Here is an opportunity for somebody to acquire an Aries Lift-Up self-steering vane gear, possibly quite cheaply.
The Lift-Up version of this revered self-steering for yachts up to 50ft is quite the best Aries ever produced. It is the only one that can be upended and lifted clear of the water while underway. Indeed, you can take the whole thing off and stow it below. Jon Sanders took one with him on his record 11 solo circumnavigations (three of them non-stop). That’s all the recommendation you need.
First, the background to the sale: I bought my Rival 32 in 2017, and she came with the gear already fitted, but with the ball-and-socket joints which had worn and would “clonk”, reverberating through the hull. The company recognised this and offered permanent fastenings for the small base bracket. I changed to these early on.
In 2023, although it was still working perfectly, I reasoned that it could do with a service after all those years and sailed up to Amsterdam to deliver it to Lean Nelis, who now owns the Aries Vane Gear company, builds new ones and offers a repair service. He gave mine a new main shaft and some minor bits and pieces, including four new sacrificial sleeves for the servo-oar.
Then last winter, I was backing out of a slipway when the servo-oar hit an obstruction, and the new sacrificial sleeve broke (as it is intended to do).
What I did not know at the time was that while the holes in the new sleeve matched the holes in the new shaft, they were not in quite the same place on the old servo-oar. This may explain why the sleeve did not break until after the shaft had bent and one of the mounting struts had cracked.
But, of course, I didn’t notice any of this. I just replaced the sleeve and carried on. It still worked.
But, a few months later, when the oar hit something while underway, and the sleeve broke on cue, it didn’t work when I put it back together. Now it just wouldn’t hold a course.
When I reached my destination on the Isle of Man, I sent it off to Lean to fix again. However, DHL did not send it with the paperwork explaining that it was for repair and return, so Dutch Customs demanded import duty. When that wasn’t paid, DHL sent it back again.
To the Isle of Man.
Just as I was arriving in Ireland.
So now it had to be sent to Ireland, so that I could send it back to Amsterdam (but this time inside the EU, where it wouldn’t need any stupid-Brexit paperwork).
There was only one problem: Lean only had time to unpack it, establish that he could fix it – and then went off sailing (for the rest of the summer – as you do…)
He was due back at the beginning of September.
But I needed to set off for the Canaries by then. Last time I was delayed in setting off for the Canaries, I got knocked down. I didn’t want to go through that again…
So, I panicked (if in doubt, panic). I ordered a Hydrovane.
This is not to impugn the efficiency of the Aries. It’s just that with a Hydrovane, you can have a Watt&Sea hydrogenator (no servo-oar to clobber it) – and now with Lithium batteries, induction cooking and a Remigo electric outboard (with a bracket on the stern for powering through ocean calms) a Watt&Sea is kind of essential.
So, if you’re still with me, here is the situation: Lean has the main frame and the servo-oar, which he says he can repair. I have given him these to sell himself or dispose of as he sees fit. I don’t want them back.
I have all the rest – the vane assembly with three vanes, the mounting bracket (with cracked strut), the “A-frame” arms and turning blocks for the snaffle lines, stainless steel chain, tiller clamp and a bag of spares. If you have a wheel, Lean can supply what you need for that.
So, if you’re interested, I suggest you contact Lean at info@ariesvanegear.com and see what he would charge for his bits and a new strut to replace my cracked one. You will also need some sacrificial sleeves with holes in the right places.
Once you know his price, you could make me an offer for what I have.
If more than one person wants my stuff, I would put it up for a quick auction on eBay. It would have to be quick (with fast payment from the winner of the auction) because I am currently in the Channel Islands (meaning import duty for shipping to the UK), but I plan to go over to Torquay for a couple of days and could post if from there before heading south.
I’m sorry it’s all so complicated. Blame DHL (I always do…)