tieing down the tiller

[ostell]

On my previous boat I always used ropes with snubbers to hold the tiller central on a drying mooring. Now have a centaur and made up the same arrangement. However a member of the club is dead against the use of snubbers, claiming it wears out the rudder bearings, and said that a solidly tied rope to hold the tiller in place is better.

Any ideas?

 

[rob2]

I don't know for sure (I doubt anyone really does). Bearings are generally OK so long as they are free to move and lubricated. Unless your rudder touches down when drying out, which it shouldn't on a Centaur, I'd be happy with either arrangement. My experience of tying off the tiller is that the only part that gets damaged if it comes loose is the tiller when it hits the coaming!

Rob.

 

[Ross D]

I tie off my tiller with a solid rope to hold it in the same place. I sit on a drying alongside berth so I want the rudder to drop into the same slot on each tide. If it can move then the rudder has to cut down through the mud everytime it dries placing more load on the bearings. On a swinging mooring I doubt it makes much difference other than to stop it flopping about.

 

[fireball]

But to achieve that your boat must be in exactly the same place - so I assume you tie it up to the pontoon with solid rope too ...

I would've thought that although you don't want the rudder flopping about all over the place - you don't need it rock-solid either ...
So - a bit of line that has a little give in it is acceptable - a snubber (mooring) would give you a little play too - not a lot - and certainly enough to hold the rudder in place to drop into a slot - but if you're on a drying swinger then you'll rarely hit the same spot - so a little give if there's something solid in the way would be handy ...

 

[Ross D]

No not a solid rope but the rope is just about taut when the yacht sits down keeping her in the same place, the keel slot in the mud makes sure she sits in pretty much the same spot with every tide.

 

[fireball]

the keel slot in the mud makes sure she sits in pretty much the same spot with every tide.

So there's room for a little movement eitherway then ... pretty much what (I think) the OP was suggesting in use of the snubber on the tiller ...

 

[VicS]

My own rudder lifts off so is removed when the boat is not in use ( on a drying mooring it could lift off and float away .. it happens!)
At anchor or on a temporary non drying mooring I lash the tiller securely to stop the boat swinging from side to side.

I used to sail a Berwick. Its rudder touches the bottom when the boat dries.

It is vital with that one that if the boat is going to dry the the tiller is securely lashed amidships other wise there is a danger that the rudder shaft will be bent .. It has happened and it is not easy to straighten it again in situ.

 

[tt65]

I use a couple of bungy cords to centralise the tiller on my drying mooring. The rudder digs firmly into the mud each tide by about a third of its length. I feel that the flexibility is kinder to rudder and bearings than tight strings. Just a feeling, that is all. The rudder bearings on my Westerly are still just right after 25 years on drying moorings.

 

[BAtoo]

Tie mine off firmly with no movement, amidship.

 

[William_H]

Tie mine off firmly with no movement, amidship.

+1 On a non drying swing mooring my rudder has an aluminium casting for the blade to pivot in. This turns on SS pins. The movement over the years has caused the Al to wear. I have increased the pin diameter and also at one stage filled the Al with welding and started again. I have even tried plastic sleeves between Al and SS. (all over 28 years)
I accredit the wear mostly to the movement of the rudder when left on mooring. So I always tie it as firmly as possible. olewill

 

[ostell]

Thanks all. Looks like undecided then. Mooring is a drying mud mooring. Intention is to hold it firmly amidships but also allow a little movement if it meets something a little more solid while sinking into the mud.

I think I'll keep it as I have it.