About Us

Will, Valerie, Karen, Linda, John in West Vancouver offices

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Since 1968 Derek Daniels of Nottingham, England invented and developed the first Hydrovane Self Steering Wind Vane . Over the years there have been 11 different models although the significant changes occurred in the 70's and 80's. In 2002, Derek retired and sold the business to John and Karen Curry . John is a chartered accountant and a sailor. In the late 1960s he worked on a charter boat in the Carribbean and sailed in the 1968 Transatlantic race on ‘Stormvogel’. In the early 1970s he and his wife to be, Karen, sailed from Panama to Tahiti. It was on that trip that the Curry’s developed a passion for cruising. In 1996 they took their teenage boys out of school for a year and sailed to Mexico for the winter and then back home to Vancouver via Hawaii.

The Hydrovane is still manufactured in Britain by our master craftsman Geoff Town. Sales and management takes place in Vancouver, Canada.

The Hydrovane is exhibited worldwide at boat shows including London, Düsseldorf, Southampton, San Francisco, Annapolis, Seattle and Vancouver. It is also the Corporate Member for Self Steering for ‘World Cruising’ - organizers for the ARC, World ARC, ARC Europe and more.

WILL CURRY - In April 2005 Will Curry, son of John & Karen joined Hydrovane in a sales capacity. Will completed his Bachelor of Business Administration including a term in International Marketing in Copenhagen, Denmark. His credentials also include a number of offshore voyages to Mexico, Galapagos, Hawaii and back to Vancouver and he has also served time on the 'dark side' as permanent crew on a 60' Jefferson power boat that he took down to Mexico for a winter. On those trips he became initmate with self steering and watermakers using both types of self steering systems: auxiliary rudder and servo pendulum and both types of watermakers: energy efficient and conventional high output. His passion for boating and knowledge of the business has made him a wonderful addition to the Hydrovane team.

ECHO TEC WATERMAKERS - In 2006, while exhibiting at the Dusseldorf boat show, the Curry's came to know Michael Bauza of Echo Tec Marine in Trinidad. Although a native of Dusseldorf, Michael is now established in Trinidad with a family and an expanding watermaker business. He first had a watermaker repair facility in Chaugaramus, the heart of Caribbean cruising, but soon felt he could do it better and developed a manufacturing facility with a 'best of components' line of products: a 'cruisers' watermaker' and a land based 'Beach House Series'. Both product lines have evolved into new lines for 'mega yachts' and medium sized land facilities for golf courses and small communities. Hydrovane now represents the Echo Tec Watermaker in North America and the UK.

Today’s HYDROVANE retains many features tested during more than 40 years of ocean voyaging. The initial concept was to achieve a better system than the then standard servo pendulums. The variable ratio linkage was the first important development. Major improvements like the ‘adjustable vane axis’, ‘precise course setting’ and the vane and rudder construction combine to make the HYDROVANE more versatile and reliable than any other system. Its ultimate virtue as an emergency backup steering system puts it ‘over the top’.

In the West Vancouver offices John Curry, Will Curry, Karen Curry, Linda Suter and Valerie Williams are looking forward to helping you with your self steering needs. Or you may find the Hydrovane booth at one of the boat shows where you will see John, Will and Karen.

John, Ben, Karen and Will Curry with Tilley
in Tenacatita Bay, Mexico, Feb./97

John Curry, B.A, C.A. - “After a full career as a chartered accountant I am overjoyed to be now in the yachting business – especially with a product that I am so proud of. Believe it or not my hours are worse than ever. I cannot wait to get to the office in the morning to see what new email has arrived. The website, product development, production and boat shows fill my week. I delight in technical enquiries and can always talk about boats forever. So please find us at a boat show or call or email.”

Will Curry, B.B.A. - “After graduating with a Bachelor of Business Administration including a term in International Marketing in Copenhagen, Denmark, I tried to convince myself that I needed to get a job in the corporate world. Very soon after landing a position with a finance company I realized where my passion was - BOATS. I have worked on both sail and power yachts since the age of eighteen which included trips to Mexico, Hawaii and the Galapagos islands - on boats with both auxiliary rudder and servo pendulum self steering systems - and both the energy efficient and conventional watermakers. This, along with my one year sailing adventure with my family has led me to Hydrovane. I look forward to dealing with different enquiries and like my father, can talk about boats forever.”

Karen Curry, B.F.A., M.Ed. - “I have been offshore previously with John, but the single most influential event in my life was our trip in 1996-7 to Mexico, Hawaii and back home to Vancouver – with our teenage boys Will and Ben. That adventure continues to be the glue that binds our family together to this day. SO DREAM BIG, GO FAR AND GO SOON!”

Geoff Town - our amazing master machinist, in his Nottingham shop has expertly built every HYDROVANE over the past 36 years - more than 4,500 units and still counting. In 1972 Geoff and another fellow started out on their own on the strength of a commitment from Derek to build all the Hydrovanes - and he has been doing so ever since. His genius at solving problems and fine eye for quality has insured that the Hydrovane is only improving over the years.

Linda Suter, BA - is no stranger to the Curry family having previously worked for Karen Curry Design for eight years. Athough a native of West Vancouver, an interesting highlight of her youth was the season she danced with the Kiev Ballet in the Soviet Union in 88/89.  With her skills in Customer Service, Project Coordination and some competence in French and Russian she looks forward to speaking personally to all Hydrovane customers. She confesses that reading her emails, full of the many fantastic adventures of Hydrovane customers around the world, is her secret pleasure.

Valerie Williams - Valerie will co-ordinate with you for the payment and delivery of new units or replacement parts.

"Originally from Surrey in the UK, I have been working on developing a Canadian accent for 40 years – so far unsuccessfully. During this time I have enjoyed a variety of experiences that include selling real-estate, working as a school office administrator, coordinating the British Columbia Psychologically Healthy Workplace Awards, representing a (now defunct) British airline and volunteering with the Red Cross. There, I led a team in developing software called “What’s Love got to do with it?” to help teenage students identify if their romantic relationships were abusive. Outside the office my personal passion is a rediscovered joy of horse riding."

Ted Hargreaves - Based on the Isle of Wight in the UK. In younger days Ted formed a company designing and building one off production machinery and ancillary products for the printing industry. More interestingly he has made two Atlantic crossings with his daughter, Nicola, both times encountering hurricanes on the return crossings - all with a Hydrovane on his 1937 13 ton Hillyard ketch which he still sails. He gets credit for the upgrade in our improved shaft bearing system and the latest version of our rudder - both projects of significant value......and more to come.

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John directing the labour from his couch ....... and Alice - told John to "get back to work - its my couch"