On sailing a Folksong – Self-steering gear

/ Bill

A comment this evening:

“I have just bought a Folksong and plan to do some extended single-handed voyages in her. I was wondering if you know of any folksong’s that have had self-steering gear installed on them, and if so which system / model has been used with success.”

Lo Shu

Sho Fu is the only Folksong I know of to carry self-steering gear – and this hazy image is the only one I have and I know nothing else about her.

Looking at her again, I notice the spray hood is similar to a design I have in mind. I might use this one.

I use a Raymarine ST1000+ for shorter trips, but would not want to undertake  a longer voyage with this system alone.

When I bought Blue Mistress I spent some time researching self-steering gear with the intention of fitting it fairly quickly. As happens, priorities changed and deadlines came and went and I still haven’t done it.

However, I did think that a system like the Windpilot Pacific Light might work.  (To see one fitted to the stern of a Folkboat, click here and here).

Nick Jaffe made it to Australia in his Contessa 26, Constellation, with this set up.

Here is Blue Mistress crying out for self-steering gear – and an owner with the means to go a lot further than he has so far.

If you have strong thoughts on this, let me know.


9 thoughts on “On sailing a Folksong – Self-steering gear”

  1. I had a Hasler designed Quartermaster on my Invicta (similar to the Contessa 26) it worked really well on long trips.

    Just needed a bit of bungee to damp the tiller.

  2. wow, this was very informative 🙂

    The only autopilots i had in mind where the “classic” electronic ones on motor vessels but this one is pretty much like a weathercock! 😀 (The article on wikipedia has extensive description)

    I thought that a sailing vessel auto-pilot would be more complex given that steering implies some correction on the angle of the sail as well…which in turn implies servos everywhere 😀

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  4. Is Lo Shu really a Folksong? Totally different topsides- not as attractive as usual. Glad you’ve finally got this sorted though.

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