colhel
Well-known member
I've got an idea in my head to make myself an alluminium tiller. Is this wrong?
Do tillers have to be wooden?
- Thread starter colhel
- Start date
Kukri
Well-known member
My son's International Canoe has an aluminium tiller with a carbon fibre tiller extension. It seems to work all right.
Corribee Boy
Well-known member
A bit cold on the hands in winter?
PhillM
Well-known member
On my boat, yes.
I'd go wood any day of the week. Warm, smooth, tactile.
And as for varnish, I love the smell of Epifanes in the morning.
I'd go wood any day of the week. Warm, smooth, tactile.
And as for varnish, I love the smell of Epifanes in the morning.
onesea
Well-known member
What I was thinking cold in winter, would it not conduct heat away quicker so your hands get cold quicker?
How how would it get on summers day? Wood is nice and tactile with a little bit of give in it...
Not certain you could get that with Aluminum...
mjcoon
Well-known member
pmagowan
Well-known member
You could make a tiller out of solid gold of you like but might not be a good idea. Wood floats, is strong, warm to touch, natural, flexible, good looking. Aluminium sinks, is cold, unnatural with a massive carbon footprint, bends, is expensive and corrodes. Can't think of a good reason to use it but you can if you like.
prv
Well-known member
Some traditional boats had iron tillers.
I think our old wayfarer had an aluminium tube.
Pete
I think our old wayfarer had an aluminium tube.
Pete
Rigger Mortice
N/A
Complete boats are made from alli so why not?
Sort out the cold and comfort side of it. Make sure there are no sharp edges and it would be fine.
One less job to varnish. Appearances are a matter of personal taste, but it could look good.
Personally, I like my ash tiller. But that's just me.
Sort out the cold and comfort side of it. Make sure there are no sharp edges and it would be fine.
One less job to varnish. Appearances are a matter of personal taste, but it could look good.
Personally, I like my ash tiller. But that's just me.
Hypocacculus
New member
I've sailed on an old Broads cruiser with an iron tiller. It had a 6" grip of wood slipped over the end. It was a lovely old thing.
I expect aluminium would be ok as long as it was properly designed; But pay attention to the surface finish because weathered aluminium is pretty fugly.
I expect aluminium would be ok as long as it was properly designed; But pay attention to the surface finish because weathered aluminium is pretty fugly.
Lakesailor
New member
I made a stainless steel tiller for my Seahawk.
Why do you think there any rules?
Why do you think there any rules?
ianabc
New member
We have a
Heavy duty 1/4 inch aluminium tiller
recycled from a boaters exchange store ... (probably a spare from a racing boat)
Powder coated white sandtex at an industrial coating shop
Heavy duty 1/4 inch aluminium tiller
recycled from a boaters exchange store ... (probably a spare from a racing boat)
Powder coated white sandtex at an industrial coating shop
MASH
N/A
"Do tillers have to be wooden?"
What is the point of threads like this, when we all know you could make a tiller from papier mache, peach skins, pastry or plutonium?
Or is it just an excuse for starting a completely pointless thread?
What is the point of threads like this, when we all know you could make a tiller from papier mache, peach skins, pastry or plutonium?
Or is it just an excuse for starting a completely pointless thread?
Lakesailor
New member
Plutonium tillers have proved to be too heavy.
alan_d
Well-known member
... and pastry ones have to be encapsulated in GRP or similar or they go soggy, while papier maché would need to be varnished for the same reason. Are you sure about peach skins MASH? Now, apricot skins I could understand ....
Rigger Mortice
N/A
Elephant tusk, or rhino horn tillers would be pleasantly politically incorrect.
pmagowan
Well-known member
What about whale eyebrows?
Keen_Ed
Active member
Lots of racing dinghies have alloy or carbon tillers.
Beneteau Figaro IIs have an all singing, all dancing stainless tiller. Looks like some sort of torture device.
Beneteau Figaro IIs have an all singing, all dancing stainless tiller. Looks like some sort of torture device.
John the kiwi
Active member
In response to an earlier post:
The point of threads like this is to provide some harmless diversion and entertainment that sometimes yields surprising and interesting facts.
To the OP: Aluminium is dirty stuff -the acids on your skin will mean that you end up with grey palms at the end of a day - unless you put some sort of grip on it.
I like the aesthetics and feel of wood personally.
A tiller is your tactile connection with your boat. It needs to be something you like holding on to.
Cheers
The point of threads like this is to provide some harmless diversion and entertainment that sometimes yields surprising and interesting facts.
To the OP: Aluminium is dirty stuff -the acids on your skin will mean that you end up with grey palms at the end of a day - unless you put some sort of grip on it.
I like the aesthetics and feel of wood personally.
A tiller is your tactile connection with your boat. It needs to be something you like holding on to.
Cheers
greggron
Well-known member
That comment seems unnecessarily hostile.
