There are many windvanes on the market now but for me the one that stands out
from the crowd is the Monitor.
It is manufactured by Scanmar in the US which means the exchange rate has kept the
cost of a Monitor competitive.
Made almost entirely from high grade stainless steel, it is extremely
robust and individually designed to fit your boat.
It arrives with a full
set of instructions and attachments and with only four fixing pads is
easily assembled and fitted in a day by the average boat DIYer.
Scanmar has an incredibly good website, an education in
itself: www.selfsteer.com
It gives information on all aspects
of the steering vane and is extremely clear and easily understood and you are likely to find pictures of boats similar to your
own fitted with the Monitor.
The Monitor comes with a large and small vane to suit your boat and the
conditions at the time. Each vane has two slots at its base and is
simply dropped over two bolts, having a face plate and two large knobs
which are done up finger tight to hold it in place.
The 'course set' is adjustable within a second or two and the attachment
to the tiller can also be made and removed within seconds.
I have used mine now for two seasons and thoroughly recommend the product.
Scanmar says: There are many different systems of windvane self-steering. Trim tab, auxiliary rudder and servo pendulum systems are just a few. The development of the servo-pendulum principle represented a breakthrough in wind-vane self-steering.
As the boat moves faster with stronger winds, the power of the servo oar increases and this gives ample power to turn the boat's own large rudder.
The Monitor steering system is powerful and has positive yaw dampening which makes it possible to steer straight in difficult downwind conditions. The more it blows, the better the Monitor likes it.
The consensus of opinion is that the servo-pendulum principle is the best method of self steering for most boats.
The advantages of the Monitor are:
- Works without electricity
- Can be repaired on-board
- Makes no noise
- Extremely dependable
- Loves heavy weather
- High resale value
