Plastic Classic Forum

I have been studying sailboat self-steering wind vanes and came across the use and DIY fabrication of the Hebridean Wind Vane. Has anyone had any experience building or using one? Any thoughts as to whether it is worth pursuing? I have a tiller pilot presently, but it would be great if I could save some amps.
I would be using it for coastal cruising, at least for the foreseeable future.
Thanks for the input.

I've also seen it described online but don't know anyone who made and used one. From the videos you see it can work but looks fragile and awkward to use and maintain compared to say the Windpilot Pacific or Pacific Light. It is clever though and may be suitable for those who want a DIY windvane for the satisfaction of building their own. It's much cheaper than a production unit. But it could take a long time to put together and work out all the bugs on sea trials so most folks would be better off working their regular job to buy something ready to go without spending much time on it. If you're unemployed and enjoy this type of project than it makes more sense to give it a try. But you still might be better off trying to find a reasonable priced used production windvane. I recently sold a used Cape Horn windvane for $900 so you may find something out there on ebay or the forums. Here's a link to a video on the Hebridean. There's some discussion of it in the video comments and links to more info:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkT27vR6yoM

I don't have experience with it but this might be a good low cost windvane option:
https://south-atlantic.com.ar/windvane/ ... ng301.html

I've not seen that one in person. Several years back there was an outfit in Europe which had a DIY kit form vane - Mr Vane maybe...? I'd have to research to be sure. Anyway, wondering if this is that, or an offshoot? Thx for the heads up.

In looking further at the more mainstream wind vanes I see that construction materials are either SS or aluminum. What is the expected longevity of the aluminum types compared to those made of SS? What attributes should a good wind vane possess?

@ Vanguard64

I don’t think anyone can tell you exactly how long those respective materials will last as longevity probably depends more on how often you use it, the environment it’s used in, the loads exerted on the vane, and how well you maintain it.

Obviously a stainless steel vane could be prone to crevice corrosion/rusting while one constructed out of aluminum may be prone to pitting.
On the other hand, stainless steel has better tensile and sheer strength than aluminum.
Maybe one can argue that it would be better to have a heavier stainless steel vane for heavy weather but a racing yacht, a lighter aluminum frame.
A wooden vane could potentially be easier to repair if you’re stuck in some desolate location and have wood working tools.
I personally wouldn’t make my own wooden vane. It sounds like a lot of maintenance that could be focused elsewhere on the boat, plus the initial time to build it.

I just bought a Monitor windvane and the installation was pretty straight forward. Atom has a good install video on YouTube. When you purchase, they will precut the mounting tubes and provide necessary hardware for your boat assuming they have done that boat in the past. If not, I believe they will create a new drawing for your particular boat but am not sure how that works.

Thanks,
I appreciate your input. What made you choose the Monitor over other models.

No problem,

I primarily chose the Monitor windvane over other brand vanes because of their customer service, good parts accessibility as they are located in California, and good quality. They also had done 3-4 other Allied Seawinds and had all of the design drawings for my boat prior to purchase. I also like that they sell an emergency rudder and a small Pelagic autopilot ram that I believe ties into the airvane mount. This is particularly useful in light winds and most likely will save some amp-hours as you’re still converting hydraulic energy into mechanical energy via the water paddle. It’s not a necessity but a nice to have backup.

Randall Reeves uses one on his Aluminum cutter “Moli” and has been through some nasty weather, so it is a well proven design. I think you can find an interview or two on YouTube where he speaks about the monitor.

I initially started with a Pelagic tiller autopilot (which is also owned by the same company as Monitor) which was recommended by Atom. When I initially installed the autopilot display, I used fasteners that were too large and cracked the plastic housing. I told them what happened and they sent me a brand new housing for free. The unit proved to be solid after an interesting six day journey from the Virgin Islands to Guadeloupe.

I’ve had a good experience with their products and highly recommend them.

Maybe a different design will suit your stern better or be easier to install.

Also, the Monitor has a four-point mount that is ideal for boats with a transom-hung rudder. Boats with inboard rudders will find it easier to install something like the Windpilot Pacific, which uses a simpler, single mount of four bolts.