We're staying a few days in Tyrell Bay. With Easter coming nothing will be open this weekend and to go on up to Union Island we need to check out of this one and for sure customs houses will not be open. The bigger holiday in the islands is the monday after Easter which as you probably know is the first sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox. Got that?
So, we thought we'd show you where this note comes from. Lazy Turtle! Places like this seem typical to us now but sometimes I have to remind myself how truly quaint and 'island like' places like this are.
Oh, here's a follow up on our fish dinner. We could only eat about half of this. Yummy!
On our way into shore today we went by this place. Yeah, it's a floating metal shop and sail loft. What the hell? Looks like boats can just pull up along side and get some metal repairs. Or sail repair. Neat idea. Maybe the worker dude even lives aboard this thing. Who knows?
I'm researching wind vane steering. There are only a few models out there and they all have great reputations and large price tags. When we return to Enee next January we want to prepare to sail west to Bonaire, Aruba, Curacao and on to Cartegena and maybe Panama. For that we need wind vane steering. Seems like the center cockpit presents a special problem but I've yet to understand why. Anybody out there with information please jump in. You can comment or email us directly. Email is in the sidebar.I find the whole thing mechanically interesting. The wind vane moves in response to a change in heading. That force is too small to steer the boat directly so the vane's motion is transferred to a 'servo-pendulum' in the water. The force of the water on this pendulum is a huge force and can be used to steer the boat via ropes and pulleys. No electricity and we all know how much I like that idea!
Finally our April Birthday wishes to Gretchen Teyema who is somewhere between 6 and 18 this year. I lose track.
2 comments:
As always, thanks for being so faithful in keeping us all informed with the blog.
And Happy Friggin' Easter, especially all you fellow pagans!
Rich P!
Hi Scott,
Loved Tyrel Bay, but mostly for giving me a glimpse at Windward, on the other side. Most interesting primitive boatbuilding spot I found.
My Cape Horn windvane has been worth every $$.
Most important factor- a servo pendulum vane can only steer the boat if you can with 2 fingers. Balance is super critical.
Center cockpit is a challenge b/c the steering action has to be transferred to the wheel, generally by push pull lines. Long run, lots of obstacles.... The Cape Horn can also be connected to the quadrant below deck, however this is not generally better on a center cockpit since that's usually under a bunk. I've seen at least one install that resorted to a permanent installation of an emergency tiller to connect the vane, but this gets messy.
The trim tab/ separate rudder type might be tempting, but beware. Rudder forces can be huge, and it's a fools errand to simply bolt an auxiliary steering rig on the transom without thorough engineering and hope for the best.
In any installation, consider carefully that both the force and amount of rudder motion will be greater with the vane than a helmsman. This b/c the vane gets stronger as more water flows over the pendulum oar while a human's arms would get tired. Be sure the bearings and rudder support are up to more muscle. Most require some beefing up after if not during installation.
In the end, you're in the best place to research this! The best solution for your boat is probably not far away from you on a similar cruising boat. Good luck. Fair winds.
Chris
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