LadyInBed
Well-known member
Also known as an inflatable comforter I believe! ?
tiller locks
- Thread starter Birdseye
- Start date
billyfish
Active member
Pin holes for me on the last 2 boats ...now electric....exelent but see how long it lasts
LONG_KEELER
Well-known member
I don't
Other than when leaving the boat, I use the Autohelm 99% of the time. The only time I use a manual device is when I pick up a foreign mooring buoy under power whilst I scurry forward with the boat hook. As mentioned, it does depend on what type of boat you sail. My boat is quite flighty so cannot really take full advantage of the manual systems.
Refueler
Well-known member
I had the whole series of Sketch Books - but 'ex' put all my PBO's and books in the shed .... where they became mouse bedding and wet !!
If Sketch Books still available ? WHERE ????????
Refueler
Well-known member
My Father had GH on order and although I was a young kid then - such items were options - not standard. I can remember my Father sitting down with the Yard discussing so many details .... but due to yard delaying start of build repeatedly - my Father eventually cancelled the order.
We then looked at a beautiful classic ... Kings Amethyst ... moored at Bucklers Hard .... but my Father backed off sadly ..... what a beautiful boat !!
Refueler
Well-known member
Because I use my Autohelm literally all time - I have two units just in case ... AH800 and AH1000 .... when pal of mine was replacing the data / remote sockets on them ..... I missed then terribly !!
Poignard
Well-known member
Amazon UK lists them.
Refueler
Well-known member
I found them after posting ... but they only have 1 + 2 .... 3, 4 and 5 unavailable and no info on next stock.
dac31
Member
I don't have experience with this but I was also looking for a tiller lock but found this to be the simplest and apparently well-proven solution. If my understanding is correct it transforms weather helm into tiller correction using the movement of the boom. Worth a mention - Blue Anarchy Sea Collective >> Self Steering Without A Windvane
Tranona
Well-known member
You are right in a way. I have a copy of the original price list and just about everything apart from a floating boat was "extra". Perhaps what I should have said is that just about all of the GHs, at least from when Terry took over from Hartwells have pin rails, most with a single row like mine, but others with a double row which allowed for finer control. I had quite a lot of contact with Terry in the 1978-80 period and he told me that the starting point for speccing a new boat was the one that was currently in build - but with minor (or sometimes major!) changes. So once potential buyers saw pin rails, almost all subsequent boats would have them. You can see (particularly if you are a nerd like me) phases where a feature is found on a few boats, then somebody makes a change and you get that in the next few boats. Dinettes is a good example, as is the odd layout in my boat with a wide single offset berth in the forecabin but otherwise "standard" aft of the main bulkhead. Only maybe 3 or 4 boats have this probably because what seemed like a good idea did not appeal to many.
This made it fun when I was looking for a boat as basically you can only buy what is available. I have a file of details of about 40 different boats that have been on the market recently and no 2 are the same originally and of course many have been "improved" over the years. The one I chose is probably the optimum late Erskine (number 208 out of 245 up to when Terry stopped) with the exception of the forecabin - and unchanged from new right down to the orange plastic upholstery. However the odd layout did make the installation of the bow thruster easier as it all fits in the offset berth so you don't know its there.
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Poignard
Well-known member
I suppose all you can do is grab whatever volumes you can as they become available. Like I have been doing for decades with books from "The Mariner's Library" series!
ditchcrawler
Well-known member
On several boats I have used a length of doubled up bungee cord clipped to the pushpit at an angle each side with a rope tail which goes through a
clam cleat fairlead on each side of the tiller. It is adjustable for tension by simply pulling or easing the rope/cord through the cam cleat. It holds a course for
a while but also takes pressure off the tiller when it is blowing. If you haven't got a few spare bits it shouldn't cost more than a tenner.
clam cleat fairlead on each side of the tiller. It is adjustable for tension by simply pulling or easing the rope/cord through the cam cleat. It holds a course for
a while but also takes pressure off the tiller when it is blowing. If you haven't got a few spare bits it shouldn't cost more than a tenner.
yimkin
Member
A light, shortlink, stainless chain across the cockpit over the tiller secured to stanchions and tensioned on one side by heavy bungee cord. Drop a chain link over a pin on the tiller to keep tiller in position. Lift chain off to disengage. I use the auto pilot pin. I sail single handed and this simple system works very well especially when short tacking in restricted waters. I've used a chain on 3 boats so far.
Gsailor
...
I have never found such a device as good as a tiller pilot. In fact, I never learned to trust one at all.
How can an autopilot be worse than a locked tiller?
Andrew_Trayfoot
Active member
+1 fir the TillerClutch.
I imported mine from the US on the back of the PBO review before they were available in the UK.
Fantastic product works perfectly on my Griffon which snatches the rudder if under power.
lengh of string/rope lasts about 2 seasons.. .
I imported mine from the US on the back of the PBO review before they were available in the UK.
Fantastic product works perfectly on my Griffon which snatches the rudder if under power.
lengh of string/rope lasts about 2 seasons.. .
thinwater
Well-known member
[Note. My comments are NOT based on the cruising cat in the avitar--totally different. I also have a tiller-steered boat, specifically a Corsair F-24.]
I do have a tiller lock (home made from a tripod leg--works great but I practically never use it). I also have a tiller pilot (which I use a lot more because it does everything better).
You say that the tiller pilot is not handy enough when singlehanded racing. Please explain to us, specifically, what operation it gives you trouble with.
- A short time to adjust jib trim or duck below. The tiller pilot is perfect for this.
- You want to had steer but keep the pilot handy. Put it on standby and let it hang. The unit should be secured to the boat with a tether. Sometimes the ball-and-socket can use revision. I like to put a short length of hose on the tip and punch a hole in it. Faster on-and-off. But this can be a good use for a tiller lock.
- Tacking and jibing. In light winds you don't need it; just kick the tiller over and work fast. In more wind the tiller pilot will work.
- Point high with good speed.
- Move the winch handle to the new side and put one turn on the winch. Reduce the number of turns on the working winch to the minimum and hold the tail.
- Press +10 once or twice. Then push auto tack. This will make the boat tack past 90 degrees, giving you more time to trim and avoid irons. It make the tack more reliable.
- Release the mainsheet a few inches when the boat is nearl head to wind. Again, this is to reduce the tendancy to go into irons. Optional. Release more in stronger winds.
- Release the jib at head to wind and try to get it in JUST as it is at the right angle to pull (with control, taking off turns as needed--varies with the boat and the wind). This will minimize grinding time and pull the bow through. This should be your main focus.
- Finish trimming and adjust to best course.
- Center traveler and sheet in main. This will make things a lot simpler.
- Make sure you are 135 degrees off the true wind. Otherwise you won't come out right.
- Auto tack. Again, focus on the jib. If there is an outhaul, pull it on the new side before jibing.
- Ease the main and traveler. Be prepared to do this quickly, if you boat is inclined to head up. Keep the sheet handy, so that you can do this while trimming the jib if need be.
The sheet-to-bungee idea is interesting, but I've never had a boat with enough helm feel at speed for it to make sense to me.