What if?

• Autopilot fails

• Batteries down

• Engine won’t start

• Steering broken

• Rudder damaged

• Crew incapacitated

No worries!! HYDROVANE can safely sail you to port in all of these situations - whether it is ten miles or thousands of miles. Let HYDROVANE be your best partner in achieving your dream. For ease of use, versatility and reliability HYDROVANE surpasses all other self steering systems.

What is a Hydrovane?

HYDROVANE is both:

• Self Steering System - easiest to operate, no lines in the cockpit – excellent on all points of sail and in all conditions
• Emergency Rudder and Steering System ‘Ready to Go’ - completely separate rudder and steering system

'Next generation' HYDROVANE is truly the finest self steering system produced. Its impressive engineering matches or betters the features of any other system for: ease of use, performance,versatility and reliability.

What will a Hydrovane do for me?

A HYDROVANE on your boat will make short handed sailing so much easier, the vessel's motion will be greatly improved and your confidence in your yacht and equipment will be significantly enhanced.

HYDROVANE is your best insurance against the unexpected

• Loss of power
  
• Loss of rudder or steering
• Loss of autopilot
• Loss of human energy
  

EnjoyShort-Handed Sailing

• User friendly - easiest to operate
• Gives confidence in boat and equipment

Survive against the elements

• Faultless and Steady in All Conditions
• Superbly engineered
• Just won’t break down
• Over 4,500 units built since 1968

Dependable Extra Crew Member

• Doesn’t quit …….. on duty 24 hours a day
• Quietly and naturally performs its duties ....... needs no attention
• Consumes no power …… and never talks back!

ADAMS 44 - ARC 2005 - photo Tim Wright of Photo Action

After 40 years of production and development and over 4,500 units sold, we believe the HYDROVANE is the finest gear available. We assure new owners that they will enjoy many years of trouble-free service. Performance is excellent on all points of sail and in all conditions – HYDROVANE owners consistently tell us so.

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Leslie Powles, 1981 'Yachtsman of the Year' - rounding Cape Horn with his Hydrovane

Units, similar to the above, although maybe 30 years old, have recently sold on ebay for US$2,500

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Ovni 385 with 'STUBBY' Vane - leaving Porto Santo Madeira - Photo courtesy of Charlie Tait

Note - Remote course setting line attached to stanchion - No lines to wheel!

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March 2008

INTRODUCTION TO HYDROVANE

The HYDROVANE is the product of an engineer’s lifetime passion. It is a hybrid of 30 years of development. Derek Daniels, an engineer from Nottingham, England was the founder and inventor of the Hydrovane and made it his life’s work. Nothing would please him more than to identify a weakness or an inadequacy that he could improve upon on. It is truly the easiest to install, easiest to operate and easiest to maintain of all the windvanes. We send cruisers off with a parts bag that is virtually empty - perhaps only a vane cover and some pins in case they are dropped overboard. Circumnavigators consistently return home without a need for replacement parts and breakdowns are almost non-existent.

TOTALLY SEPARATE STEERING SYSTEM – FULLY OPERATIONAL BACK-UP OR EMERGENCY STEERING - IN PLACE AND 'READY TO GO' - The HYDROVANE’s auxiliary rudder system involves a completely separate rudder from the main rudder. There are no lines connecting it to the main rudder. It incorporates a true back-up rudder and steering system. We know of situations where the main rudder mechanism failed but the vessel carried on for months of cruising using only the Hydrovane for steering, while waiting for replacement parts for their main rudder steering - cruising as if nothing was amiss. The Hydrovane doubles as the best emergency steering system.

A ‘USER FRIENDLY’ SYSTEM – TRULY THE EASIEST - The technique for operating the HYDROVANE is for the main rudder to be locked in a balancing position that compensates or eliminates any weather helm. Then HYDROVANE’s rudder does all the steering. The vane is set with its leading edge into the wind and the ratio knob ‘gear shift’ is pulled out and engaged ‘clicked into gear’ – into one of three positions. It is as simple as that. Once the boat veers off course the wind pushes the vane over, which, in turn, causes the rudder to respond to bring the vessel back on course. Power for the system is derived from the large vane and some sophisticated linkage to the rudder. Because the rudder is semi balanced it requires little effort to move it.

Typically first time users marvel that when put into gear that it ‘just works’! – no tedious teething or tuning needed

COURSE CONTROL – The bane of any self steering system is in not providing the right amount course correction when necessary – resulting in over steering or under steering producing ‘snake’ wakes – and excessive ‘yaw’ caused by over steering made worse by the sea conditions. The HYDROVANE is the only system with a 1) variable axis that permits adjustment of sensitivity and 2) three settings for differing power and pitch of the rudder. These two features produce an ability to ‘straighten’ the boat’s course in a calm sea and greatly reduce yaw in a heavy sea. The result is a steadier boat motion and more direct course. No other system offers this flexibility.

LIGHT AIRS - The shortcoming of many systems is their inability to deal with light airs when going downwind - the nirvana for offshore cruisers - gentle tradewinds. If there is enough wind for the sails then there will be enough wind for the HYDROVANE as there is so little friction in the system and the balanced rudder requires relatively little effort to control. Depending on the sea a Hydrovane should be effective in 3 to 6 knots of apparent wind.

STORM MODE - YAW DAMPING IN A STORM – In a heavy sea when course changes must be immediate and forceful there is no system that can beat the speed of Hydrovane’s auxiliary rudder. In a fraction of a second, its rudder is flopped over to the opposite direction as the boat is thrown like a cork. In comparison, a helmsman or an autopilot must labor for precious seconds to get the rudder to the desired correction – often finally over correcting. The HYDROVANE not only has the advantage of such course corrections made on an instantaneous basis but it can also: 1) dampen its sensitivity and 2) adjust the amount of steerage applied (as described above - see ‘Course Control’). In a storm you want the self steering to be immediate, forceful and controlled but not nervous. Unlike other systems you can set the HYDROVANE in a ‘storm mode’ that tempers its actions to greatly reduce the violent yaws producing a calmer boat motion and more direct or faster course - even under 'bare poles' in the worst weather with the crew tucked safely below waiting out the storm.

UNLIKE SERVO PENDULUMS – CAN BE USED IN TANDEM WITH AUTOPILOT ON MAIN STEERING - To further simplify operation you may also run your autopilot on the main rudder simultaneously with the HYDROVANE. Then you have two rudders operating instead of one – enormous steerage power. This technique is convenient for sail changes, engaging and disengaging and very helpful in storms. It is very comforting to know that you can always click on your autopilot when control/balance is being challenged and just as easily click it off when control is regained – without upsetting the operation of the HYDROVANE. This cannot be done by most other systems.

MATERIALS AND DURABILITY - The cast nylon solid rudder ( 3 sq. ft. or .28 sq. m. ) has a virtually perfect record over the twenty years we have used it. The 1¼” (31.75mm) solid 316 stainless steel shaft which is housed in a 2” (50mm)  316 seamless tube,  0.125” (3.175mm)  thick is also immune to failure ...... unless it is used as a bumper against a concrete wharf etc. The top bearing has nylon ball bearings housed in delrin fittings which produce a nearly frictionless movement - with only water as a cleanser and no lubricant. There is no other self steering gear produced with a track record of as few breakages as HYDROVANE. The reason is simply found in the high quality of the HYDROVANE’s components and a design philosophy biased to over-engineer.

CORROSION - Over the years Derek has created a windvane unit that is virtually immune to corrosion. Hydrovane’s twenty or so aluminum castings are all made of a quality that is best suited for its protective anodizing. There are also a large number of machined fittings made of ‘delrin’ - a plastic with a hardness that is like a metal. Typical of sophisticated yacht equipment, such as modern self-furling gear, the construction of a HYDROVANE employs a mix of stainless steel, aluminum and plastics. Corrosion or electrolysis caused by differing metals in a salt water environment is avoided by isolating the metals using methods such as anodized aluminum, delrin separators and corrosion inhibitors. The results are units devoid of any significant corrosion after many years and miles.

CLEAN ELEGANT PROFILE – The HYDROVANE presents a clean single 2” (5 cm.) shaft on your transom with only two supporting brackets. The obstruction to the transom is minimal leaving room for dinghies on davits and use of swim platforms and boarding ladders.

OFF CENTRE - A bonus for boats with swim platforms is that the HYDROVANE can be positioned to compliment the swim platform - not obstruct it. The unit can be offset to one side for the use of steps and swim ladder and the shaft and bracket struts can be positioned to double as well located handholds.

REMOVABLE RUDDER AND VANE - When not in use the rudder is easily removed by simply pulling out a locking pin. Because it is not easy to install at sea it is best put on at the beginning of a passage. On entering a marina the locking pin can easily be 'popped out' with a boat hook and the rudder shipped aboard by its tether - always keep a line on it - just in case. The vane is removed in a second or so by spinning free its locking knob - handy for ketches.

TILLER STYLE AUTOPILOT RETROFIT FOR MOTORING - Another ideal back-up is the addition of a tiller style autopilot retrofitted to the HYDROVANE for use when motoring. Because the rudder is balanced it requires little power to operate and needs only an inexpensive ‘tiller pilot’.

INSURANCE – Insurers in the know about offshore cruising provide better rates on boat insurance or reduce the minimum crew member requirement for offshore cruising if your boat has a Hydrovane.

DISADVANTAGES OF HAVING ONLY AN AUTOPILOT:

• Excessive dependence on power –failure of any one of thousands of parts can render an autopilot useless.
• Autopilots cannot run forever – break-downs do occur.
• Hard or impossible to keep boat in trim - oblivious to wind shifts, risk of accidental gibes
• Challenged in heavy weather - not fast enough, always catching up, increased probability of break-downs,
• Hand steering is not an acceptable back-up for a short-handed exhausted crew.

ADVANTAGES OF HAVING BOTH A MECHANICAL SELF STEERING DEVICE AND AN AUTOPILOT:

The autopilot is a wonderful device. It is the only solution for motoring and very adequate for short passages. A mechanical self steering device is the ideal solution for long passages:

• No electrical demands for steering when sailing
• Peaceful/quiet operation of self steering - no motors or engines
• No worry of break-downs that can render the autopilot useless

No matter how 'improved' autopilots become the role of a mechanical self steering for an offshore cruiser will always be the primary workhorse of the extended passage. It is your best crew: tireless, dependable and quiet……….and it requires no electricity.

Why should I choose a HYDROVANE over a servo pendulum or an autopilot?

• NEXT GENERATION system provides more and better steering than any other system.
• BEST emergency steering and rudder system – fully operational ‘ready to go’
• No unwieldy lines in the cockpit – just ‘click into gear' – so easy to use
• Security of steerage – gives confidence in boat and equipment
• Naturally stable with fixed main rudder - less yaw, more comfortable, faster and safer
• Unmatched course control - only system able to adjust power and sensitivity - can 'straighten your wake' in a calm sea and greatly reduce yaw in heavy seas
• Superior in light airs downwind - the weak point of many systems is light airs - so little friction in the Hydrovane system - performs in as little as 3 to 6 knots apparent
• Heavy weather mode - Reduced yaw, immediate course correction- better boat motion, shorter passages
• Outperforms autopilots - durability, response speed, keeps boat trimmed to the wind
• Solves autopilot risk - vulnerability to failure, dependence on electricity, inability to follow the wind
• Elegant, clean profile - permits use of davits, boarding ladders,swim platformsetc.
• Flexibility in positioning of brackets - no critical location requirements – simple to install
• Can be installed 'off center' - to accommodate boarding ladders, swim platforms etc.
• Agnostic – works on any boat - suitable for applications that are difficult or impossible for other systems: multihulls, off centre, hydraulic steering, external rudders, centre cockpits and stiff steering
• Can be used in tandem with autopilot on main steering - unlike servo pendulums - helpful in storms, convenient for sail changes or even when engaging and disengaging the HYDROVANE.
• Negligible maintenance and virtually indestructible

REPORTS FROM THOSE THAT SWITCH FROM A SERVO PENDULUM SYSTEM TO A HYDROVANE

Those that have converted from a servo pendulum system to a Hydrovane usually do so to regain the use of their cockpits and to have the comfort of knowing they have an effective back up steering system. Once they have experienced the Hydrovane they report to us:

• The pleasure in no longer having those lines in the cockpit.
• Surprise at how easy it is to engage and disengage - remembering the hassle of tensioning and fiddling with those lines.
• "Magical" they say about its performance downwind in light airs.
• No regrets - nothing lost in performance
• Confidence and comfort in knowing that a back-up steering system is in place

HISTORY - In May of 2002 my wife, Karen, and I bought the HYDROVANE business from Derek as he was determined to retire. Derek did not have a website or computer let alone a listed phone number for Hydrovane. The large numbers of HYDROVANES sold are a result of the wonderful reputation of the units. All HYDROVANES are still being constructed in the same shop in Nottingham under the supervision of master craftsman Geoffrey Town who has built each of the preceding 4,500 units.

ABOUT THE CURRYS – I began ocean sailing on a converted English ‘12 metre’ charter boat in the Caribbean in 1967 and then did the 1968 Trans Atlantic Race on a famous Dutch seventy-three footer, ‘Stormvogel’. In 1972 with my wife to be, Karen, we cruised the South Pacific on an Australian forty footer. The highlight of our lives was in 1996-97, when we took our two teenaged boys out of school for one year and sailed to Mexico and Hawaii and back from Vancouver. Our boat was a Spencer 44 center cockpit. It had a very old RVG auxiliary rudder style self steering. Not until we returned home were we able to find a used Hydrovane...... and one thing led to the next. Purchasing HYDROVANE has allowed us to be active in the cruising life with a product we are extremely proud of. We are traveling the world now with HYDROVANE and will be exhibiting at these boat shows: London, Oakland, Seattle, Southampton, Annapolis and Vancouver. In April 2005 our son Will joined Hydrovane. He now has a business degree but has paid his way through college by working on boats – including an extra couple of years out of school - one to sail to the Galapagos and another to take a boat back to Mexico - experienced with both auxiliary rudder and servo pendulum steering systems and both the energey efficient and conventional water makers. So please find our booth at one of those shows to see Karen, Will or I.

After 40 years of production and development, we believe that the HYDROVANE is the finest gear available, and our customers are assured of many years of trouble free service. Performance should be excellent on all points of sale and in all conditions – HYDROVANE owners consistently tell us so.

Sincerely,

John Curry, HYDROVANE International Marine Inc.

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OVER THE TOP!

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’!

'EMERGENCY STEERING' IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT!

HYDROVANE is a true second steering system - 'IN PLACE' and 'READY TO GO' 

IT JUST WORKS

Typically first time users marvel that when put into gear that it ‘just works’. No tedious teething or tuning needed.

NATURALLY STABLE

With the main rudder locked in a position that eliminates weather helm the boat becomes naturally stable.

Starlight 39

CONFIDENCE

A HYDROVANE  on your boat will make short handed sailing so much easier, the vessel's motion will be greatly improved and your confidence in your yacht and equipment will be significantly enhanced.

MULTIHULLS

Hydrovanes have been positioned almost everywhere on cats and tris - way off centre - even at the extremity, at the end of a pontoon on a 50 foot (18 m.) catamaran. All have glowing reports.

SOPHISTICATED

With ease, HYDROVANE gives a more comfortable ride:

• Straighter course – faster
• Calmer – less yaw
• …safer!

Hallberg Rassy 40 - ARC Finish - note Duogen trawling generator

TRIED & PROVEN

Just as diesel engines have not replaced sails as the best method of crossing an ocean - autopilots cannot beat the quiet reliabilty of mechanical self steering on ocean passages.

YOUR BEST CREW

No matter how 'improved' autopilots become mechanical self steering for an offshore cruiser will always be the primary workhorse of the extended passage. It is your best crew: tireless, dependable and quiet...and it requires no electricity.