caphorn

spending some time in the Bahamas just now and the boat and I are getting to know each other. What a delight to sail. One wee problem is the caphorn, I have yet to tame the beast and I need some assistance.

When you set it up to windvane mode, the windvane "rudder is in the water
and I think it should be vertical but it wants to go to one side (its wood and tries to float up.)

You can set up before you leave the dock but you can’t steer normally. With the adjusting lines set.

The other things is that once set up its hard to get set just right and stable on a course. I need some suggestions/advice.

Stewart, I hope some of the guys with the Cape Horn’s chime in here. I dont know them well enough to comment.

Where are you now?

I will assume “windward mode” means the windvane is vertical and there is no wind other than that coming fore and aft across the bow. In this scenario, the servo-pendulum rudder should be vertical, not turned to port or starboard, and inline with the boat’s rudder. If the servo-rudder swings to one side or the other, and remains in this position, either the control rod inside the vertical tower needs adjusting or the two counter balance weights on the windvane head need adjusting.

Windvane Head:

Let’s discuss the windvane head first. When the boat is not moving or heeled, the windvane head should be inline with with the vertical control tower. IF the windvane head tilts to one side or the other, the servo-rudder is turned to port or starboard. When this happens, the servo-rudder want to swing to one side of the boat or the other and remain in that position.

Adjusting the windvane head:

  1. Loosen each lock nut above the counterbalance weights,

  2. Adjust the counterbalance weights by threading them up or down until the windvane head is inline with the vertical tower,

  3. Tighten the lock nuts,

If this was the problem, the servo-rudder should remain inline with the boat’s rudder when the windvane control head is held inline with the vertical tower.

Windvane to Servo-Rudder Linkage. (I suspect this is the problem. The steps may sound complicated but this adjustment if not difficult.)

At the bottom of the vertical tower where the horizontal tube is connect there is a linkage. This linkage connects the windvane head to the horizontal servo-rudder mechanism via a bellcrank. To view this linkage, remove the white plastic cover plate where the vertical tower joins the horizontal tube. The vertical control rod is threaded and has a locking nut.

When the length of the vertical control rod is adjusted correctly, the servo-rudder is inline with the boat’s rudder when the windvane head is held in a vertical position, i.e. inline with the vertical tower. This assumes the boat is not heeled. If the boat is heeled the servo-rudder should still remain inline with the boat’s rudder when the windvane head is inline with the “vertical” tower.

If the vertical control rod is too long or too short, the servo-rudder is turned and will swing to one side of the boat or the other. If the length of the linkage is correct, the fore and aft line of the servo-rudder will be inline with the fore and aft center line of the boat, i.e. the servo rudder is not turned to port or starboard.

Adjusting the length of the linkage:

  1. remove the windvane and leave the windvane head in place,

  2. tilt the windvane head to one side or the other until the servo-rudder is inline with boat’s rudder and does not swing to one side or the other. The is best done under way at low speed,

  3. make a note of which side the servo-rudder swings,

  4. another way of doing this is to hold the servo-rudder vertical and inline with the boat’s fore an after center line,

  5. with the rudder in this position, note the side the windvane head is tilted,

  6. Look a the linkage between the vertical control rod and the bellcrank, while turning the servo-rudder until the windvane control head is inline (vertical) with the vertical tower. Note if the bellcrank is up or down,

I believe you can do this next step without removing the vertical tower.

  1. Disconnect the vertical control rod from the bellcrank,

  2. loosen the lock nut and turn the connector bushing either up or down based on your observation made in either step 3 or 5,

  3. tighten the lock nut and connect the vertical control rod to the bellcrank,

  4. repeat if necessary until the servo-rudder is not turned when the windvane head is inline with the vertical tower.

Cape Horn Owner’s Manual - look at step #4

http://www.capehorn.com/sections/owners/Owner's_Manual_for_Web.htm#Po

I will address the other issue this morning in another post.

IDUNA

If you search the forum, all dates, using the keywoods “Cape Horn IDUNA” you will see a review of the Cape Horn - message #22.

Rod

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:

  1. turn the windvane, such that it is inline with the wind and the vertical tower (close to inline),

  2. connect the windward tiller control line leading from the quadrant to the tiller,

  3. connect the leeward tiller control line,

  4. 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.)

  1. if necessary, tension the windvane tiller control line to correct for weather helm - see notes.

  2. 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.

thanks Rod, I have to go off now and digest this epistle you certainly have come to my assistance as usual. Just moored in marsh harbour its hot, I believe its -5 in Newfoundland right now. it feels nice in the heat and if all goes well I may be able to get the blog going again. It has been a blast as usual on the boat. A few technical issues like the windvane and such but hey its a boat. I now have to do the caphorn thing cos in all likelihood I’ll have to single hand back.

Steward:

You are welcome.

As a side note, sometimes, I think the Cape Horn servo-pendulum-rudder is too close to the boat’s rudder when it is mounted inboard of the bumpkin.

I plan to converse with CH again. In short, I feel the unit worked better on the Nor’sea custom Flicka than on the BCC. The servo-pendulum rudder was also mounted farther away from the main rudder on the Flicka.

The CH works. I have talked to several owners who fitted CH’s to their boat and all report it works great. It worked great on the Flicka and should work on the BCC.

Let me know.

Rod

Steward:

IF you need anymore help, send me an email. You are “out there doing it” and I am banging on a keyboard. I will give you as much support as I can.

Rod

Presently tied to the doch awaiting a crew change then it will be back out there, I’ll keep you posted as things unfold.