- Hardcover: 224 pages
- Publisher: McGraw-Hill Contemporary; illustrated edition edition (1 Mar 2004)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0071434690
- ISBN-13: 978-0071434690
- Product Dimensions: 23.6 x 19 x 1.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 828,723 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
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Product Description
Product Description
This book shows how to choose, buy, build, install, maintain, repair, and use a windvane self-steerer. When you're cruising shorthanded, you can't always be at the helm. A windvane self-steering system is the most reliable means of steering your small vessel on long ocean passages--and it doesn't use one amp of your precious electrical power."The Windvane Self-Steering Handbook" is the definitive guide to every aspect of sailing and working with the long-distance sailor's best friend. Veteran sailor Bill Morris points out the mechanical and navigational advantages of vane steering systems; provides an overview of available products, complete with sizes, prices, and contact information; and shows you how to install, maintain, repair, and modify vane gears for best performance. In this practical guide you'll find: lucid explanations of how vane gears work; an easy-to-implement discussion of how to match a vane design with your boat; invaluable instructions for how to sail with a windvane - settings, sail trim, etc.; a look at ten commercially available vane gear systems; diagrams and instructions for a home-built unit; and, instructions for customizing vane gears for optimum performance.
From the Back Cover
How to choose, buy, build, install, maintain, repair, and use a windvane self-steerer
When you're cruising shorthanded, you can't always be at the helm. A windvane self-steering system is the most reliable means of steering your small vessel on long ocean passages--and it doesn't use one amp of your precious electrical power. The Windvane Self-Steering Handbook is the definitive guide to every aspect of sailing and working with the long-distance sailor's best friend.
Veteran sailor Bill Morris points out the mechanical and navigational advantages of vane steering systems; provides an overview of available products, complete with sizes, prices, and contact information; and shows you how to install, maintain, repair, and modify vane gears for best performance. In this practical guide you'll find:
- Lucid explanations of how vane gears work
- An easy-to-implement discussion of how to match a vane design with your boat
- Invaluable instructions for how to sail with a windvane--settings, sail trim, etc.
- A look at ten commercially available vane gear systems
- Diagrams and instructions for a home-built unit
- Instructions for customizing vane gears for optimum performance
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
First Sentence
Years of dreaming, saving, and preparing are about to come true: you're going cruising! Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Years of dreaming, saving, and preparing are about to come true: you're going cruising! Read the first page
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Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Generally I found the book useful with a good description of the main self steering systems currently available. It has some helpful hints on choosing, fitting and use. It has led me to find a number of other manufacturers on the web since I read the book and aided in evaluating their products.
The only reasons I have knocked two stars off is that the summary led me to believe that it gave information to build a DIY unit, but their is more technical data available by searching windvane company websites than in this book. The drawings illustrating the design lack any detail and are less informative than photographs available on the web which was disappointing. Otherwise a good read if you are looking to buy/build a self steering unit for your cruising.
The only reasons I have knocked two stars off is that the summary led me to believe that it gave information to build a DIY unit, but their is more technical data available by searching windvane company websites than in this book. The drawings illustrating the design lack any detail and are less informative than photographs available on the web which was disappointing. Otherwise a good read if you are looking to buy/build a self steering unit for your cruising.
Format:Hardcover
I was looking for information about the hydrovane steering system but this covered almost every system made but not enough detail about the hydrovane, but I enjoyed reading it.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
7 reviews
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
A big disappointment
14 Jan 2006
Format:Hardcover
I am looking to equip my sailboat with a self steering system and had hoped that this book would give me more background information than what is available on the internet. This book did not teach me anything new about self steering than what I had already researched on the various product web pages on the internet. In fact some of the commercial product web pages have more informative competitive comparisons on them.
It seems that the author is filling space with way too many general, common sense statements, diagrams and repetitive chapter descriptions.
I had also hoped to get more information about building your own system but the chapter dedicated to this is only 6 out of 200+ book pages which gives you an idea of how little in depth it is.
I will say that the chapter about materials is informative; again, you don't get rid of the impression that the author is filling space when you see tables about melting points of base metals...
Overall a very big disappointment
It seems that the author is filling space with way too many general, common sense statements, diagrams and repetitive chapter descriptions.
I had also hoped to get more information about building your own system but the chapter dedicated to this is only 6 out of 200+ book pages which gives you an idea of how little in depth it is.
I will say that the chapter about materials is informative; again, you don't get rid of the impression that the author is filling space when you see tables about melting points of base metals...
Overall a very big disappointment
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Quite Dissapointed With This Book
3 May 2007
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
The writing is good and the humor is fun and the author sounds like a witty a guy. However, the book is more of an unabridged sales brochure for the sale of commercial self-steering systems. This book is basically a relative comparison of commercial/turn-key products to guide purchase. For those sailors who can solve all problems with the check book, this is fine. For those of us who are builders, this book is of little if any use.
>Ray
sv. Milenka II
Ps. For a much more indepth view of self-steering, theory and practice, I recommend Letcher's book on the subject.
>Ray
sv. Milenka II
Ps. For a much more indepth view of self-steering, theory and practice, I recommend Letcher's book on the subject.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Windvanes from Soup to Nuts
11 Sep 2005
Format:Hardcover
This is a well-written, easy to understand book on everything you would ever want to know about the very technical topic of wind and water steering vanes for sail boats. I especially like the fact that the author does a good job of comparing various products on the market in terms of both performance and price. There is even information on buying used equipment and/building your own. I found this book invaluable in helping me determine which way to go for my 43' ketch.
-- Phil Fehrle
Los Angeles, CA
-- Phil Fehrle
Los Angeles, CA
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