Hey Ron,

...but I have never used anything else for a vane, so what do I know? (grin)

Actually, this Tayana 42 is equipped with a Monitor, so perhaps after this trip I'll be able to make a bit more of an informed comparison... although, with the sort of learning curve usually associated with vanes, it will probably not be until Florida until we manage to get the thing sorted and performing, the boat's owner has yet to ever try it out.. I'll let you know my impressions after this trip, if I can manage to figure it out... (grin)

as much as l love my Sailomat, however, they are probably more high maintenance than any other brand... because of their extensive use of aluminum, you really have to be diligent about disassembling them every year or so, and slathering all the fasteners with Tef-Gel, to keep the dissimilar corrosion at bay... Aside from that, they are extremely robust units, but probably still don't have the ultimate functional life of an all stainless unit like the Monitor...

best regards,

Jon