We use the Vane as much as possible and the electronic is only a backup. On sv Passport, they started using the vane coming across from Tinidad and he wonders why it took him so long.

Yeah, electronic steering for inshore areas maybe acceptable if you want push button steering. I don't use the vane in either of those places and we never used it in Kuna land. However that said people trust the electronic pilot so much they do use them in crowded places and on the waterway. I've never known a vane to steer a boat into a marker. Most vane users aren't dumb enough to try it in those situations. And yes Windvanes have taken people up on reefs with wind shifts but I doubt that is any more or less then autopilots causing similar disasters simple from different causes. Offshore we always have someone on watch so a wind shift would be noticable. I've met sailors that say they sleep all night, as I'm sure you have too, that's simply a recipe for disaster weather you have an electronic gizzmo or a wind vane.

I have seen reference to max speed that Windvanes can handle but actually don't know if your cat exceeds those and there are Vanes that can be mounted off center. But I'm guessing you have hydraulic steering and windvanes don't do that. There are Vanes that act as a rudder too but again on a cat I don't know.

Like everything with boats, one must accept the compromises that each type of boat demands.

Hope you two are enjoying the land of plenty!

Go Slow
Sail Far
Stay Long