southernman
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Posts posted by southernman
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“The installation of a decent autohelm adds up real fast,”
Pretty much plug and play for a boat that size.
Doubt it if you compare apples with apples you would likely need:
- Mounting Bracket
- Compass
- Hydraulic Ram
- Controller
- Run the cables
- Power Supply
- Upgraded battery capacity
- Upgraded charging capacity
Hmmmmm not much change out of 5k i'd suggest. Not sure I'd be trusting a cockpit based plug and play autohelm in anything more than a cruise up the Coast. Each to their own I guess.
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Yip can post photo.
Hydrovane far too big for a chico - Nope, plenty of 30-33 ft boats with Hydrovanes on them. The weight of most Hydrovanes is around 35 kg's.
The Fleming also can't be used as a back up rudder right?
I've found offshore sailing that the windvane is the best bet and that's on a fairly modern cruiser also. Sure the autohelm is great also but solar alone on a 30 ft boat won't keep up with the demands of the autohelm especially in robust conditions and if you fancy a cold beer also. Not unless you plan on having an ugly boat with lots of solar panels mounted all over the joint
If you are doing local stuff then yes run with the autohelm. The main issue on the chico is mounting a decent autohelm, can be done but takes up cockpit room. I'd go with the windvane if you are heading offshore.
The installation of a decent autohelm adds up real fast, keep that in mind also. Saying that a Hydrovane is not a cheap investment either.
Just my 2 cents, have owned a chico 30, great boat.
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I have a Hydrovane installed on my yacht and it's offset, it works perfectly. My only thoughts would be that it's a lot of weight to have on the stern of a small boat. Key points I've learnt from using a Hydrovane are:
- balance of the yacht is important i.e. not overpowered.
- Make sure the mounts are ROCK solid, there is a LOT of force involved on this thing in a seaway and high winds
- Make sure you fully test all functionality in all winds before you have to rely on it. I'm lucky that I also have a autohelm
- The Hydrovane is a better option in my opinion due to the fact it runs totally independent of the rudder and also for Cat 1 can act as compliance for a secondary steering device for the yacht if you lost your rudder.
- They are bloody expensive don't go cheap on the installation
- Get a good setup for your control lines, ideally to the cockpit companionway. Makes it easy to adjust or gype the boat while on the winches etc. Otherwise you have to trim, then move back and adjust the boat trim
- Have a very good method to lock off the helm and ability to adjust it to a slight angle if required for boat trim.
If you want photos let me know.
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The windows were cut into the hull in Nelson, the rig is quite short for this sized yacht.
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She has an interesting story this boat. She was built a lot lot earlier and sat in Nelson Marina for many many years, 'launched'. Was bought for a bargain and fitted out and rebuilt. Mast put on etc etc.
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The interviews done in Tasmania are fantastic. Gives a great insight into what their life on the ocean is like.
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Yip Laptop or large Ipad does the job on our boat, what's left on TV now worth watching?
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yes phosphoric is the best bet, but... most ad a dispersant or detergent as well which makes it work better. If anyone wants some in the South Island I have several hundred litres come and grab some.
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I have a CNC machine and make the backing plates up in PVC then carbon wrap them, works well.
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Had a further look this afternoon, the main area I'm starting on is the rear boarding platform and in one area where you stand all the time the teak is actually work out to a point where the grove for the caulking compound is probably only 1mm deep, I'm guessing this means I need to router a new deeper grove and then sand the area flat?
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I have a bit of a project I'm about to start, teak decks. They are vacuum bagged and glued onto deck so no fasteners.
The issue is the caulking is failing and pulling out in places. Any advice / tools used appreciated. I think removing all the caulking while a bigger job would be the best approach? Or can I just do the bits where it's coming out. The other issue is the caulking is proud of the teak in places where teak has worn.
So I'm thinking:
- remove caulking using renovator
- edge manual sand to remove any caulking
- clean
- recaulk
- sand
- teak pretect
Thoughts, advice appreciated cheers
Southernman.
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The quantum units are OK, and a mast mount is fine, provided cable can fit.
The images from them are not as good a sthe navico broadband ones though.
I have sample pics from both (and furuno) if anyone is interested.
Power requirements of these radars, and radiation from them is WAY less than the old magnatron based units.
Agree, I'm not sold on Raymarine at all they bloody rushed this last gear update it seems and I have not had a reliable run from their software, it's buggy and crashes often. Chartplotter reboots randomly from time to time. One thing to save room is that if you use the Wifi only connection to the Radar you can get away with two core rather than the bloody big fat cable they supply which is not tinned cable (another unbelievable point in my opinion).
These suppliers seem to be on a rush to the bottom with product quality I think. We pulled one of their chartplotters apart here at work, nothing to them.
I was told that if you put it on the mast you will get a better picture quality if it's lower than higher up the mast. I'm about to find out as I'm relocating mine lower in the rig.
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Wouldn't put it past someone to row in at night...happened in a marina I was in.
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Thanks looks like it's missing a ball altogether, I'm replacing it. Not worth the pain in the ass.
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Sounds perfect and yes probably the answer!!!
Here is the photo again. Any idea who sells spares for these?
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Guys,
Small question, have noticed that this valve is leaking slowly when engine is running at higher revs. Pulled it apart and it has a little membrane in the top. Why is this leaking, it's a pain in the ass.
1- Assume this should not leak?
2- What is the fix? Replace?
Any help / advice appreciated.
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Question would be who is the board accountable to? https://www.panuku.co.nz/our-people no conflicts of interest there at all right?
One more comment only one female on the board? Old boy's club?
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Hi Dan,
This is the perfect trip for me to do in feb. Can you tell me where are the best places to anchor over there? Interestingly there seems to be a lagoon in the middle of the island but looks like you can't navigate there correct?
Any other usefull hints? Can do this on the way back from the Sounds this year.
Cheers
Tim
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A lot of the cheap 3g/4g modems from China don't work here. We have just had a supplier to us pull out 200 modems out of gear supplied to us that does not work on either Voda, Spark or 2 Degrees.
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Yip I have played with it. Only thing is that it's not app based. Also I could not work out how to do a multiple waypoint trip rather than just a straight line trip.
Cheap / Free though.
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We will be doing a cruise up that way Boxind Day onwards for 2 months. Can’t wait so much to see around the area.
No crowds (or not as bad as Auckland). Don’t go down the East Coast, I never will again, just too dam tough once you are South of Napier!!!
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Wait till some of the other boats up there at the same time start talking.....
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Yip easy to do if you have your oat instruments networked via wifi. I do that on our yacht.
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I agree, tiredness is a problem, especially with decision making when it gets tough and if you are the skipper the pressure is on to make a call. Keep rested and try and sleep, easier said than done sometimes when it's rough.
In some ways these days we have so much information especially weather you are more inclined not to make a decision. Often you have 3-4 weather models and making the right call means sometimes waiting. In the old weatherfax days you only had a rough idea.
Also when the weather turns nasty for me I sometimes push to get somewhere harder than I should. You just want to get somewhere else, and probably the more prudent thing to do is to ease the sheets reef and take a rest.
Wind vane self steering
in TechTalk
Posted
It does not matter, you still need the same stuff whatever the boat. A tiller pilot will work of course and feel free to go offshore but you'd struggle for sure. I'm talking for real world here having owned a Chico and taken it offshore.
Far better option is a proper ram and autopilot. The advantage I see mainly will be that the Hydrovane acts as your Cat 1 compliance for emergency steering, and in real world it will actually steer the boat also.