Steering with the adjusting lines set:
If the tiller control lines leading from the quadrant are connected and no windvane is attached to the windvane head, each time you move the tiller, the servo-rudder is turned. Because the windvane head on top of the vertical tower is counter weighted, the system attempts to keep the servo-rudder inline with the boat’s rudder. If the windvane is connected, steering by the tiller is near impossible.
Let’s assume the unit is adjusted properly, i.e. when the windvane is inline with the vertical tower the servo-rudder is inline with the boat’s rudder.
With the boat under sail:
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turn the windvane, such that it is inline with the wind and the vertical tower (close to inline),
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connect the windward tiller control line leading from the quadrant to the tiller,
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connect the leeward tiller control line,
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carefully adjust the windvane to steer the boat to your course
(One of the negative aspects of the cape horn windvane is it very sensitive and only very small adjustments are needed to change course. We use the the tick marks on the windvane head control line to estimate how much we are move the vane.)
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if necessary, tension the windvane tiller control line to correct for weather helm - see notes.
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adjust the windvane control head gain - see notes.
NOTES:
The boat must be balanced under sail for any windvane to work properly - two finger on the tiller balanced.
Very small amounts of weather helm can be tolerated - see step 5 but not recommended.
Windvanes do not work well in gusty conditions. They work best in steady winds.
The large windvane that is supply is good to about 15 mph of wind. The small vane should be used above 15 mph of wind. we change out vanes when we take our first reef.
Grease should be applied to the slot in the servo-rudder post where the horizon “Z” control rod passes through the slot. Remove the plastic cap onto of the servo-rudder post housing. With a stick, small screw driver, etc. poke grease into the slot - at least once a year.
Replace the bungee cords as needed.
The systems gain is adjusted at the windvane control head. The gain adjustment is the small bungee cord that limits the swings of the windvane control head. If the gain is too large, the windvane swings through a large arc and the boat will oscillate on its course. If the gain is too small, the system is slow to correct the course. Shortening the bungee cord, decreases the gain, whereas lengthening it increases the gain.
For downwind sailing move the center of effort forward.
If the quadrant/servo-rudder post do not turn freely in the horizontal tube, the large bushing are two tight. We removed the this assembly and lightly sanded the large bushing to “free up” the assembly.
We have used the windvane in light air conditions and heavy air conditions on the Chesapeake Bay with success. If the air is gusty, forget about using the windvane to steer the boat.
We have also observed stretch in the tiller control lines which sometimes reduces the “signal” from the servo-pendulum-rudder to the tiller. Sometimes, I think the servo-pendulum-rudder is not large enough to over come the large surface area of the BCC’s rudder ~9 sq ft. I have talked to Yves about this and he assures me, the servo-pendulum-rudder is sized correctly. I plan to talk to him again about this possible issue.
Use ball bearing blocks to lead the tiller control lines from the quadrant to the tiller.
Mount the blocks that turn the tiller control line toward the tiller as far forward as is possible. Ideally, the angle formed by a tiller control line with the tiller should be a close to 90 degrees as possible.
Hope these ramblings help.
IDUNA
Should you find spelling, grammar or typos, my brain is not responsible for what my fingers do and vice verse.