Paul,

I remember we talked some about this in Panama. Just don't remember if you ever used any blocks to change the response length of the control lines.

That said I think as I said earlier we all choose boats that demand compromises. I sailed on a fin keeler once and that personally was enough. 500 miles offshore. I would describe the fin keel boat as "squirrelly" I'm guessing Cat owners might describe my mono as "tippy". The boat rapidly moved as the waves rolled by and as we entered the troughs and crest it accelerated and decelerated much faster than my body liked. No- I didn't get sick. But as we were in a "race" steering it on one watch I through out my back. Should anyone take a "racing" boat offshore there are different issues each boat demands of us to deal with. Now I know that J's have circumnavigated and I don't mean to denigrate any of them at all. They're just not for me.

However the under body of the boat IMHO effects the comfort of the offshore ride as much as anything. Our full keel boat tracks like a train. We yaw a bit off the wind as the waves roll through but come right back on course as they've passed. To compare the J 42 and the Westsail 42 one can use the Sail Calculator http://www.image-ination.com/sailcalc.html

For us, the zero power requirements and the quite steering is a true plus when offshore. The cost you mention in setting up is only the beginning. I don't know what the frequency of failure is on electronic autopilots but I'm guessing that will be considerably higher then wind vanes. I'm not sure I know of anyone (excepting maybe Mark ) that hasn't been screwing with theirs in some way shape or form. From leaking fittings to new elecronic heads to controllor that stick to hydraulic pumps that are leaking. That too and then you have extra cost in batteries (their life will be shorter) because you'll be cycling them more and then of course you either need to run your engine or have a generator to keep up the power drain. Add all those up over the life of the boat and I think you're cost will be much greater for the electronic unit then a windvane.

Ciao