Tiller repair or replace

[catalina1]

I discovered today my tiller has rotted out where it's attached to the stock.
Ive dug out nearly all the rot.
Do I fill it with What? epoxy, plastic padding ?, then drill a new hole.
Or do I just bite the bullet and get someone to make one.
If its a new job, any recommendations of who will do this type or work.
Boat on the Solent, Im in the Thames Valley area

 

[VicS]

Definitely a case for a new tiller IMO.
Is this for a Konsort?
Pretty simple aren't they easily make one in a couple of hours surely?

May be available from Trafalgar Yacht Services

Our own Seanick (Nick Gates) may be prepared to make one. Pop in to his workshop in Thornham Marina.

 

[catalina1]

Spot on!! Vic. It is a Konsort.
I think its better to replace as well.
I dont want it breaking.

 

[Starfishbooks]

Looks like a replace to me too. I would fix up the old one with whatever works (plug of hardwood well epoxied in, perhaps) and keep on board as an emergency spare.

 

[PetiteFleur]

Looks like a replace to me too. I would fix up the old one with whatever works (plug of hardwood well epoxied in, perhaps) and keep on board as an emergency spare.

As an emergrncy tiller, why don't you just shorten ty by enough to remove the rot? It should be just as strong(but shorter!).

 

[Searush]

As an emergrncy tiller, why don't you just shorten ty by enough to remove the rot? It should be just as strong(but shorter!).

That's what I would try, cut off the last few inches & remake the end to fit the rudder stock.

As Vic says, making a new one should be pretty straight forward. See what your local firewood place has in chord wood hardwood logs (chord wood is about 4' long), pick a nice shape without knots & trim it down to size. Or laminate a nice curved one. I made a simple straight spare for my W25 out of a nice chunk of oak firewood - a spare tiller is always a useful thing to have in a locker.

 

[VicS]

Or laminate a nice curved one.

It's along time since I sailed a Konsort but IIRC the tiller is a fairly simple and (almost) straight thing that comes though a cut out in the transom top below the mainsheet traveller from a transom hung rudder.

Curved laminated tillers like those on the Centaurs, Berwicks, Longbows etc may look pretty but from an engineering point of view are an appalling design. The straighter the better.

 

[catalina1]

Thank you all for your advice and help.
I will take the, repair existing, order/ make new, keep as spare route.

 

[Tranona]

Repair would be quite easy. Cut a slice about 10mm of each side. Make cheeks from matching (or contrasting) wood to bring back to original thickness. Bore for a 25mm dowel (bit of broom handle). Fill the cavity inside the cheeks with epoxy and filler. Glue dowel in. Clean up and re-bore for bolt. Better and stronger than new.