girlfriend and him came down the Baja with only a windvane. You can only guess what they purchased once in Mexico.
That being said…
Keep up the great work!
Take everything I say (and everyone else’s wisdomosity) with a grain of salt. We all have our own ways of doing things that we think is best.
Ultimately, it’s your adventure and it would be no fun if there were no hoops you had to jump through and no “never again” stories to share with fellow cruisers!
Fair winds,
Rach (S/V Nanu)
The Cape Horn was very high in the running for us too. It looks like a fantastic piece of kit.