Outboard tiller extension

snowleopard

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Anyone attempted to extend the tiller of a Mercury/Mariner/Tohatsu 3.3?

I've been out doing sea trials with my new hard dinghy. The main snag is that with just me on board the bow goes right up in the air so I need to be able to sit amidships to balance. In my old rubber duck I could stand in the middle and steer by leaning but with this one, heeling makes no difference - she continues to run straight.

The problem with extending the tiller is that the throttle control is mounted on the body of the motor so I'd need to get back to the transom to adjust the throttle.

Any ideas?
 

FullCircle

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Anyone attempted to extend the tiller of a Mercury/Mariner/Tohatsu 3.3?

I've been out doing sea trials with my new hard dinghy. The main snag is that with just me on board the bow goes right up in the air so I need to be able to sit amidships to balance. In my old rubber duck I could stand in the middle and steer by leaning but with this one, heeling makes no difference - she continues to run straight.

The problem with extending the tiller is that the throttle control is mounted on the body of the motor so I'd need to get back to the transom to adjust the throttle.

Any ideas?

Get a throttle arrangement like a Seagull, with an extended cable and a thumb adjuster for opening and closing the throttle. Should not be too difficult to oganise at the carburettor end of the business?
My tiller extension (on a Honda) is very good, works well except in close quarters where I have to lift it vertically to stop it getting in the way in tight corners.
 

doug748

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I made one out of a length of white waste pipe. In fact I made it telescopic with a suitable length of tube within, but that is an unnecessary refinement.
It does not help with the throttle problem but at least you can tailor the length to your exact requirements.
 

westernman

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With a hard dinghy you might find you don't need the extension.

Just put the engine straight ahead then go and sit in the middle.
If you need to steer, just lean one way or the other should be enough to make the dinghy go where you want it to.

At least I can do that in mine!
 

snowleopard

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If you need to steer, just lean one way or the other should be enough to make the dinghy go where you want it to.

Much to my surprise I found that even a substantial degree of heel made no difference to the course - it just ploughs straight ahead. In the rubber duck I could turn a 20 yard diameter circle.
 

greenalien

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+1 for the plastic water pipe; 1 metre is plenty long enough, and makes all the difference to the dinghy's trim; once the throttle is set, you don't need to get back to it until you're ready to slow down - just don't leave it too late! :)
 

Seajet

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Can you get one of those Acme extending arms like Wile E. Coyote & co. use, with a boxing glove on the end ? With a bit of practice you'd soon be better than some I've seen around closing time !
 

DownWest

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Trying to think of a quick fix with a plastic tube AND something to control the vertical throttle control on a Tohatsu. The throttle is pretty stiff and non linear( same as the one on a Yamaha 2A.) Bits of bike gear similar to Seagull? Sounds complicated.
A
 

greenalien

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With a bit of dexterity, it's possible to pull the extension tube off the tiller, use the end of it to tap the throttle closed, then put the extension back on. However, having the pivot friction adjustment done up reasonably tightly is essential, otherwise the prop-walk will spin the outboard round in an instant, and you'll be lucky to avoid getting chucked overboard as your dinghy suddenly starts to spin in a tight circle; it's also equally essential, if you're doing this in an Avon dinghy, that the outboard bracket is secure, or it will be pulled off forwards when the throttle is suddenly closed!! (N.B. I have learned both of the above from bitter experience...):):)
 

electrosys

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I had exactly the same problem when I took a Mirror out (sans sails) last autumn with a Mariner 2B on the back. Sitting next to the engine, the bow went skywards and the hull became like driving a saucer - no directional stability worth talking about.
Moved forward - bow went down - but then couldn't reach the tiller.
And - with the steering clamp slack(ish), the engine would rotate on it's own - thanks to the 'flywheel effect'. But, with the clamp just a little tighter, found that the tiller then wouldn't turn the 2B. No happy medium. Bummer.

Still debating whether to place weight forward, or bodge the outboard.
 

snowleopard

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There is always the option to pull on the kill cord if things suddenly get tricky so I guess the lack of throttle control isn't too much of a problem.
 

fishermantwo

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My yacht tender is a 14 catamaran set up for rowing. I also have a Tohatsu 2.5 modified to a 3.5 mounted ahead of the rear beam. The motor I bought off ebBay came with a very clever extended tiller. Its about 3" long alloy section with a hypalon grip. Bolts to the normal tiller position. It has a cord throttle set up that is adjusted by rotating the handle and at the tip is a rubber kill button switch. Its brilliant, I sit on a seat near the front beam and can drive standing up, approaching the side of my yacht I can be out on one hull and shut off the engine at the right time.
Looking at the arrangement of the cable coming from the top of the carburetor and the rotating joint at the end of the tiller it looks like the set up the factory should have made.
 

Clyde_Wanderer

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There is always the option to pull on the kill cord if things suddenly get tricky so I guess the lack of throttle control isn't too much of a problem.
Have you considered fitting two trim tabs on the transom which could be controlled by one lever linked to both tabs, latter used to counteract the lifting bow, or if two seperate control levers even used to steer?

Other option would be to make tiller extension from aforementioned abs white waste pipe and attach some throttle control mechanism to this extension.

Third more extreme option, Glass in an outboard well, a couple feet forward of transom and cut out the hull at the bottom of the well.

All the above are doable given a little careful consideration and an aptitude for inovative design.
Dont reach for the sky on this one though!
C_W
 
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