Self-Steering book free on the web...

[Didereaux]

http://www.windpilot.com/

This is an absolute must have book. It covers almost all aspects of self-steering gear as regards wind-vanes and autopilots(alas not sheet to tiller however). The book is well illustrated with lots of photos and drawings. Gives in depth information on auto-pilots, how to determine the correct one for your boat, comparisons of different makes, and does the same for most of the commercially available windvanes as well. An EXCELLENT book, worth actually printing out and binding it. About 140+ pgs,,,and get this! It's FREE! No joke.

Enjoy!
http://www.windpilot.com/

[barfwinkle]

[Tracuman]

Yes, and the steering information isn't bad either

[Dick Barthel]

I thought I had collected every single-handing and self-steering book known to man! Thanks for the tip.

[Sea Hunt]

Is anyone else having a problem accessing the website posted by Didereaux?

When I click on the website posted by Didereaux (or type it in myself), the website comes up on the screen. Then, a Microsoft Internet Explorer box appears that says:

"Click to run ActiveX control on this web page." There is a small "OK" box below this. When I click on the "OK" box, I get a notice that says an error has occurred in the system and it is shutting down. I then get kicked out of Internet Explorer and have to log back in. I have tried this 4-5 times. Same process, same results.

I do not have a clue what "ActiveX" is. I am also computer illiterate. To make matters worse, my next door neighbor's 10 year old son is not available.

I have a DELL computer with Windows XP Home. While I will be very grateful for any suggestions, please make sure any suggestions are expressed in very, very simple terms. As "The Admiral" so often says "there's not much up there to work with".

Any suggestions?

I know this is not technically a CD or sailing question, but if anyone can offer any suggestion(s), it would be much appreciated.

[Tod Mills]

you might try this direct link to the pdf file.

I'm not real up on Active-X either.

http://www.windpilot.com/Grafiken/pdf/bookeng.pdf

Hope this works for you.

[Sea Hunt]

Hello Tod:

Thank very much. Your link worked great

I have downloaded the article and put it in my sailing folder on my computer.

I was then able to open it and briefly browse through it. It looks like some complicated stuff for a dummy like me but it should be educational reading.

My plan as of now is to tell "the Admiral" I figured out how to access the site on my own. That story should last all of about 1-2 days.

Again, thanks

[Dick Barthel]

I am a book collector and I have managed to accumulate (much to my wife's dismay) more than 250 sailing titles. After going to Dider's webpage cite I remembered trying to get that particular book a few years back through my usual sources. Apparently it is fairly rare. I finally gave up because I had learned that the text was primarily about wind vanes. I wanted it for what it had on auto pilots. There is really scant information on the effective use of auto pilots as far as I've been able to discover.

I don't want to print 140 pages but downloading it is a pretty good idea. I think I'll take another look for the book as well.

Thanks again Dider for sharing your many discoveries with us.

[Didereaux]

Dick,
250? Wow! Mine is just barely around the 100 mark, but I have the feeling that your wifes dismay is shared equally with mine. heh we'll have to swap lists, to check for dupes. My latest was the obtaining of a xeroxed copy of the Lee Woas book, and it has been hinted that after nearly 40 years Santa may actually deliver a copy of 'Ashleys' Book of Knots'...one can only wait with bated breath, an d subjugating emotions lest a reindeer fall ill or afoul of a well armed Texas sportsman..

Normally I do not condone such wholesale infringements, but with the publisher refusing to re-issue and existing copies going at ~$100+ I said what the hey, come and get me!. It is the definitive book insofar as sheet to tiller steering methods go. And when combined with Letchers book you can say with certainty little else is to be explained.

As for this latest find, I was as shocked as anyone else to find that it was being released to the public free of charge. There are so many more publications of limited scope that are tied up and locked away in back rooms because the publisher or ??? is afraid that they will not make that last dollar...the Woas book stands out in that regard. Yet, to the very few who would purchase a copy if made available, that informationhas great interest, if not value. Oh, welll,,,,I have certainly veered this topic line eh?
heheh

...as for thanks for sharing? none needed, its what makes little things like life worthwhile.

[Neil Gordon]

And when combined with Letchers book you can say with certainty little else is to be explained.

Shhhhh... If the management sees what you wrote, they might shut down the website.

[Dick Barthel]

Dick,

250? Wow! Mine is just barely around the 100 mark, but I have the feeling that your wifes dismay is shared equally with mine. heh we'll have to swap lists, to check for dupes. My latest was the obtaining of a xeroxed copy of the Lee Woas book...
Normally I do not condone such wholesale infringements, but with the publisher refusing to re-issue and existing copies going at ~$100+ I said what the hey, come and get me!. It is the definitive book insofar as sheet to tiller steering methods go. And when combined with Letchers book you can say with certainty little else is to be explained. .

Dider,

Wow indeed, I have more than twice as many books and less than half your knowledge. There's that little bugger experience creeping in again.

I agree about Fletcher and Woos' books. One of my goals in retirement is to really work with those two books. I'm going to be on the phone a lot with Tod Mills though - remember his website on single handing? He's got a great mechanical mind for this stuff. He even does things like builds his own wind vane from scratch.

What I love about Woos' book is his extensive use of Cape Dorys in it. That says something about their balance and things I think. I purchased a flawless 1st Edition, 1st Printing copy of Self Steering Without A Windvane in 2003 for a mere $91.55 including shipping. The original book is nicely bound and held together with plastic loops and is described as the Seven Seas Press On-Board Editions. I have the original purchase invoice from Seven Seas = $25 + 2 shipping.

I worry about my books though. My wife's favorite refrain about my book collection is "I hope you know where those books are going to end up when you're gone?" [the dumpster!] I worry sleeping at night also because she seems so sure I'm going first!

Dick

[bill2]

Is anyone else having a problem accessing the website posted by Didereaux?

Then, a Microsoft Internet Explorer box appears that says:

"Click to run ActiveX control on this web page." There is a small "OK" box below this. When I click on the "OK" box, I get a notice that says an error has occurred in the system and it is shutting down. I then get kicked out of Internet Explorer and have to log back in. I have tried this 4-5 times. Same process, same results.

I do not have a clue what "ActiveX" is.

Any suggestions?

but if anyone can offer any suggestion(s), it would be much appreciated.

FWIW - Firefox version 2.0 ( or version 1.5 ... ) has been a breeze to work with . . .

Not that MS's IE doesn't have a lock on the monopoly - its just that competition ( when you can get it ) helps.

[henry hey]

Amazing that all those women on that page are so into self steering systems. . .

h