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roniszoro Posts: 1
12/07/2026
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I am a single hander and I have a very good below deck autopilot on my 44 footer which works just fine. But I am deciding on a back up for when I am single handing off shore if that unit were to fail. My options are a 2nd complete unit that would have only the battery bank in common with the first unit with a switch so that either one or the other would be engaged or adding a wind vane, likely a Wind Pilot Pacific. Your thoughts are welcomed and appreciated.
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Dick Posts: 441
12/07/2026
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Hi Roniszoro,
I can tell you what we did: (and it is a similar, but not so potent, dilemma for cruising couples):
We have a wind vane (Monitor) which, over the years, has become back-up (say lightning strike) to our very much loved below decks auto-pilot which is accurate, simple, quiet, reliable and easy on the amps.
For a higher latitude Atlantic crossing, I just bought the same auto-pilot. I replaced my 20+ yo old one with the new and put the old, but still working, auto-pilot in storage as spares. (later that year, the autopilot manufacturer closed its doors).
I would consider what I call a “wheel” (above deck) pilot, but I would need convincing that they could handle boisterous conditions. My last experience with those was 20-30 years ago and the ones I knew had a hard time (or would burn out) in open water when the winds got above ~~20 knots or so.
If world-traveling in remote areas, the wind vane probably makes the most sense as it is so independent and some could “take the place” of a rudder/steering if steering was lost somehow. If going that route, get some significant sea miles under your belt with the vane as they do have a learning curve and can be fussy.
Let us know what you decide.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
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Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
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Alan Leslie Posts: 5
18/07/2026
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Hi All,
My previous boat was a 40ft IOR sloop. We had a hydraulic Raytheon Autopilot and a Fleming wind vane on the stern.
We sailed all around the South Pacific for years using Mr Fleming 95% of the time....it was fantastic and fascinating at the same time - the ingenuity of wind vanes has always intrigued me.
We only used the Raytheon unit when motoring...sailing, always Mr Fleming.
It's a learning curve to get the best out of them. The boat needs to be well balanced under sail...she should be just about be sailing by herself without touching the tiller (or wheel) before you engage the windvane....then it doesn't need to work too hard.... the same should be said about using an autopilot under sail to minimise amp draw.
I would never consider a wheel pilot for sailing offshore...the autopilot and all it's workings, mechanical and electric should be below decks, protected for the sea and weather.
A backup pilot, or at least spares for the one you have are essential if you stick with that concept.
An advantage of the windvane is its complete independence of electricity, should you have battery issues, lightning strike or anything that could cause havoc, the boat can still self steer...and if you've ever hand steered for long periods in tough weather, you will appreciate that advantage.
Good luck
Cheers
Alan SV Elyse
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robwhelton@hotmail.com Posts: 1
6 days ago
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I've owned two different wind vanes: a servo pendulum Navik, and an auxiliary rudder Hydrovane.
The Navik was a much more clever design. Hugely powerful, responsive, and fast. You barely needed to worry about balancing the boat, and it handled changes in wind strength without any fuss.
The Hydrovane has one advantage: it does not rely on the boat's own steering system. But in every other respect it was inferior. I found it necessary to get the sails balanced just right, and any major changes in wind strength would upset that balance.
I used the Hydrovane for the majority of my Atlantic crossing, and it did the job. If your main purpose in fitting a windvane is to be a backup steering system, it's a good choice.
I also have a Raymarine linear drive and I really can't fault it. Most boats these days have such robust electrical systems that the power consumption isn't that big a deal.
On my current boat, I have been unable to figure out how to mount the Hydrovane, so I will probably install a backup autopilot. I also carry a small (60Ah) lithium battery that gets used for various odd jobs, and this would be my backup power supply for it.
One question I do have is whether to actually install the backup autopilot, or just to carry the parts as spares. My thinking is that they might be less vulnerable to a lightning strike of they are in storage. The downside is that I wouldn't be able to instantly switch over to the backup system it's I needed it.
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Dick Posts: 441
3 days ago
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Hi Rob,
We have a Monitor windvane on the stern and an Alpha 3000 below decks autopilot.
Our last Atlantic crossing was all electric autopilot (Alpha 3000, no longer being manufactured). Ours was 20 yo with a fair number of miles on it, but still going strong. Anticipating a higher lat Atlantic crossing, I bought a whole new Alpha 3000, swapped out the old parts and put them into spares on the boat.
I consider the Monitor as a lightning strike back-up, but, thinking about it, I might wrap the spare Alpha command module in a couple of layers of aluminum foil and put it in the oven (with our computers and phone) in a lightning storm.
I have not worried about the need for an instant change-over: if swapping is needed, I will just heave-to and do the job.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
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Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
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