self steering gear tiller attatchment

wklein

wklein

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 Sep 2010
Messages
581
Location
Dartmouth, Devon
Visit site
I have bought a wind vane steering gear second hand without any tiller attachment. What are your opinions on which way is easiest / most effective tiller attachment method? I know some gears have a track on the top and some have a chain and hook underneath. Any help would be appreciated
 
Last edited:
A chain works well because it allows easy adjustment for any weather helm on each tack. A slot to engage the chain is strongest, located on top of the tiller. It's wise to make a weak point of thinner cord somewhere convenient in the lines from gear to tiller, so that this, rather than anything more important, parts in the event of excessive loads.
 
Thanks for your input, I was leaning towards the chain idea although I was going to mount it under the tiller so it would be out the way when not in use
 
I use a twin cam arrangement on top of the tiller. The control line is 5 mm spectra and I find its easier to adjust with two cams. If you want to apply a little more weather helm you just tighten up one side or just take out any slack. The twin cams are up near the end of the tiller, the lines come through a fairlead down the tiller and I have two other turning points down the tiller if I want to change the ratio or response. This is my system here; http://www.cruisenews.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=62&t=3636&sid=15b43b426c6d0c5aa5c5dcdced451071
 
On my Monitor I have two eye bolts at the tip of the tiller through wich the lines pass towards two plastic cleats further back on each side of the tiller.I can very easily adjust the lines and when I need to quickly disconnect them the lines stay threaded through the eye bolts and are easily and quickly retrievable to be retied on the cleats.This system also makes it easy to remove the slack on the lines improving rudder responsiveness.I still have the chain clamp fitting ,chain and u bolts that came with my Monitor if you want them.IMO my system is vastly superior so I don't need them.
monitor.jpg
 
Last edited:
I use a short length of stainless chain and a hook under the tiller. Works a treat with dyneema control line and a short turnbuckle each side of the chain, seems to work a bit better if you back of the tension a bit in light airs. But that's with a transom hung rudder, it all stays permanently rigged behind the cockpit half way up the tiller, if your tiller is all in the cockpit then lines might be easier.
 
I fitted a pin into the top of the tiller and had a piece of strip stainless with multiple holes which dropped on. I did have a hole in the end of the pin so I could use a R pin but found it unnecessary.

It worked for many years. I like the dual cam cleat idea as the tension on mine did need tweaking from time to time which meant undoing a knot and altering the length.
 
I had the chain system described by macd when I had a Windpilot. I found it to be excellent over many miles. My system had two additional turning blocks when compared with the one shown by 30boat - with his arrangement I doubt that a chain would work well, it needs the chain to run pretty much at right angles to the tiller. The beauty of having the chain and dogs on top of the tiller is that it is very simple to disengage but I have never tried it beneath. If he is giving his away I would take up his offer.
 
Last edited:
wklein said:
I was leaning towards the chain idea although I was going to mount it under the tiller so it would be out the way when not in use
Click to expand...

The reason I reckon it's best over the tiller (unless the tiller has a very high arch, making it difficult to get fair leads) is that it can be detached instantly, which is crucial. It's simple enough to contrive a sail shackle or similar so the chain can be detached at one end and stowed out of the way when not in use. On my last one, I also used cord prussik loops, both as a convenient way to take up any slack in the system, and to act as the sacrificial weak link I mentioned earlier.

Whatever the OP does, it's worth getting it right, which means easy to deploy (and un-deploy, if there were such a word). The reason you see so many boats not using the windvanes they have fitted must in part be due to the faff of setting them up. It should take no more than a couple of minutes.

BTW, a basic tiller pilot directing the wind vane works a treat.
 
A friend of mine advocates a slotted bracket under the tiller to hold a length of chian. Should he wish to disconnect, just yank the chain forward and let it fall away whilst lifting the tiller a little - no need to disable the vane gear until you have time...

Rob.
 
I have the aeries standard fitting underneath the tiller so the control lines fall free. I use a chain in the system
However, if i had to make a fitting i would fit either a pin on the top ( my auto pilot pin would do)of the tiller with a length of long link chain. The link would just drop onto the pin. By being on top it would not fall off
An alternative to a pin would be an aluminium "T" section fitted on top with a slot in the leg of the "t" a link of the chain would drop vertically into this slot
Either way is very fast to set & release
In several thousand miles of sailing i have never felt the need for a sacrificial link & cannot understand why one would need one
 
Last edited:
Daydream believer said:
In several thousand miles of sailing i have never felt the need for a sacrificial link & cannot understand why one would need one
Click to expand...

It's not actually a matter of what you feel, but what the steering gear 'feels'. You already have a de facto sacrificial link: the weakest point in the system. Wouldn't it make sense to put that point somewhere predictable? If not, feel free to take it up with Peter Forthmann.
 
I have taken 30boat up on his kind offer so problem solved, thank you all for your input. I will consider putting in a weak link probably between the block and padeye before the tiller. I think mounting it under the tiller would work best with my setup.
 
>I have bought a wind vane steering gear second hand without any tiller attachment.

Bear in mind that wind vane sails and rudder are specifically designed and made for the size and weight of the boat, if it is too big the vane will be overpowered and if too small underpowered and it won't work. Hopefully it is the right size , you will soon find out. For those thinking of buying second hand check with the manufacturer what the specification is for your boat before buying second hand.
 
KellysEye said:
>I have bought a wind vane steering gear second hand without any tiller attachment.

Bear in mind that wind vane sails and rudder are specifically designed and made for the size and weight of the boat, if it is too big the vane will be overpowered and if too small underpowered and it won't work. Hopefully it is the right size , you will soon find out. For those thinking of buying second hand check with the manufacturer what the specification is for your boat before buying second hand.
Click to expand...
The Monitor blurb used to say it was good up to 50 feet boats.Mine came with two wind vanes(the bit that goes in the air not the whole thing) and I eventually made a larger one because it gave better response.That thing is so powerful that I don't think it needs a bigger watervane even for a bigger boat.As far as I know it's not available as an option.
 
KellysEye said:
>I have bought a wind vane steering gear second hand without any tiller attachment.

Bear in mind that wind vane sails and rudder are specifically designed and made for the size and weight of the boat, if it is too big the vane will be overpowered and if too small underpowered and it won't work. Hopefully it is the right size , you will soon find out. For those thinking of buying second hand check with the manufacturer what the specification is for your boat before buying second hand.
Click to expand...

That's plain wrong for most wind vane systems (Hydrovane being the main exception, but if the OP is trying to attach it to his tiller, he clearly doesn't have one of those). Most don't have a rudder: they have a servo-pendulum oar, which has quite a different function. The blade in the air puts no power into the system, simply instructions about wind angle. In fact the only dimension that alters significantly with servo systems is the mounting hardware and length of the tube (or whatever) between the main structure and the oar...simply to allow for differing freeboards.

To a large degree servo-pendulum systems are self-regulating: the power varies with boat speed: bigger boat, higher speed, more power in the steering. Which is why the Monitor 30boat referred to is rated for boats up to 50 feet. Some servo systems are rated for yachts up to 60 feet.
 
macd said:
That's plain wrong for most wind vane systems (Hydrovane being the main exception, but if the OP is trying to attach it to his tiller, he clearly doesn't have one of those). Most don't have a rudder: they have a servo-pendulum oar, which has quite a different function. The blade in the air puts no power into the system, simply instructions about wind angle. In fact the only dimension that alters significantly with servo systems is the mounting hardware and length of the tube (or whatever) between the main structure and the oar...simply to allow for differing freeboards.

To a large degree servo-pendulum systems are self-regulating: the power varies with boat speed: bigger boat, higher speed, more power in the steering. Which is why the Monitor 30boat referred to is rated for boats up to 50 feet. Some servo systems are rated for yachts up to 60 feet.
Click to expand...
You have simplified that a bit. The vane needs to turn the oar
Vane size on my Aeries is important as is stiffness & design of the vane. I have several including a couple with additional wind collecting units mounted on them to increase light wind running performance
To demonstrate the point the aeries has a facility to tilt the vane thus reducing its effectiveness in high winds to prevent oversteer
Of course i can only speak for the aeries ( and a homemade one made many years ago)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top