WINDVANES

I have a Cape Horn that I bought 2 years ago. I steered in all conditions for 2000 miles on the Atlantic this summer. No negative remarks at all.
Mine is for sale now, either with the boat or without. It's slightly bent after land transport this summer but Yves Gelinas will fix it for me.

Thanks for your feedback.  I had investigated all you guys mentioned.  I had liked the Pacific wind pilot...also, how did you mount the Cape Horn?!  I had liked it the most, but didn't want something offset...personal preference...
However, I did end up finding a used (but pretty well new) Navik, and am thrilled!  I will be hauling her out of the water to put it on, and then....who knows where I'll go!
Thank you all for your responses and pictures!
Shannon/RHIANNON

What would be everyone's pick for a windvane for their Contessa 26?  I know Monitors are proven, but seem quite big and over sized? 
I have seen the Walter Murray "build it yourself" site, and even though I have belief in my abilities, I know nature doesn't....
The Cape Horn is tidy for non-transom-hung rudder, but at least on the 26, the Cape Horn is better proportioned, it too is proved (Jean du Sud)
The Navik is being discontinued, but still avail through ScanMar, who also sell the Monitor.  Navik is cheaper, but one has to fabricate own mounting system - so might as well buy one already set up to install, in my case anyways.  Sailomat is another option...
However, a tidy trim-tab system seems the most sensible option...the Vectavane used by David Rainsbury on Piper, his Co26 seems simple and sensible, and was based on Hasler's principle.  I am leaning towards this one.
The AutoSteer by Hydravane used by D.Dunnigan (?) (review on Pocketcruisers) also seems ok.
The Hyrovane (dealer right here in VAncouver, B.C.) is horridly expensive: $6,600 Can!!!  so that will likely rule it out.

Opinions, feedback? Thank you.

For myself, I will be looking for a Navik windvane whenever I find a contessa 26 for myself.  To me it does not over shadow the stern of the boat as it it built for 30 foot or less sailboats.

The Monitor is about the only one that allows it to be mounted on the centerline of the boat. I talked with all the different manufacturers about mounting their unit on a boat with an outboard rudder. Half of them said, " no problem, we just mount it off to the side and put a longer water blade on it." The other half said, "it must be mounted in the center, otherside it will really not work well on either tack. We do not recommend our model for your boat." All of these units worked on the same principles. So were only half of them honest or just too conservative or without experience on off-center mounting. The answers are never as clear as we would like. I have 11,000nm on my Monitor and it's worked great, but yes it is big. You can try to put a positive spin on it and think of it as a large heavy symbol of offshore singlehandedness.

Andrew....we discussed this in another post?!  (my mind is going?!)  I think we did....however, mine is not installed yet, I am too scared to drill holes!!!  It's a bit silly really, but I am measuring, etc...but not doing more, yet! ;-)   Maybe I should test some rum for the tanks, and then it won't matter where the heck the holes go!
Let me know when you start drilling and measuring....JR transom same angle as JJT?  48 degrees?  So we'll have the same, almost mounting arm length?  This should be interesting....

Chris,  Thank you very much.  I would be interested in offer.  By the way, now long or any problems did you have putting on your Cape Horn.

Guys,

for 2 people there's a discount of 10%, for 3 15%, for 4 20%. That's considerable savings for such a precision instrument. There's a picture on Yves' site showing an Alberg 30 and a  Contessa 26 sailing downwind wing on wing WITHOUT a pole. No other windvane in the world can do that and I can testify to that as I sailed her at 7.5 knots dead downwind for 3 days.

Best,
C

I am in the process of buying a Cape Horn windvane and wondering if anyone wanted to get one as there is a discount with2 or more buyer (Chris T. conversation with the owner - see above).  The discount is as following:
for 2 people 10% ($302 USD), for 3 15% ($453USD), for 4 20% ($$604 USD). That's considerable savings for such a precision instrument.
If interested, you can e-mail me off-line.
jklee