Daily Routine of Using a Windvane
February 17, 2025 · 4 min · 2K views
What this video covers
The Aries windvane self-steering gear — called "Mongo" — gets a daily maintenance routine aboard Into Oblivion during an offshore passage.0:09 Jerome Rand lubricates every moving pivot point using three-in-one oil, with automatic transmission fluid as a substitute when the primary oil runs out, applying small drops to each pin and joint.0:17 He inspects control lines for chafe at the block where they dead-end at the rudder blade; when a section shows fraying on the outer coating, he pulls the line through six inches to a foot to shift the chafed section away from the wear point, buying time before a full line replacement.0:54 He notes the importance of keeping extra feet of line on each end for exactly this purpose.1:57 Grease at high-friction points helps slow chafe but does not eliminate it.2:36 During the inspection, Rand spots a gap in the rudder blade union, meaning the lower section has worked loose over several hundred miles of sailing.3:21 He heaves to, climbs onto the stern, and tightens the union until the two sections close flush.3:29 The practical takeaway: a daily visual check of windvane control lines and mechanical unions catches developing failures before they become offshore emergencies.
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