New tiller recommendations?

[DennisF]

Hi all,

the tiller on my Westerly Berwick snapped off at the pintle over the weekend. It may well be repairable but will end up about 8” shorter if so. Just in case we cannot repair it or find the shorter tiller a problem does anyone have a recommendation for a maker of tillers to fit the Westerly Berwick?

 

[awol]

As this is PBO may I suggest - How to .......

 

[JumbleDuck]

I had a tiller made by Ben Dallimore, but he seems to have vanished from the internet. The other supplier I considered was Tony Mackillican:
http://www.tonymackillican.co.uk.

 

[Seashoreman]

This guy has excellent laminated tillers for Leisure boats but he may be able to adapt.
Based in Chelmsford, very helpful. Maybe worth contacting.
Tillers/Shoe Fittings - Hurst Marine

 

[VicS]

Hi all,

the tiller on my Westerly Berwick snapped off at the pintle over the weekend. It may well be repairable but will end up about 8” shorter if so. Just in case we cannot repair it or find the shorter tiller a problem does anyone have a recommendation for a maker of tillers to fit the Westerly Berwick?

They used to be available from Trafalgar Yacht Services at Fareham but the business seems to have been wound down now, maybe closed altogether although there is still skeleton website. Maybe worth a bell. They may be able to direct you to their old suppliers even if they are no longer trading

( IIRC they were quite expensive)

I doubt if you will be able to make much of a repair if you have lost 8" but maybe a skillful wood worker could scarf a new section on

You don't say where you are located so difficult for anyone to make sensible suggestions as to where to go for a repair or to get a new tiller made.
In the Chichester area I'd suggest Nick Gates In Emsworth Marina or Tim Gilmore at Birdham

Edit. Suffolk YH, I have discovered

 

[DennisF]

They used to be available from Trafalgar Yacht Services at Fareham but the business seems to have been wound down now, maybe closed altogether although there is still skeleton website. Maybe worth a bell. They may be able to direct you to their old suppliers even if they are no longer trading

( IIRC they were quite expensive)

I doubt if you will be able to make much of a repair if you have lost 8" but maybe a skillful wood worker could scarf a new section on

You don't say where you are located so difficult for anyone to make sensible suggestions as to where to go for a repair or to get a new tiller made.
In the Chichester area I'd suggest Nick Gates In Emsworth Marina or Tim Gilmore at Birdham

Edit. Suffolk YH, I have discovered

The tiller was rather long to begin with in my opinion, and as you can hopefully see from the lash up temporary repair it should hopefully still be long enough. However I was scoping replacement options in case the repair doesn’t work.

as it happens though a friend who is an engineer thinks he can make a new laminated one using the old one as a template if necessary. I’m hoping that won’t be needed though

 

[Euphonyx]

I had my tiller made by tony McKillikan. Its laminated and epoxy coated and it's a piece of art. Thoroughly recommend

 

[DennisF]

I had my tiller made by tony McKillikan. Its laminated and epoxy coated and it's a piece of art. Thoroughly recommend

Thanks for that. I’ll certainly bear that in mind if it becomes necessary ??

 

[awol]

Get yourself two while you are at it. A spare is a normal precaution and almost guarantees no further failure.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

I snapped mine near the stock when I fell on it. I was quoted £600 for a new one from the boat manufacturer, so instead made one. I used the old one glued back together as a template with many clamps. I bought pre-machined iroko, cut to width & planed. There's a thread here...

Making a laminated tiller

It wasn't difficult. I used thickened epoxy & old fashion varnish, lots of coats. I laminated it one layer at a time so it took over a week to do it. The only tools were lots of clamps & DIY quality power sander & plane.

 

[MM5AHO]

I made four during lockdown (couldn't go sailing...). I already had three for my boat, carrying a spare aboard, and never needed it. Like an umbrella, carry one and it won't rain!

 

[AngusMcDoon]

Some more pics.

 

[jim.howes]

Hi all,

the tiller on my Westerly Berwick snapped off at the pintle over the weekend. It may well be repairable but will end up about 8” shorter if so. Just in case we cannot repair it or find the shorter tiller a problem does anyone have a recommendation for a maker of tillers to fit the Westerly Berwick?

Hi Dennis is your tiller the same profile as Angus Mcdoons photos? if it is you could maybe try this. As you thought the tiller was too long anyway why don't you cut off the bare minimum of the damaged tiller (pintle end) , fit it to the pintle and try it and if it works for you fine but, if you consider it too short you could have a piece of timber the same amount that was cut off let into the front end of the tiller retaining the strength of the tiller at the pintle end having only to move any fittings along the shaft. Jim

 

[VicS]

Hi Dennis is your tiller the same profile as Angus Mcdoons photos?

Jim

Its like this:

 

[UK-WOOZY]

+1 for Tony. he made a rudder and tiller for my previous boat, was a work of art.

also David Johnson of Wessex marine can make a tiller.

 

[bedouin]

Anyone care to say what they would expect to pay for a new laminated tiller?

Mine is getting very tired and could do with replacing but I am scared of how much I might be quoted for the replacement!

 

[MM5AHO]

I sold a couple and got comments that they were too cheap! Some reported paying £3-400 for a tiller.

 

[bedouin]

I sold a couple and got comments that they were too cheap! Some reported paying £3-400 for a tiller.

That sounds a pretty fair price for a hand-made laminated and expoxied tiller, I was expecting twice that.

 

[mike inglis]

I made four during lockdown (couldn't go sailing...). I already had three for my boat, carrying a spare aboard, and never needed it. Like an umbrella, carry one and it won't rain!

Hi, fancy making me one if you are still active in that area? I'm also in central scotty.
M

 

[Refueler]

I was involved in making a tiler many years ago ..... laminated with various different woods to give it that 'rainbow' effect. It was also to have woods that could accept the stresses and curves while inner would be hard and strong. Bit like a Longbow.

We took a thick board and drew the outline of the tiller and also the thicknesses of laminates ... series of parallel lines making up the width.

Wood blocks were band sawn to match the curve positions and at intervals along - screwed in place along one side. The thin laminates were then treated with ammonia and water to allow them to be bent into the frame ....
Liberal coat of wax applied to the blocks and board ... NOT to the laminates.
Slow cure epoxy was used so that we had plenty of working time to manipulate the laminates.
Clamps then applied using the wood blocks and scraps against laminate, with also heavy weights on top to keep all from getting out of alignment ... the epoxy tends to allow them to 'slide up'.

Leave to cure ...

Remove from board and then spend next days sanding to desired form.

My 25 has a beautiful tiller with fine ropework end .... its as OP - a bit over long ! There is a second straight shorter emergency tiller ...

The main tiller has suffered twice - the rudder stock end splitting and in fact part sheering along the mounting bolts. Tiller was taken to my workshop ... opened up the damaged end .... ground out the old resin and faced the joint so it went back together clean. 30 min Epoxy was used to rejoin - making sure that it was into all the nooks and crannies ... clamped and left to cure.
Once cured - I drilled holes that were 90 deg to the joint and used hardwood dowels epoxied in to create stronger joint.
Once sanded - you'd be hard to find the repair lines.