Why We Sail--"Cape Horn Steering Vane Install and Sea Trial" 

Just finished your book Alone Together. A wonderful read. Thank you!

Terrific. Perhaps your next episode might be about Yves Gélinas on Self-Steering, who invented the Cape Horn. O"n May 9, 1983, on board Alberg 30 Jean-du-Sud, I completed a 28,000 mile single-handed circumnavigation from Saint-Malo, France, to Gaspe, Quebec, by way of the Southern Ocean and Cape Horn. In the 282 sailing days of my voyage, I did not steer more than one hour.."

Your videos, voice and stories are a tonic for my soul.

You are a fabulous communicator

Thanks, You continue to be my inspiration for my own solo crossing from Tokyo to Vancouver.

A sailing channel with mostly sailing, fantastic! Thanks for taking us along.

I just wanna say as someome who just recently started sailing and has had it consume my whole life. Your videos and commentary are so incredibly entralling and inspiring. These videos mean a lot to me. Thanks for making them. -aloha

I've never even been on a sailboat, yet I find myself completely intrigued in these videos.

Good to hear from you again. Have a great season 2021! Greets from Lisbon, Portugal.

I always enjoy your videos and appreciate the shout out to my other favorite sailors, Dan and Kika on Sailing Uma! Great episode as always!

always great to see a new video. very nice wind vane supper clean design and installation keeps the cockpit clutter free.

Magic stuff! Both your videos, your ‘sailing Tesla’ & your new self steering are all magic to watch and learn from! All the best Richard

I just love seeing Catalina Island at your stern in the background. Ohh gentle Catalina Harbor, how I miss your gentle mill pond like Anchorage.

When the drive belt on a ski lift gets loose, you tighten it. But if it’s the middle of an operating day, you just gotta get through it. So you throw some snow between it and the pulleys, creating some friction. I was reminded of that when you splashed some water into the gearing of the self steering.

Great video. You explore in depth all of the things I was wondering about, and how to manage them in real life, like the simple task of changing tack.

Thanks for sharing,your channel is one of my favorites and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys sailing, ..

Another great episode Captain! I've read your book Alone together, and seen all your episodes. My favorite sailor on RU-vid.

It looks great Christian !! very elegant and gentleman's kind of thing !! but I guess bit difficult to repair/check in bad weather being inside the boat !! I hope you enjoy this new sailing season and untold histories yet to tell ... Cheers and fair winds from Muros-Galicia

Always a pleasure to see you show up Sir.

I miss your travels. Glad you're doing well.

Fab to see you back. Greetings from a new sailboat owner.

I have missed seeing you Captain! Nice to see all is well!💪👌

I just love your videos Ch. Williams. Calm, intelligent humor, inspiring information. Fair winds,,,, /),,,,,

Solid Cape Horn demo. I like that you point out the difference between sailing the boat and sailing the wind vane.

With a cup off coffee and this video in the morning👍 Cheers from Sweden🇸🇪

Watching his channel reminds me of when I used to watch Andy Rooney with my mom when I was a young girl.

Love you very educational videos ! ! As l am a man well into my 70th year I believe... If I am smart enough to wear a safety harness I would strap and tie-in... especially leaning over and adjusting a steering vane. Granted my sailing experience is young.

Hello from London, UK. Great to see you again Christian :)

That was a very good review. I cringed at the hole saw thru the stern as I’m sure you did too. I can certainly see the wind vane use in longer crossings, not consuming power, but for day sailing, the good’ol autopilot works well. 👍 Thank you for the video. Your narration always causes a good laugh.

An aesthetically wind vane that seems to work. Best wishes from Denmark.

this boat looks so cool

You must be planning another adventure. Great video. Thanks

Youve inspired me to buy a sailboat and take on the the globe. Hello from Rugby town, central England 😉

Happy sailing dear Friend,your videos areR ather inspiring ..cheers

thumbs up before i even hit play! miss your videos!

Inspirational, informative and entertaining. Stories well told cant wait to get my Wetsnail in the water!

When cutting holes in your fiberglass boats please use a vacuum folks. Either an assistant to hold the vacuum or if you’re really skilled - drill in one hand and vacuum nozzle in the other.

Luvvit. Especially the last line.

Thank you one more time Christian

Reminds me of getting cruise control on the RV which allowed me to get up and go make a samich. Cheers, to another great video.

Cape horn! elegant truly I purchased the Mister Vee from SVEN Never owned steering gear before but it's a very light unit and my boat is 20 ft very small. I will let you know how it goes

Thanks for making this.

I realy must say, my first taught a coupple of months ago was something like: a man in my fathers age, this is not for me. 😊 Now i have watched every video, listened to the books, Will soon start Rorotonga. I, m so hooked 🤣 I realy like the philosophic angle. Many laughs (best one about the missing bottle in the bar. 🤣) Thank you for sharing. And keep writing and filming. Realy liked the Father daughter episodes. From Sweden with love. YT channel "Sailing River Song"

Didnt even watch it yet but I upvoted it.. Ill watch it later.

Yay more father/daughter adventures 🤙

Superb!

Get a nice, glass funnel (might be found someplace selling chemistry lab equipment) to assist pour drinks when the boat is oscillating... Nice vid :)

Great video, thanks!!

Great explanation of some of the gotchas in setting the windvane. One question, on such an aesthetically pleasing design do they really only give you a bit of ribbon to tie up the rudder? !!

So is the new wind vane hinting at a new long voyage? I like the absence of lines with this model.

Great video. We’re you using a preventer when going down wind with the vane?

Very nice..thank you!

So much more “zen” using the windvane then the squeaky electric pilot. Love our old Aries that has followed me for over 30 years.

I can't help but wonder how much usable storage space has been given over to the Cape Horn's blocks and lines. I've a book by John Letcher (amazingly available as a free PDF if you google the name and 'self steering'), it's an old book, but the information contained is valuable. He does suggest, in one chapter, a method of using a fool's purchase and the tension on your sheets to maintain a course relative to the wind. I've put together the relevant blocks, lines, and rubber tubing, but the conditions and my time have yet to coincide to make testing practicable... so the tiller pilot still has a place in the crew.

Another good one Christian. Not really a Tesla, , the motive from the wind , not an electric battery, But it was a great video on self steering...

Hmmm, cant wait for the long distance trip you must be planning. :)

Those things are magic.

For those interested in sailboats, the well known SailboatData website is now available as an iOS app which is much easier to use.

Nice video

Thanks

One year later, would you pick the same choice?

Yves Gélinas is a genius/artist . . . bravo

would love to know where you got your instrument display box. looking for something with that much depth. great video!

It takes a lot of courage to place a 4 inch hole saw to a perfectly good hull. Looks like it works well. Time to set sail back to NJ? Be well.

Why dont you have a bimini or dodger? I think you mentioned why in a video but forgot the reason? More maintenance?

what is more reliable? the steering vane or the electronic autopilot systems?

👍

Why do I think your heading to Hawaii again? I have that funny feeling:)

I'm confused. I thought the pendulum blade did the steering, while the main rudder was locked at the wheel. Windvanes don't hold course, but a point of sail. I'm debating on two models of windvanes, and the Cape Horn is one of them. Thanks for the video.

I started to itch as soon as that hole saw touched the hull.

You can adjust the vane to tack

An interesting video. One question, why install the self steering vane when you already have the Ray Marine steering system?

For a brief moment I thought you were rounding The Horn lol! YES!!....Then, reality.

Like you dam I love bro from new Zealand

What is the make and model boat he sails?

Wasn’t that a Raymarine Autopilot controller I saw.?

I'm sure that the discussions about the choice of windvanes become as heated as those about anchor selection.😆

Did you install this for redundancy, or you just don’t like the squeak of the electronic AP?

@12:34 the two lines below deck are rubbing on one another. That looks like a 100% future failure right there. Any way around that?

Christian, Nice video, very helpful, but gosh. I'm sure you didn't just leave all that fiberglass sawdust in the water. That would be bad.

So is it a yes or a no?

Looks like someone's getting ready to sail back to hawaii since you had to cancel last year.

"Here is where the sausage is made...below deck..." LOL Carbon fiber mast, wow!

:)

Just let me say first that I love boats in general... But why does everything on sailboats look like Rube Goldberg was dropping acid? I think the entire problem space needs refactoring.

let me think, a new steering vane , vaccinations, safety harness. nothng left to do but sail to Hawaii again YAY !

If you’re ever on the Chesapeake I’ll buy the rounds if you tell the stories.

Made in Quebec!

Old Mr Squeaky can be cured, but I forgot how since we sold our old boat. One thing though, the whales don't like it. Every time I saw a whale I would engage the wheel pilot and then the whales would start slamming the water with their pectoral fins.

4:47 You're gonna be itchy....

Perhaps the seal was telling you that she didn’t appreciate the fiberglass shavings in her home. Lol.

More theory and diagrams, how does it work, not just what we see... But I'm a geek 🤓.

...something we are encouraged otherwise to avoid...

Hydrovane omy go to 😂

Yet to watch a video of yours I didn't enjoy, thanks!

Poor some grog and call it beautiful.

👍