Tiller connection to rudder stock

[henrysmyth]

Hi, I want to convert from wheel steering to tiller steering on my Hummingbird 30 sail boat. The rudder stock currently protrudes up into the cockpit and ends in a square shaft. Does anybody know where I can get the unit which connects the tiller to the square shaft (7/8" A/F). It needs to be able to clamp tightly to the shaft and allow for the tiller arm to swivel up and down.
Thanks.
Henry.

 

[Clyde_Wanderer]

Hi and welcome to the forum Henry.
I too own a Hummingbird 30, so know exactly the part you are talking about, as I have recently done a considerable amount of strenghtening work in the area where the stock comes out of the cross deck.
I will be at the boat tomorrow and can take some pics and in due course email them to you.
I dident realise that the HB could take a whel stg.
Will be in touch through the personal mail section on this forum, (see user options)
There is supposidly a company near me who can cast bronze componants, as the tiller head on mine is cast bronze.
Cheers, C_W.

 

[Cloven]

Sounds like the fitting I have on the top of the rudder stock on my (UK) Hunter 323 and similar on other Hunters. Not sure if the shaft is exactly the same size but must be about that.

Might be worth contacting Gil Vigors at Select Yachts.

GV@selectyachts.co.uk

She should be able to tell you who supplies Hunter with these and they may be able to help.

Hope this helps.

 

[Clyde_Wanderer]

I dont think it is like the Hunter head, would I be correct in saying that the Hunter head is all one peice with tangs which are screwed to the sides of the actual tiller?
On the Hummingbird, there is a bronze head with a slit in it which clamps on a squared section on the top end of the 1"dia stock, then there is a s/s channel type of bracket whick the tiller is bolted into and in turn has a pivot bolt which passes through a hole in the bronze heas.
As I say I will take some close up pics, but wont be going to boat today now, so it will be tomorrow.
Henry, I will send you a pm this eve.
C_W.

 

[Cloven]

The fitting on the Hunter 323 tiller is a two piece affair. The piece that fits to the tiller has tangs with bolts that pass right through the tiller. This in turn attaches to a 2 part fitting which clamps onto the top of the square rudder stock. The two are attached with a large bolt which allow the tiller to be hinged up.

 

[VicS]

I dont know if this will help but something very similar to what you want is available from Trafalgar Yacht Services as spares for some Westerlys. Look in the spares section of the web site then under Stainless deck fittings The clamp block and the "hood" are listed sparately. Both are well over £100 though. They fit on a square that is "on the diagonal" but the size is not stated. A phone call would determine it no doubt.

They also suuply curved laminated tillers that fit the above (look under deck and exteror fittings)

I have an idea there may also be a split pin retaining the block to the rudder stock. You could always drill block and stock to improve the security if deemed necessary. Also a tiller height adjustment.

 

[savageseadog]

I was interested in that tiller head block till I saw it was £125 /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
Seems extortionate for a simply machined £5 block of bronze.
Think I'll brush up on my filing skills.

 

[Clyde_Wanderer]

Henry, it sounds as if the items Vic is talking about would suit.
I can only advice, as you will probably know, there is very heavy weather helm loading on the HB30's so what ever arrangement you use it will have to be extreemly strong.
On occasions I have had to wedge my feet, cock my ears back and pull like a donky to keep her from luffing up.
Just had a look at the items on the link.
Only thing about that type of head is if the through bolt is tightened enough to hold it tight on the stock, then it will limit the free tilting action of the tiller.
I have a spare original tiller bracket here, as I got a new much stronger one made, only cost me £80, and the s/s it is made from is twice the guage of the old one.

 

[orizaba]

these should be some photos showing my tiller stock,if its worked i'll add some details on fabrication

 

[orizaba]

hmm didn't work will try harder

 

[VicS]

Like this perhaps


..........

..........

The one shown as a Westerly spare has the square turned through 45 degrees though. 'spect thats why its so 'spensive

 

[orizaba]

hmm another attempt ,we'll see

.http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb114/daisythedawg/AAAA0003600x450.jpg[/IMG]

well they have sort of come out,as you can see i have a pc of bronze with a sq nole ,slotted with a pinch bbolt and 2 tapped bolts into the stock,the whole lot hinges downover the stock,i carry a spare complete tiller and instead of a bronze pc its fabricated aroun the sq lug out of stainless steel,it does not hinge up but clamps in place again with the 2 bolts into the stock as a safety measure.i made up the stainless tiller and the end slidesin and out to give an extra length of 1ft usefull in marinas or heavy sea, the other lugs are for the aries to attach to,sorry about the state of the deck but got a bit of sand etc onboard and not had time to wash the decks

 

[orizaba]

well apologies to vic s over posting over him and apologies over the spelling it was all ok before i submitted it,
give me an engine anytime, they are much simpler.

 

[VicS]

[ QUOTE ]


[/ QUOTE ] I think the block is clamped with the two nuts leaving the tiller to hinge freely. In the picture they show the parts arse-about-face relative to each other (The vertical bolt is the height adjustment.)

It looks different to the one I know on a Berwick but I am not quite sure what is different about it

 

[VicS]

[ QUOTE ]
well apologies to vic s over posting over him

[/ QUOTE ] Well at least i got there first. I never worked out what you did wrong first time though.

 

[Clyde_Wanderer]

The head on mine is similar but there are two clamp bolts which are set below the level of the outer surface of the block so the bolt heads dont interfere with the fitting and movement of the tiller bracket, (will take some pics tomorrow) bear in mind that the bronze head must bear against the inside side walls of the s/s tiller bracket so the tiller bracket pivot bolt alone is not taking all the loading and some of the loading is taken by the bronze head.
I dont like the idea of a pin hole drilled through the squared section of shaft, as it would tend to weaken it, that is why there should idealy be clamp bolts indepindant of the tiller bracket pivot bolt.
Must admit I am a great believer in having things Clyde built, ie, able to withstand stresses far higher than they may ever be subject to.

 

[VicS]

[ QUOTE ]
I dont like the idea of a pin hole drilled through the squared section of shaft

[/ QUOTE ] Its only a smallish pin even if I am right about there being one. Just enough to stop the thing lifting off if the clamp were to become loose. Whatever, it's been on a Berwick for 30 years and had had some hard sailing at times and has outlasted the tiller. I am not really sure about the clamp and the tiller pivot on the one I know but the sides of the hood do fit close to the clamp block, I'm reasonably sure of that.

 

[orizaba]

first not sure either vic s how i managed to overpost you, maybe it was the phantom

re drilling holes in the stock ,as mentioned,mine has one either side but only short ,countersunk to allow the top of the tiller to go over the clamp and does not go all the way through.
very similar to others shown discussed.

 

[henrysmyth]

Hi All,
Thanks for all the replies and photos. I've had a look at the items on the Westerly website. It certainly looks like the rights pieces but bloody expensive. I'll investigate if I can get a local S/S fabricator to make up some pieces for me first (using the Westerly photos!). I'll take some photos of the current 'square stock' and wheel arrangement over the next few days anyway and post them up on the forum.
Henry.