Emergency Steering/Tiller

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tarik

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Evening all,

This afternoon I was playing with my emergency tiller. I have a wheelhouse with wheel steering, in the cockpit is an access point for a tiller to go through and slot into a hexagonal socket on what appears to be the top of the rudder.

When I turned the wheel the tiller moved ok, but when I tried to move the tiller it appeared locked solid. Is it neccessary to disconnect the wheel if/when using the tiller? If so that kind of bu......rs up my plans for fitting auto steering off the stern.

As ever many thanks for all replies.


David
 
tarik said:
Evening all,

This afternoon I was playing with my emergency tiller. I have a wheelhouse with wheel steering, in the cockpit is an access point for a tiller to go through and slot into a hexagonal socket on what appears to be the top of the rudder.

When I turned the wheel the tiller moved ok, but when I tried to move the tiller it appeared locked solid. Is it neccessary to disconnect the wheel if/when using the tiller? If so that kind of bu......rs up my plans for fitting auto steering off the stern.

As ever many thanks for all replies.


David
Click to expand...

Hydraulic steering ????
needs disconnecting / isolating @ a guess
 
If it's hydraulic steering it should have a by-pass valve, which you would need to open, if using the emergency steering. Otherwise it depends what type of steering you have.
 
Good illustration of why its good to play with/test our emergency equipment. Knowing you have an emergency tiller is a good start, knowing where it is and where it goes is second and knowing what to disconnect and having the wherewithal to do this is next.
Also I guess, can you use it single handed and do all the other jobs!
 
tarik said:
Evening all,

This afternoon I was playing with my emergency tiller. I have a wheelhouse with wheel steering, in the cockpit is an access point for a tiller to go through and slot into a hexagonal socket on what appears to be the top of the rudder.

When I turned the wheel the tiller moved ok, but when I tried to move the tiller it appeared locked solid. Is it neccessary to disconnect the wheel if/when using the tiller? If so that kind of bu......rs up my plans for fitting auto steering off the stern.

As ever many thanks for all replies.


David
Click to expand...

Is it genuinely locked solid or just impossible to move. Wheel steering gives a large mechanical advantage whereas emergency tillers have a habit of being much shorter than the tillers on smaller boats that have tiller steering.

If the rudder will turn under wheel but not tiller, you might need to tie a line to it an lead it to a winch.
 
On mine, after you've fitted the tiller(inside in the rear cabin) you cannot see out and would need to have someone shout instuctions to you! Thinking about it, I've only tried it when I disconnected the steering wires - so don't know if it works when still attached.........but on the other hand if the wires break then I know it'll work!
 
I have wheel steering pedestal bevel gear and rod, 2 x right angle gear boxes, rod links, universal joints and rotary to linear converters.

The emergency tiller stock goes straight on top of the rudder stock and the tiller is about 2 foot long. The boat is 41' and 11 tonnes. I can turn the rudder OK and the wheel and links all turn. However, if I was sailing and pressed, even reefed to reduce the loads I would imagine that the tiller would be far too short to steer with any degree of ease.

I have never tried the emergency tiller in anger but I reckon a 4' tiller would be better. I have a centre cockpit so there is quite a bit of room for extending the tiller before I catch the mainsheet.
 
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