Monitor Windvane

GeorgeV · Post by **GeorgeV** » Jul 28th, '07, 06:58

My spring project this year was to install a Monitor wind vane on my CD33.

Why you ask a wind vane, am I planning an off shore passage or leaving on a round the world adventure? The answer is no to both questions. I have a very good auto pilot already on the boat so why did I need a wind vane? Well the answer at the time was simple “I didn’t, I just thought they looked cool and I had to have one. You know the old story “boys and their toys”.

I thought the wind vane was just something I would use only occasionally, but now I find I use it nearly 90% of the time that I am sailing and I use the auto pilot primarily when the boat is under power. I sail single handed almost exclusively and have logged over 400 miles this year already with my new buddy. I have found the Monitor wind vane simple to use and very reliable, actually it is a better helmsman then I am and it allows me more time on proper sail trim.

I can’t say enough good things about the people at Scanmar International the makers of the Monitor wind vane. When I told them I was going to bid for one on Ebay they gave me the complete history of the vane and coached me along in the process. When I wasn’t successful in bidding for the one on Ebay they sold me a rebuilt unit at nearly 50% of retail and then put me in touch with the individual who won the one on Ebay so I could buy an additional part from him that he didn’t need. They actually passed on making a sale on a part and gave the sale it to this other guy. Now how is that for looking out for your customer? They were very helpful with advice for mounting my vane, which I did myself, provided all the parts and tubes necessary to mount the vane.

As a single hander this is one purchase I should have done several years ago. Now I am looking forward to getting to know my new buddy and to put many a mile under Isabelle’s keel.

Happy Sailing

Warren Kaplan · Post by **Warren Kaplan** » Jul 28th, '07, 07:10

George,

You'll soon be running out of toys to get for Isabelle!

I've not looked into wind vanes so I know little about their function. I understand they work relative to the direction of the wind unlike an autopilot which steers a compass course. Do you still use it if you are sailing during those days where the winds oscillates quite a bit?

Carter Brey · Post by **Carter Brey** » Jul 28th, '07, 08:01

George,

You post, in addition to our cockpit conversation at Oyster Bay, intrigued me so much that I just spent an hour perusing Scanmar's website. Extremely interesting reading.

I have a feeling that one of these puppies is in Delphine's future, after a few more projects.

Thanks,
Carter

John Vigor · Post by **John Vigor** » Jul 28th, '07, 12:19

Carter Brey wrote:George,

You post, in addition to our cockpit conversation at Oyster Bay, intrigued me so much that I just spent an hour perusing Scanmar's website. Extremely interesting reading.

I have a feeling that one of these puppies is in Delphine's future, after a few more projects.

Thanks,
Carter

Carter, the Monitor and the Aries might be a might heavy on the stern of boats under 30 feet. I had an Aries, and found it too heavy for my CD27, so I sold it and bought a Windpilot Pacific instead at about 30 pounds lighter. It's a great piece of German engineering, and a clean, more modern design that attaches to the stern with four simple bolts--no complicated tubes.

Bob Schwartz, another CD27 owner, installed one at the same time. He has a substantial photo gallery of his setup, but I believe he's away right now. When he comes back on the board you might want to contact him.

Meanwhile, if you Google Windpilot you'll find their website. Many thousands of Windpilots are sailing the oceans of the world right now.

I use mine all the time when singlehanding and find it particularly useful when it's time to reef--just set her on a close reach and you won't even have to stop her while you reef.

Cheers maestro,

John Vigor
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When your only tool is a nail, all problems look like hammers

John Vigor · Post by **John Vigor** » Jul 28th, '07, 12:26

Here's the Windpilot website:

http://www.windpilot.de/en/Ra/raproen.html

John V.

Carter Brey · Post by **Carter Brey** » Jul 28th, '07, 13:40

John Vigor wrote: Carter, the Monitor and the Aries might be a might heavy on the stern of boats under 30 feet. I had an Aries, and found it too heavy for my CD27, so I sold it and bought a Windpilot Pacific instead at about 30 pounds lighter. It's a great piece of German engineering, and a clean, more modern design that attaches to the stern with four simple bolts--no complicated tubes.

John,

Indeed, that's a beautiful product. Thanks for the tip. I especially enjoyed this page on their website:

http://www.windpilot.de/en/Ra/rafoten.html

I just love those technical photographs with plenty of structural detail.

Seriously, I like the fact that their product adapts well to the Simrad WP, which is what I have.

Cheers back at you,
Carter

John Vigor · Post by **John Vigor** » Jul 28th, '07, 14:42

Carter:

Yes, the structural details are marvellous and of great interest to sailors. Of course, you're seeing the Tahitian model here, which is a stripped-down version, but nevertheless still compelling.

John V.

Warren Kaplan · Post by **Warren Kaplan** » Jul 28th, '07, 16:53

Makes ya' wanna stay ashore and find work in their engineering department. The pictured product is quite a nice design!

Al Levesque · Post by **Al Levesque** » Jul 29th, '07, 07:57

GeorgeV,

Were there any particular reasons for choosing the Monitor? Do you have pictures of the installation? It would be especially great to see since it is a CD33.

GeorgeV · Post by **GeorgeV** » Jul 29th, '07, 16:07

I purchased the monitor on recomendations from friends and other CD owners. I found the people to at Scanmar to be most helpful and after looking at other vanes on the market the Monitor seemed the right vane for my boat. There is a very active used market and I have seen several on Ebay and Craigs List, but call and talk to the folks at Scanmar if you are planning to buy used, they can give you pointers on what to look for and if you have the serial number of the vane they can tell you some of its history.

Good Luck

Send me your email and I will send you some pics of the vane installed on my boat.

Paul D. · Post by **Paul D.** » Jul 29th, '07, 17:28

In any discussion of windvanes I must include the Cape Horn. Google it and read his site. I have heard nothing but good things regarding this gear and it is very simple and compact.

My buddy compared the two for his Westsail 32 and went with the Monitor to sail down to Baja but only for the reason that he thought the Monitor more beefy.

The Cape Horn is built by one guy and his nephew in Canada and he designed it for an Alberg boat, the Alberg 30 and sailed around the world with it. He talks it up of course , as it is his baby but it seems soundly designed and executed. I believe I would choose his gear if I put a wind vane onboard our 33.

FWIW,
Paul

marka · Post by **marka** » Jul 29th, '07, 19:56

Bob Schwartz was kind enough to forward me a CD with some movies of his windvane under way. I would be happy to forward the CD to anyone interested.

Neil Gordon · Post by **Neil Gordon** » Jul 30th, '07, 08:31

John Vigor wrote:... the Monitor and the Aries might be a might heavy on the stern of boats under 30 feet. I had an Aries, and found it too heavy for my CD27, so I sold it and bought a Windpilot Pacific instead at about 30 pounds lighter. It's a great piece of German engineering, and a clean, more modern design that attaches to the stern with four simple bolts--no complicated tubes.

Can you give us a sense of the relative (or actual) cost?

John Vigor · Post by **John Vigor** » Jul 30th, '07, 11:25

Neil, the prices of the various Windpilots are posted on their website. Because the dollar is sinking so fast in the west against the euro, the German-built Windpilot is not cheap. Mine cost me $3,000 brand new, but, as somebody mentioned there is a thriving second-hand market on the web where you might find used ones.

In my experience, though, there are more used Monitors and Aries for sale than Windpilots.

My favorite for a boat 30 feet or more is the Aries, the parent of the Monitor, which is an Aires in stainless steel, whereas the Aries is mostly a special-grade aluminium alloy.

More than 8,000 Aries were built by Nick Franklin in England, and spares are still available, along with a good website and lots of free advice. New Aries are now built in Denmark, but they're comparatively expensive.

I reconditioned an old Aries I bought for $1,000. It proved too heavy for my CD27, though. I sold it for $1,600 to a Canadian sailing around the world. Used Monitors are out there too, at reasonable prices, but they tend to get snapped up fast.

Incidentally, Peter Forthmann's book on sailing with windvanes is available for free download on the Windpilot website.

John Vigor

Sea Hunt · Post by **Sea Hunt** » Jul 30th, '07, 11:48

Carter:

Thank you very much for the website location (if that is what it is called).

I have been diving in French Polynesia several times, including Papeete (Moorea) and Kiribati.

I may have just seen a picture of the future "Mrs. Sea Hunt".

Fair winds,

The Cape Dory Board