It may not seem strange that the sailing fraternity make huge sacrifice in their lives to allow them to have boats such as Shimshal and to spend weeks or months living and travelling the world aboard them. What may strike you as a bit odd however is once they get going on their beautiful yachts they want to stick on the "cruise control" and not actually drive the things.
Shimshal has two "cruise controls", or auto pilots as they are known in the nautical world. One is an electronic brain, give it a compass bearing to follow and it will draw such a straight line across the chart you would think a ruler had been used. The downside of these devices however is, as always, the non ending appitite for amps, demanding their toll from the ever suffering ships batteries.
Shimshal also has a less hungry, more organic, auto helm called an Hydrovane, or, as named by his previous owner, Hal. Hal has a small red sail hoisted on a mechanism bolted to the transom of the boat. Through a series of cogs, rods and levers the sail controls a small second rudder which when engaged keeps the boat on track relative to the wind. It is a little more involved to use, no throwing a switch and leaving it too it. First, before even thinking about using Hal you must fit the sail, then with it locked out of service, get the boat sailing in the required direction and balanced so the helm is light . Then, adjust Hals sail so it points directly into the wind, no pressure on either side of it. Lock the main rudder and engage Hal. The boat should continue on in a straight line, if however it should dare to wander the small hydrovane sail feels wind pressure on one side or the other, as it is blown across it operates the small rudder bringing the boat back on course and releasing the pressure on the small sail which straightens out the small rudder. If everything is set up correctly then you should proceed on your way in a slightly wandering course. Hal, also a new crew member onboard Shimshal, is on his first voyage this trip and will take a little while to get used to. It seems the slight downfall of a wiggly course is more than compensated for by an autohelm which eats no amps
Not having to steer at all times is actually very useful, making tea on a night watch, using the loo, having lunch, all important and impossible to do when hanging onto wheel. It also allows the on watch crew member to be involved with the running of the boat, duties such as reefing, sail trimming, etc. In fact life becomes very much easier with a competent mechanical crew member.
Tim