I know there are some very knowledgeable people on here in regards to windvanes.
going back to the old original Fleming , is there any advantages , disadvantages to it over the more modern windvanes?
As far as I can tell they are very similar to an Aires but in Stainless , is it 316 or 304,
are the gears bullet proof?
what maintenance is needed re bearings ?
did any of the old Flemmings have a folding leg?
I am in the market for a second hand windvane so if anyone has one please PM me.
i am swayed to the modern Aires with folding leg.
been listening to Don McIntyre and his ideas on the South Atlantic but still don't trust the build.
thanks in advance.
P.S. Anyone have any thoughts on the SOUTH ATLANTIC WINDVANE ?
I have seen some posts online of people being ripped off and losing their money , I believe there has been different owners of the company but this makes me apprehensive on build quality as well .

Pretty sure I read the castings on my flemming are 2205 stainless and the rest is 316.

Edit see detail below

Here's a page out of the manual showing the materials used.

I've also got an earlier manual likely from the 1980s, scanned in 2009.

The early ones were really nicely made but a little heavier. There was the Minor and the Major. The Major had a neat cam arrangement that with the pull of a string ( that could be led to the companionway) would change course 1 or 2 degrees. On the other hand, with the Minor, you had to go to the vane on the stern and do do it by hand at the vane by hanging over the stern. Ie get at least a jacket on and hope you didn't get the full drenching. I'd have an old Major anytime, but it would depend on how light your boat is.

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Ringle said..
The early ones were really nicely made but a little heavier. There was the Minor and the Major. The Major had a neat cam arrangement that with the pull of a string ( that could be led to the companionway) would change course 1 or 2 degrees. On the other hand, with the Minor, you had to go to the vane on the stern and do do it by hand at the vane by hanging over the stern. Ie get at least a jacket on and hope you didn't get the full drenching. I'd have an old Major anytime, but it would depend on how light your boat is.

Would the Major be any heavier than an Aires ??

The Major would be heavier than an Aries. I would suggest the Aries that was made in Denmark. They seem less prone to corrosion. My mate with the Alloy Cole 42 footer had a Fleming Major initially and had to add 50mm to the trailing edge of the oar. It was not too good downwind on light days. He now has the first model Aries made in Britain. Pretty much the same as the Denmark one except it's Imperial and the Denmark is metric. His has the stock kick up oar blade. Mine has a dinghy style lift up oar. You will notice when checking the specs that the Aries, Monitor and the Fleming share the dimensions and gear ratios. The designers of the Aries and Monitor were friends and shared information. They even stocked spare parts for the others windvane. I would rate them Aries first, then Monitor and new Fleming. The Monitor is easy to copy if you like working with SS and have a lathe.
This is my Aries.




If you have wheel steering the Aries wheel clutch system is Rolls Royce!

I've a Major and it is heavy as. I've never weighed it but the early manual says the Major is approximately 70lbs [32kg] and the Minor is approx 40lbs [18kg]. Recommended to have decent size reinforcing/backing plates on the inside of the hull if mounting Major on cored fibreglass.

I have heard that Aries is also heavy, but have never lifted one. One figure I have seen for Aries weight is 75lbs [34Kg], but cant vouch for it.

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Ramona said..
The Major would be heavier than an Aries. I would suggest the Aries that was made in Denmark. They seem less prone to corrosion. My mate with the Alloy Cole 42 footer had a Fleming Major initially and had to add 50mm to the trailing edge of the oar. It was not too good downwind on light days. He now has the first model Aries made in Britain. Pretty much the same as the Denmark one except it's Imperial and the Denmark is metric. His has the stock kick up oar blade. Mine has a dinghy style lift up oar. You will notice when checking the specs that the Aries, Monitor and the Fleming share the dimensions and gear ratios. The designers of the Aries and Monitor were friends and shared information. They even stocked spare parts for the others windvane. I would rate them Aries first, then Monitor and new Fleming. The Monitor is easy to copy if you like working with SS and have a lathe.
This is my Aries.




If you have wheel steering the Aries wheel clutch system is Rolls Royce!

Thanks guys , that Aires is what I am after looks very nice Ramona gives us a yell if you want to sell it .

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MAGNESIUM said..

Thanks guys , that Aires is what I am after looks very nice Ramona gives us a yell if you want to sell it .

The Aries will get sold with the yacht when I'm dead! It came off a steel yacht that had circumnavigated twice. It was on my Currawong previously. They are heavy. But not as heavy as my previous SS home built unit I sold with the Currawong. Apart from making the new oar it gets no maintenance except for the occasional spray lubricant.

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MAGNESIUM said..
are the gears bullet proof?
what maintenance is needed re bearings ?...
I am in the market for a second hand windvane

The Norvane is similar to the Fleming, built near San Diego. Cast 316 stainless, plus stainless tube, about 20kg. The leg comes out of the water sideways (either left or right), not folding like the others. It has a breakable section on the leg, held after breakage by chains. No maintenance in my 20 years, but then I've only done 3000 miles maximum. Ball bearings and some nylon sleeve are the only maintenance items, but nothing in 20 years.
2 windvanes are on Gumtree tonight, a Monitor and a Fleming:
www.gumtree.com.au/web/listing/boat-accessories-parts/1336096508 and www.gumtree.com.au/web/listing/boat-accessories-parts/1336120972 as part of a package deal, maybe separable package.

People have made their own servo-pendulum windvanes. Links abound here and on Trailersailerplace forum. Even links / scans I posted. It depends on your engineering skills.

My S&S34 Morning Bird had the Fleming, from memory it was a 400 series one for boats around 40 ft. It had been around the world on another S&S34 before I got it. I used it to Lord Howe 3 times and up and down the coast. It was brilliant but the S&S is a beautifully balanced yacht. It did need more than about 8kts relative wind downwind.
Its weight was not an issue on that size or style of yacht.
I loved it.

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FabulousPhill said..

MAGNESIUM said..
are the gears bullet proof?
what maintenance is needed re bearings ?...
I am in the market for a second hand windvane

The Norvane is similar to the Fleming, built near San Diego. Cast 316 stainless, plus stainless tube, about 20kg. The leg comes out of the water sideways (either left or right), not folding like the others. It has a breakable section on the leg, held after breakage by chains. No maintenance in my 20 years, but then I've only done 3000 miles maximum. Ball bearings and some nylon sleeve are the only maintenance items, but nothing in 20 years.
2 windvanes are on Gumtree tonight, a Monitor and a Fleming:
www.gumtree.com.au/web/listing/boat-accessories-parts/1336096508 and www.gumtree.com.au/web/listing/boat-accessories-parts/1336120972 as part of a package deal, maybe separable package.

People have made their own servo-pendulum windvanes. Links abound here and on Trailersailerplace forum. Even links / scans I posted. It depends on your engineering skills.

Thanks Phil I do a search on Gumtree every night and these two have never com up .
Ramona which of those two on gumtree would you go for ?

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MAGNESIUM said..



Ramona which of those two on gumtree would you go for ?

Only the old Fleming Major showed and that was way over priced.
If you have a lathe or know some old pensioner with a lathe that's looking for something to do, then making your own replica monitor is the way to go. Use the dimensions and ratios of the fleming, aries or monitor, they are all the same. They look different but they work exactly the same. Slight differences in the method of course setting the air blade, but that's it. I made a replica monitor simply because it had more access to the parts and I could easily modify the lever lengths etc. The bevel gears are readily available in brass or Delrin.
Or, you can use a Z crank style windvane steering system like the Walt Murray style. I made one of these and used it successfully on two yachts. The Z crank does not give the auto feedback you get with bevel gears however. The original WM 20/20 design used to cost $20 but the increase in plumbing pipe fittings has made it dearer now.
walt-murray.info/
This is one of my earlier Walt Murray designs.


When I wanted better feedback I went with a monitor copy. The monitor layout is easy to replicate but you can also steal ideas from the others. I used the weight adjustment system from the late model Fleming.
This is the monitor copy.




The SS is all from a scrap yard. The bevel gears from the USA [the dearest part of the lot]. The Monitor uses a SS chain for course setting. This unit uses rope on a pulley. Bearings on the lower unit are Delrin. SS ball bearings for the wind blade are skateboard bearings.