THE LOOSE ENDS OF A CHRISTMAS TALE
On 25 December 2021, I posted a Christmas tale about Michael Date on my blog following his decision to withdraw from the entry list for the GGR 2022. A year or so later, I would now like to share some information about what happened next.
Michael Date’s Windpilot Pacific has jumped ship to join Australian Mike Smith in Glen Oak, New South Wales, who will shortly be installing it on his newly built Eric 32 (readers may recall that Thuriya, the boat a seriously injured Abhilash had to abandon during the GGR 2018, was built to the same William Atkins design).
Dear Peter, It has been a few years since we were in contact. We used our Windpilot on our 
Hi Peter, I hope all is well with you.
Hello Peter! Thank you for a great produkt. I have now used it for approx 12 000 miles. But now I have a problem to make it funktion properly. It seems like the inner pushrod in the tube has bent. What could have cosed that?
Hi Peter, Hope this email finds you well! I wanted to give you a short update on the performance of the very old Windpilot that I bought and installed on Ponta Delgada, the Azores.
Hi Peter, between the problems with the COVID and the manufacturing of the custom-made support part for the Windpilot and the Watt&Sea, it took me a long time before I install the Windpilot… But it is now done, since this summer : In July, I installed it. In August, I used it from France to the Azores Islands.
Dear Peter, After 2 years of cruising and crossing the Atlantic both ways, we are now back in our home country, Norway. Just wanted to let you know that we have been very happy with our Windpilot Pacific MF3. It has been our preferred choice for self-steering and gets our recommendation. 
Good day Peter, Really like the gear after 1500 miles of sailing since I got it. I have had the boat in Alaska, New England, the Pacific Northwest, a solo to Hawaii (2014 Singlehanded Transpacific Race), and up and down the California coast. The boat is a Capri 25 that has been extensively rebuilt and strengthened over the two decades I have owned her.
The name Jack comes from the name of my father’s lead dog, Jack the Giant Killer, while he was with the Second Byrd Expedition to the Antarctic. I had an Hasler fitted in earlier times, quite a big unit for my small seatoy. The Pacific Light has been fitted by use of a small turning device to accomodate the use of the AB engine easily.
Hello Peter, greetings from Finnland. I have owned pacific windpilot 15 years and it has been working absolutly well. There is nothing like pacific.
Hi Peter, just a quick note, it’s working perfect now! I didn’t change the set-up yet with a crossbar (which we have onboard). It doesn’t seems necessary yet. Off course the wheel coupling is the other way round, I might have done that wrong just for the photos I send you but also on one of the test runs. Oops. 
You are very well known in the sailing world and the Windpilot is really the best speed regulator in the world. Thank you for creating this product to make our navigation easier. It’s been a long time since I dreamed of having a Windpilot, today I gave it to myself and I want it to be perfect:-)
Good morning Peter, I am again reminded that good service lives on at Windpilot. From the first conversation at Earls Court boat show so many years ago the service has been consistent – even from the red sofa. Thank you. 
Dear mr. Förthmann, After more than twenty years of extensive use I would like to overhaul my Windpilot Pacific (version prior to 1998) and replace a number of “plastic” parts that show wear and tear. I would appreciate to receive a quotation for the parts on the photograph below as well as for the top cover (part 60 in the exploded view). For convenience I have added references (where clear) to the exploded view on the website.
Hello Peter, just have to say i`am verry impressd by the bulit quality of the windpilot, and the simpel installasjon. I have only been on one trip and testing the windpilot, and it worked Perfect. I`am sending you some Picture of the pilot and a movie when i was out sailing.
Good Day Peter! Windpilot Pacifica Light working great!
