Best Wood

[Flapjack]

I need to replace the tiller on my 25' Itchen Ferry, what do people think is best timber to use for a tiller. The old one has warped quite a bit now after 38 yrs of use. The boat is a long keel sloop.

 

[joha]

teak and ash laminate, dont Know what the shape of your Tiller is, but try Trafalgar yacht services as they still source the tillers for the old westerlies

joha

 

[doug748]

Unless it has a big curve on it, I would consider a piece of solid, straight grained ash. Easy, strong, inexpensive and in keeping with the boat.

 

[Flapjack]

Thanks for the info. I'll go with the straight ash as time and money are in short supply
Cheers Andy

 

[lw395]

Ash is good, but I might consider getting a wide plank, sawing it in half and glueing back to back, for better resistance to warping? Laminating is not that hard if you want it curved, and you can use almost whatever wood is available i.e. any thickness that can be bent and happens to be around!
You should have started on christmas day though!

 

[Amulet]

My opinion:

Don't ponce around with laminated tillers on a traditional boat. Ash is good - not durable - so must be sealed with varnish etc. Oak would do the job and not be so sensitive I guess. Mine's ash. Previous one was ash too. At forty years old it had some hidden rot at the rudder end. Broke at an inopportune moment and I sailed up the beach. Ho hum... that's another story.

 

[DinghyMan]

If you have a straight tiller an cheap option is to buy a pickaxe handle and do some shaping.

 

[Clyde_Wanderer]

A guy I know on the Clyde has an Itchen Ferry, I could ask him if you want?

 

[Flapjack]

Hi Clyde
I know it's a bit cheeky but could you ask your friend to measure his tiller as I have know way of knowing if the one I have is the original. It does the job but I’m just curious as to weather it’s been replaced over the years.
Andy

 

[Clyde_Wanderer]

Hi Andy Just back to the forum.
I will email him now, but probably wont get a reply for a couple days, will pm (personal mail) you, tou will see a red envelope flashing at the top of index or any forum page when you get a pm.
Cheers, Eamonn.