REFERENZ FÜR 23 JAHRE 150.000 SM SEGELN MIT WINDPILOT
I have used a WindPilot Pacific for about 23 years. Have covered about 150,000 miles in that time. The gear has been fitted to our 26′ Warsash One Design for its voyage from UK to NZ, our 32 Hartley for South Pacific and our current Saga Saltram 40 for North and South Pacific and sub Antarctics. A wide variety of vessel types and sailing conditions.
The gear is excellent in both strong and light winds. In light winds it is important (in my opinion) to ensure the wind sensing vane is balanced well and has a streamer from its top end to help it catch the wind. Balance of the vessels and sails is always important. In general I would say if the gear isn’t working then the operator is doing something “wrong”. The “wrong” may be not balancing the sails, over pressing the vessel, not maintaining the windpilot properly or has expectations of a wind steering system that is pre-emptive rather than reactive.
Being a very simple design it is easy to see and understand what is going on with it. The ruggedness of construction is supreme and our only breakages have been when the gear has been hit by other vessels at speed. Service from Peter has been excellent and amazingly fast. On three separate occasions I have been hit by other vessels when berthed. Each occasion needed spare parts of some kind (we are talking a 5 knot collision not a gentle tap). Peter got these spares to me within days in the various parts of the world I was in. Great gear, great service.
I have sailed with Monitor, Aries, Plastimo Navik and Hydrovane. I personally find WindPilot the best all round. LINK
enjoy the sailing
Jim Dilley, Auckland NZ
