SV Toucan, Colin Speedie UK

Ovni 435 on extended cruising in Atlantic waters, a Windpilot Pacific fitted with the MF3 flange bracket. Colin wrote this message:
Hi Peter
We have had our Windpilot Pacific for over a year now on our OVNI 435, and have used it whenever possible. However, we have never really needed it until the last few days, when it has proved itself beyond any doubt.
We spent most of this summer on the west coast of Scotland, where the weather has been mainly good, if windy, at least until the middle of August when it ceased to be good, but just got more windy! We left to sail back to France in the middle of August, and had a very hard time beating down the Irish Sea against strong southerly winds, interspersed with days holed up in a succession of ports when it blew more than gale force from the south – what a summer. By the time we got a break with the weather, our autopilot, a top of the range model (which has always given trouble) had finally packed up altogether. So when we set off from Dublin we had only the Pacific to rely on.
We got back to Falmouth in just over 40 hours in winds that ranged from F1-6 and the Pacific steered just about every metre under sail. Having had two windvanes before (Aries and a Monitor) for over 25 years what amazed me was just how easily the Pacific coped with winds that ranged from strong (reaching) to very light (running). Even my wife who has up until now viewed the vane as a creature of mystery is a total convert!
There is no doubt in my mind that the Pacific is the most simple, robust and dependable piece of equipment on the boat, and we would never be without it. It is the best windvane on the market in my view.
Thanks once again for a truly seaworthy piece of gear.
Kind regards
Colin
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