Aries & other Windvanes

[Dave]

I'm looking into purchasing a used windvane and recently saw an Aries. Can anyone tell me more about this windvane? Any general information about windvanes is appreciated. I'll be using it on a 27-foot boat and plan to use it for 2-3 months of cruising a year.



Dave139@hotmail.com

[Bill]

I'm looking into purchasing a used windvane and recently saw an Aries. Can anyone tell me more about this windvane? Any general information about windvanes is appreciated. I'll be using it on a 27-foot boat and plan to use it for 2-3 months of cruising a year.

Dave

I too am very interested in this topic. I have read a couple of books that have been helpfull as well.

1. Self-steering for Sailing Craft by John S. Letcher, jr
provides detail technical info on how they work, characteristics of sailing craft, and haw to make several models.

2. Lee Woas (Waos??) has a book on self-steering wihtout a vane in which a lot (including CD 27) photos were used of CD's.

Monitor and Cape Horn both have web pages (addresses can be found in back of Cruising World). I dont know anything about Aries, but read an article on line about the sailboat Alavon of Arne (I think) which used on second hand to transit the Atlantic to the Carribean. Email at phaonr@hotmail.com.

Please share any additional info you receive?

Bill
S/V Rhapsody
CD 25D #148



willie@clnk.com

[Brad Phinney]

Tristan Jones' book on singlehanded cruising "One Hand for Yourself, One for the Ship" has a section with his comments on various self steering systems for small sailboats. I believe the Aries is one of the models he discusses (not sure - it was a while ago).

I'm looking into purchasing a used windvane and recently saw an Aries. Can anyone tell me more about this windvane? Any general information about windvanes is appreciated. I'll be using it on a 27-foot boat and plan to use it for 2-3 months of cruising a year.

Dave

I too am very interested in this topic. I have read a couple of books that have been helpfull as well.

1. Self-steering for Sailing Craft by John S. Letcher, jr
provides detail technical info on how they work, characteristics of sailing craft, and haw to make several models.

2. Lee Woas (Waos??) has a book on self-steering wihtout a vane in which a lot (including CD 27) photos were used of CD's.

Monitor and Cape Horn both have web pages (addresses can be found in back of Cruising World). I dont know anything about Aries, but read an article on line about the sailboat Alavon of Arne (I think) which used on second hand to transit the Atlantic to the Carribean. Email at phaonr@hotmail.com.

Please share any additional info you receive?

Bill
S/V Rhapsody
CD 25D #148

phinneb@war.wyeth.com

[Derek Hillen]

I have a Monitor Windvane on my CD 33. As I am a singlehander, next to the boat, this is the most important piece of equipment that I have. The Aries is the tried and tested windvane of the past. You will see it mentioned in all serious cruising texts written from when Blondie Hasler invented the thing right after WW2 until the mid '80s. From what I understand it was made in the UK. They have stopped making them and getting parts used to be very difficult. Apparently somebody in Europe is now supplying parts so this is not a major problem.
The Monitor is a stainless steel modification of the Aries, made by Scanmar Marine in Calif. It is great but costs over 3 grand.
Find out about the parts first and get the Aries.
If I have got any of this wrong, please feel free to correct me.
Cheers.

Derek

Tristan Jones' book on singlehanded cruising "One Hand for Yourself, One for the Ship" has a section with his comments on various self steering systems for small sailboats. I believe the Aries is one of the models he discusses (not sure - it was a while ago).

I'm looking into purchasing a used windvane and recently saw an Aries. Can anyone tell me more about this windvane? Any general information about windvanes is appreciated. I'll be using it on a 27-foot boat and plan to use it for 2-3 months of cruising a year.

Dave

I too am very interested in this topic. I have read a couple of books that have been helpfull as well.

1. Self-steering for Sailing Craft by John S. Letcher, jr
provides detail technical info on how they work, characteristics of sailing craft, and haw to make several models.

2. Lee Woas (Waos??) has a book on self-steering wihtout a vane in which a lot (including CD 27) photos were used of CD's.

Monitor and Cape Horn both have web pages (addresses can be found in back of Cruising World). I dont know anything about Aries, but read an article on line about the sailboat Alavon of Arne (I think) which used on second hand to transit the Atlantic to the Carribean. Email at phaonr@hotmail.com.

Please share any additional info you receive?

Bill
S/V Rhapsody
CD 25D #148