SV Albatros – Jan Willem Eyssen NED

BESTEVAER 55 USING WINDPILOT PACIFIC FOR 12 YEARS
Dear mr Förthmann, As from the launch in 2009, my Bestevaer 55′ Albatros (approx. 26 tonnes) has been equipped with both a Pacific Windpilot and a B&G autopilot. Both the pilots are being used seperately and have served us well over the years and still do.
Best regards,
Jan Willem Eyssen

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SV The Point – David Auld AU

FIRST SAILING EXPERIENCES WITH WINDPILOT IN AUSTRALIA
Hello Peter, Installation and commissioning went very well. There were no surprises and no need for further adjustments. I’ve used the unit in light conditions and just recently for a beam reach in 20-25 knot winds. As long as my sail trim is correct the Windpilot does a great job. I’m learning to reef my mainsail early to keep the helm balanced.
Thanks for your support and this great product.
Regards
David Auld

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SV Kompaan – Peter Jongepier NED

HR 34 – TRANSATLANTIC
Hi Peter, Hope you are doing well. Firstly wanted to reconfirm how happy I’m with your Windpilot which helped me to cross the Atlantic smoothly. Many thanks for developing this fantastic product!
Best from the West
Peter SY Kumpaan

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SV Dutch – Sebastiaan Ambtman NED

BOREAL 44 – TRANSATLANTIC WITH FAMILY

YT CHANNEL

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Selfsteering installation and usage tips

COLIN SPEEDIE – ATTAINABLE ADVENTURE CRUISING

Morganscloud

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SV Iris – Petter Mather Simonsen NOR

COMMENT ON ATTAINABLE ADVENTURE CRUISING
“I installed a Windpilot Pacific on my heavy Koopmans centerboard vessel in 2014. It has not got a lot of use, but saved me when required. (electric generation failure mid ocean – so no normal autopilot). From time to time I have been in contact with Peter Förthmann, either to get advice, or buy a small part.
His customer service is absolutely outstanding beyond anything I have experience in this industry and beyond.
As regards gear on boats, it is not a question if it breaks, it is a question of when. Then it is good to know Peter F is there to help.
No sponsorship – just a happy customer.”
Petter SV Iris
WEITERLESEN

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SV Blue Marlin – Frédéric Giraldi FR

TWO TIMES FROM MARSEILLE TO NOUVELLE CALÉDONIE
Bonjour, J’ai du vous acheter mon premier WindPilot en 1997, après avoir discuté avec vous au salon nautique de Paris, c’était un Pacific Plus et il m’a emmené jusqu’à Cairn en Australie sans problème. En 5 ans de navigation mes heures de barre se comptent sur les doigts de la main. Continue reading

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SV Scot Free III – Frank Mulholland UK

SARGASSO WEED ON OVNI 435 DURING OCEAN SAILING
Dear Peter, It has been more than 3 years since we installed your excellent Windpilot and we have travelled from the UK, across the Atlantic, all over the Caribbean and now up the West coast of the USA. The Windpilot has steered most of the way and has performed outstandingly. Continue reading

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Charlie Lewis US

PACIFIC SEACRAFT 20 – FIRST TRY IN SEATTLE
Hi Peter, She’s working perfectly!

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SV Dada Tux – Helen Heutschi + Hansueli Schwaninger CH

ON AN UNUSUAL COURSE SOUTH – SAN FRANCISCO – SAN DIEGO
The Dada Tux has been moored in Emerycove Marina for a good three weeks. We are very comfortable here, nestled between live-aboard motor yachts with Eric and Lisa on one side, Geli (Angelika) and Rich on the other. Before arriving in San Francisco, we try to book a berth in several marinas downtown, but due to the fleet weeks, everything is either full or too expensive (sometimes over 200 US$ per night). As it is in life and sailing, we briefly meet a couple in Port Townsend who are active in the Richmond Yacht Club and are encouraged to enquire there. The possibilities of getting anywhere from there by public transport are very limited and apparently a quite dangerous (hold-up) route has to be mastered first. Danny, the harbour master, therefore recommends Emerycove in Emeryville, with the harbour master Diane. We are even invited to an Oktoberfest on jetty G with Weisswurst, potato salad and beer at Eva’s (German but living in the USA for 50 years) home CONTINUE READING

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SV Oldbones – Peter Matthew US

GILES 30 AND WINDPILOT STILL IN LOVE AFTER 45 YEARS OF SAILINGGood day Peter. Aye have lost my vane on my boat old bones. And we know you not made this wide vain for decades. So am am asking please I like to make a copy of it but I don’t have actual size of it. I fully overhaul this 2 years ago. Get lots of comments on it all good. New rudder shaft plastic bushes etc. Ok thanks pete. Sv oldbones

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SV Dutch – Sebastiaan Ambtman NED

LONGDISTANCE CRUISING ON BREEHORN 37 – NOW BOREAL 44
Dear Peter, It has been a few years since we were in contact. We used our Windpilot on our Breehorn 37 ‘Pjotter’ (www.pjotterpassages.com) a great deal. We have now bought a Boreal 44 (‘Dutch’) on which I would like to install our trusty Windpilot. Is there anything in particular I should be taking into account or can I just follow the manual? I noticed that one of the pictures in the manual was taken on a Boreal! Maybe you have more detail pictures?
Best regards,
Sebastiaan Ambtman SV DUTCH

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SV September – Elgard + Klaus Tischhauser CH

REINKE HYDRA SC – WELTUMSEGELUNG SEIT 2016
Hello Mr Förthmann
We arrived in Horta a few days ago after 20 days at sea coming from Norfolk/Virginia. Shortly after arrival, a friendly gentleman approached us and asked if everything was OK with the Windpilot. He was the local Windpilot representative. This was fortunate, as we had worn out threads on both bracket screws. Harry offered that we could get his repair kit to screw in threaded inserts. For free. Great service! The Windpilot is now practically as good as new – after 15 years!
Thanks for the service point in the middle of the Atlantic!
Greetings from
Klaus und Elgard

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SV Blue Water – Mikael Olund SWE

ALLEGRO 33 SAILING TO SURINAM
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?
Regards from Mikael, currently in Domburg, Surinam Continue reading

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Webmailor – Patrick Losert GER

DEVELOPED BY THE SAILOR – IRIDIUM GO CAN NOW WWW
Internet connection for sailors on the move – that’s what sailors dream of.
Patrick Losert, digital nomad and on the move by ship in the Pacific, currently visiting home, plans to continue his journey from Tahiti towards the west. His profession: IT developer, smart guy and curious about solutions that make life easier, especially off the IT highways when bits and bytes are just trickling instead of whizzing.
IridiumGo brings the mail on board, but the gateway to the WWW including Google search remains blocked, an unacceptable situation for a nerd who is used to answering all kinds of questions on the net in every situation, at the cooker or in the bunk.

Now Patrick has found a solution to crack the nut: Continue reading

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Four legs in two countries

SO NEAR AND YET SO FAR AWAY

Four legs in two countries

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Peter – word wrangler

WRITING FOR SURVIVAL

Peter – word wrangler

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Gallant 53 – Bestevaer 53

NO SECOND SHIP – OR IS IT?

Gallant53+Bestevaer53

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SV Express Crusader – Douwe Gorter NED

FAMOUS EXPRESS CRUSADER USED SAILOMAT, ARIES AND WINDPILOT
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.

Since this is my very first experience with a windvane I must say that I am totally blown away by its performance on this boat. As you know this is the old boat that Lesly Williams sailed the Ostar with in 1968 three months after she was launched, he came in second by the way. She is even better know as the boat that was lent to Naomi James by Chay Blyth to become the woman to ever sail around the world single handed in 1978. The boat was equipped with a Sailomat of the first generation, despite the very many issues she had with the Sailomat she stated in her book that the adventure success had been very much dependant on the self steering. Continue reading

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Hinckley Picnic Boat EP – for sale – Germany

BLUESIANA – BRUCE KING DESIGN – BERTH BALTIC
Continue reading

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