Sailing craft self-steering system

Abstract

A self-steering system particularly suitable for maintaining a sailing craft such as a yacht on a preselected heading relative to the apparent wind. An oar member which forms a hydrodynamic servo is mounted on a center body for rotational motion. Also supported on the center body above the oar member is a wind vane which is mounted for rotational adjustment and for pivotal motion substantially normal to its rotational axis. The center body is pivotally supported on the transom of the yacht for motion about an axis approximately parallel to the longitudinal center line of the boat. The wind vane is coupled to the oar member such that when the heading of the yacht changes relative to the apparent wind, the wind vane is pivotally driven sidewise by the wind and through its linkage thereto rotatably drives the oar member. Such rotatable motion of the oar member from a predetermined neutral position results in sidewise water forces thereon which pendulously drive the oar member sidewise and along with it rotate the center body and the vane base. The center body is coupled through a suitable linkage to the steering control of the yacht such that the sidewise pendulous motion of the oar causes the steering control to drive the rudder of the yacht in a direction such as to maintain the yacht on the preselected heading relative to apparent wind.