Testing Windvane - Home built OGT III

After a trial fit, today was the Big Day! I fixed it to the stern rail, set the lines and took off under working jib and full main in a 10 knot easterly made erratic by local topography.  Problem One was easily fixed; I had the tiller lines in reverse (that's me). Problem Two was a frustrating marriage between tiller lines and jam cleats, they would hold until a powerboat wake would dislodge them.

But you know, for enclosed waters which are not what these things are designed for, I could see she would do the job. I trialled her into the wind and again only the Cleating was an issue, otherwise, I was quite happy. I found the OGT less manic than my old Navic, the Navic would swing and sway like a punching bag, the OGT just stands erect or leans one way for a time, using the wind to ease the tiller round. So cool. Several times I tried to work out how if works, but I got giddy and had to put my harness on. Who cares? I made it, it works.

I got a few jaunty waves from other cool cruising boats too!

Here is my chilled out OGT 

Working to windward in 10-15 knots and swell.(Oui, that headsail halyard could do with some more weight!)

POST SCRIPT: 

When the OGT II went offshore in light following winds down to calm, with a quartering swell, she was largely ineffective. The vane needed more wind to pivot freely (see below), and the lumpy swell made even sailing a bit difficult. 

My first response to this was to consider heaving the OGT over the side and buying a shiny new ss one ... then I saw the prices. So onwards and upwards; the key shortcoming with the design, or my build, was its poor pivoting action. The weight of a four foot high vane and three kilos of weight on the bottom was plainly too much for two 1/4" stainless bolts held between epoxy coated plywood to cope. What it needs are bearings. 

*** In late August 2016 a set of teflon plain bearings were fittings and have yet to be tested. 

Fortunately at times during our first coastal passage, the legendary self-steering capabilitiesthe (International) Folkboat came to light. To windward in 12 knots + she holds course better than any helmsman. And there are equally encouraging signs on other points of sail top. There are electronic options other than handsteering/windvane/or heaving to, but I'm keen to make the most of these options for the foreseeable future.