I've got the windpilot. And I must say it is built like a masonry outhouse. I was knocked down twice last year in big seas. The only thing that hit the water and remained undamaged was the windpilot. She was knocked off course unfortunately and at first I thought she was not working when I came back up as the boat was wallowing as opposed to sailing at 135 degrees to the wind under bare poles. However I adjusted her back on course and off we went again. I personally believe my windpilot is indestructible [so far]. If you follow the instructions closely I find she moves the tiller quite sufficiently for nearly all situations. Of course in light airs there is rarely enough water flow to push teh pendulum up far enough to steer properly and she does cause the boat to waver over the sea a bit. But I'm not sure this is unique to the windpilot. As long as I can get the boat up to 2 knots water speed she seems to be ok. Major downside is the fact that there is no remote adjustment and you have to go back to the machine itself to make a course adjustment. [Roger Taylor has invented a device that he had retrofitted to his windpilot - he has a picture somewhere, I'm not sure if it is this forum or the Jester Yahoo forum]. I've thought about it but I'm just as happy to make the trip to the back of the cockpit to adjust it as long as I always clip on. Gives me something to do.
-------------------- "Those who would go to sea for pleasure would visit hell as a pastime."
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Re: Self steering reliability and fixing underway.
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