windvane

The windvane is my favorite because, unlike the other two, which draw a lot of power, Parker steers us by responding to the wind over a blade and the water over a paddle trailing off the stern.

True Spirit Jessica Watson 2010

I can normally correct Parker without even leaving the cabin by reaching out and adjusting the windvane line on the tiller, but the constant adjustments get a bit tedious when trying to get some downtime.

True Spirit Jessica Watson 2010

So other than the wonky-looking targa, the starboard solar panel is all bent up and the windvane is now sitting on a bit of an angle, but amazingly and very luckily, it still works fine go, Parker!

True Spirit Jessica Watson 2010

Silly earned his nickname because of his dangerous fascination with the wind generator and his amusing attempts to land on the bendy windvane blade.

True Spirit Jessica Watson 2010

I reversed the headsail sheets, runners, and windvane lines as they were all showing signs of chafe, relashed the spinnaker poles, scrubbed at a few rust stains, and restowed all my trash in the aft locker.

True Spirit Jessica Watson 2010

It really has been lovely sailing; Parker the windvane has been doing his job amazingly, and nothing much has needed attention.

True Spirit Jessica Watson 2010

By the time I had everything in order and set the windvane to work, the sun was setting and I was just beginning to lose sight of land through the sea spray.

True Spirit Jessica Watson 2010

Also snapped another two needles and put a few holes in my hands restitching one of the tears in the mainsail, then threaded on new windvane lines after finally giving up on the chafed and scruffy old set.

True Spirit Jessica Watson 2010

The Fleming windvane, Parker, does an amazing job steering, much better than me most of the time, but when the wind drops to under 5 knots, even poor old Parker calls it quits.

True Spirit Jessica Watson 2010

"We'll git a clinkin 'good breeze from the south'ard when we're off the land," said Jarrow, glancing aloft to the windvane on the mizzen truck.

Isle o' Dreams Frederick Ferdinand Moore 1930