Ahoy! If you have ever seen attached to the stern of a sailing yacht a contraption, that wouldn’t look out of place in Wallace & Gromit or a steampunk film and wondered what the heck it was… it was probably a Wind Vane Steering system.
This marvellous mechanism could make your long-distance sailing adventures a breeze – quite literally!

What Is It?

Wind vane steering is like an autopilot or autohelm with a twist – a completely mechanical twist that keeps your sailboat on a point of sail using nothing but the wind.

How Does It Work?

You’re cruising along, the wind is in your sails, and you want to pop the kettle on – without contravening rule 5 of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea obviously!

Enter the wind vane steering system. Here's a simple breakdown of how it does its job:

1. The Wind Vane (A): A vertical blade that faces the wind. It's mounted at the back of the boat and has a counterweight underneath to keep it vertical.
   
   
2. Setting the point of sail (B): A “direction controller” is adjusted so that when you are on your desired point of sail the vane is facing directly into the wind.
   
   
3. Wind shifts & heading changes: If the wind shifts or yacht’s heading changes the vane will tilt.
   
   
4. The Steering Mechanism (C): The tilt moves a series of gears and linkages that ultimately turn either your rudder or a rudder that is part of the wind vane steering mechanism (D).
   
   
5. Steering by the Wind: The yacht turns due to the rudder movement and the vane will face directly back into the wind and lose its tilt. Removing the tilt turns the rudder back to where it was.
   
   
6. Constant Balancing Act: The magic of wind vane steering is in its balance. It responds to the wind and sea without any electronics, batteries, or motors.

Why It’s So Good

• No Power Required: Unlike electronic autopilots, wind vane systems don't drain your batteries. They’re ideal for long passages where conserving power is crucial.
• Peaceful Sailing: Enjoy the sound of the waves and wind without the hum of motors.
• Reliability: They’re sturdy and dependable and some can also be used as an emergency steering system if something happens to your normal wheel / tiller and / or rudder. With some wind vanes it’s even possible to attach an electronic tiller pilot to turn it into a steering system that can follow a heading.