Tiller Tamers

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Binman

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What if any system, do you use. Been looking at the Davis tiller tamer, Plus a system where by a cord if fixed to the boom and run back to the tiller,with a bungee cord then leading to the starboard side, this set up will adjust to the wind, useful for doing other jobs, used for single handed sailing.
 
Binman said:
What if any system, do you use. Been looking at the Davis tiller tamer, Plus a system where by a cord if fixed to the boom and run back to the tiller,with a bungee cord then leading to the starboard side, this set up will adjust to the wind, useful for doing other jobs, used for single handed sailing.
Click to expand...
May I suggest you google
Huntingford Helm Impeder
or
Davis Tiller Tamer
or go to
http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthr...Tamer-anyone-got-one-any-comments-or-opinions

Personally I use George when single handing
 
I use two tiller lines rigged like tent guys, i.e with a piece of wood with two holes in it in each line. This arrangement does the job and costs next to nothing.
 
Binman said:
What if any system, do you use. Been looking at the Davis tiller tamer, Plus a system where by a cord if fixed to the boom and run back to the tiller,with a bungee cord then leading to the starboard side, this set up will adjust to the wind, useful for doing other jobs, used for single handed sailing.
Click to expand...

What you are describing is sheet to tiller steering, which is a well established technique for getting a boat to sail by balancing the driving power of the sail (usually the jib) with the rudder via the tiller. This is a lot more complex than just locking the tiller, for which parsifal's techniques is fine - although you can buy devices that do the same. Both techniques are limited in their application and you may well find that investment in a tiller pilot much more useful.
 
I have a couple of these... http://www.norfolkmarine.co.uk/shop-online/barton-plastic-tube-cleats-p-2923.html side by side under the tiller and a short piece of cord attached to each side of the pushpit. I only use it to lock the tiller when anchored or moored. However, if they were fitted on top of the tiller and used with a single piece of cord attached to both sides of the boat I imagine they could be used to quickly lock the tiller at any position. When not used to lock the tiller the cord would just run through the tubes with little chance of jamming, maybe.
 
Its named after Huntingdon who designed it - its made soley from cord and bunjee - all you need is a eye for it to run through. I thought the whole idea was you made it up yourself.

It merely functions as a tiller lock.

I've used one for years - the only problem is the bunjee needs to be quite strong and if you leave it on it will perish over the course of a year. I make a new bunjee strop every year or so.

It works well - especially as you can put it 'half on' and then the tiller will stay put to whataver position you push it too - ideal for tacking/gybing single handed. I usually release it altogether ( have hooks either end ) chugging around a marina etc.

For sailing it is better released.

I do have a tiller pilot - but its quite old and can throw tantrums now and then. I never use it for tacking etc - just for plodding along on the engine a or for a break sailing in settled conditions when on my own.


Geoff
 
Hi Tranona, I do have a tiller pilot a TP10, I just got curious, I can see some tiller takers work better than others, like all these gadgets they can come in handy sometimes, I keep deliberating wheather or not to invest in a Spray hood, then wonder if the expense justify such the outlay at about £680. Always weighing up the advantages with what ever I buy, only recently brought a chart plotter. Each season I find I am building up my equipment, brought a I Com hand held VHF with DFC at the boat show make. It is so easy to waste money.
 
On a soft mud mooring ( river axe ) I lash the tiller central with a line.
Whether this is necessary I often wonder - as the boat probably moves more heeling over once the rudder is in the mud than for and aft ?
MAybe better left loose ?

Geoff
 
Binman said:
Hi Tranona, I do have a tiller pilot a TP10, I just got curious, I can see some tiller takers work better than others, like all these gadgets they can come in handy sometimes, I keep deliberating wheather or not to invest in a Spray hood, then wonder if the expense justify such the outlay at about £680. Always weighing up the advantages with what ever I buy, only recently brought a chart plotter. Each season I find I am building up my equipment, brought a I Com hand held VHF with DFC at the boat show make. It is so easy to waste money.
Click to expand...

I've experimented with bungee, rope and etc on my boat but she's so small/light (20') that I only have to move to throw her off balance... I've accepted for some time I'll just have to splash the cash on a motorised one at some time..
 
I've lately found I have to move forward in the cockpit a good deal to sort halyards, centreboard, self-bailers and lines which a crew (if I had one) is normally expected to adjust...

...after struggling with one hand holding the 5ft tiller by its 4ft extension, I've finally given in and fitted small blocks and fairleads so I can run a line right round both sides of the long cockpit and steer from any position. And of course I can lock the line off, on rare occasions when I succeed in balancing the sails so the boat holds her course.

Interesting how long it has taken me to recognise and escape the tyranny of the tiller...dinghy sailors don't bother to, generally! Quite tempting to extend the steering line to the foredeck so I can sit with my feet over the bow in light winds. :rolleyes:
 
As with Fantasie any small boat will change course if you change the heel of the boat by moving around. However a very simple (cheap) system is a long length of bungee attached abeam the handle end of the tiller on both sides. Wrap the bungee around the tiller 3 or 4 turns. Intially set up the bungee with some tension. Tiller centred. Then by rolling the bungee around the tiller you can tweak the tiller direction to get the boat to steer itself. The advantage of bungee is that if it wanders off course you can just force the tiller against the bungee to correct then release to hopefully the original setting.
I use about 6mm bungee powerful enough but easy to over power by hand. However as said ther eis nothing like an electronic auto pilot. olewill
 
If I can't be arsed to fit the autohelm, as a quick fix a line athwartships between the aft mooring cleats with a couple of turns around the tiller works for me, for short periods.

A novice chum commented the other day it would be nice to have a remote control to the autohelm; in fact I have one, it came with the ST2000 package, but I've only used it once or twice, it's pretty useless unless one can also adjust sheets or throttle.

That reminds me, we were once following a boat out of the Needles Channel heading westwards, as soon as we were all in clear water the couple engaged the wind vane steering and disapeared below; the boat did two complete 360 turns with the sheets pinned in and still no sign of anyone on deck ! :)
 
Sorry Steve, I haven't taken photos of my simple set-up but I will and I'll show them here. I say simple, but it doesn't compare with Dylan's version. ;)

The point of mine is that being in a dinghy, any static tiller-position will only stay good for a few seconds, especially as any movement around the cockpit causes slight changes to the shape of the immersed section of the hull in the water, and consequently of her direction.

Keeping the tiller-line inside the cockpit has the downside of preventing a broad sweep of the tiller...the arc is probably limited to about 30° each way, though that's plenty for minor corrections. A bigger disadvantantage may be inadvertent snagging of the line in 'busy' weather, although it hasn't happened yet. At such times I'm very unlikely to be free enough to leave the helm, so I'd probably de-rig the tiller-line before starting.

I've seen somewhere, lengths of lightweight, rugged plastic half-tubing in a sort of Omega-symbol section, or perhaps more like a Soling sail insignia... Ω ...which can be glued to a bulkhead so a line can run freely inside, tight against the bulkhead but not at risk of snagging by objects or persons outside. My cockpit walls aren't straight, so a line drawn taught between two ends is over an inch away from the bulkhead at the mid-point and very likely to catch on something. Does anyone know where that 'Omega' tubing can be found?

Obviously the tubing would prevent access from all areas to the very lines I've set up to enable remote steering, but I'd leave portions available, in positions less subject to snagging.
 
Binman said:
Hi Tranona, I do have a tiller pilot a TP10, I just got curious, I can see some tiller takers work better than others, like all these gadgets they can come in handy sometimes, I keep deliberating wheather or not to invest in a Spray hood, then wonder if the expense justify such the outlay at about £680. Always weighing up the advantages with what ever I buy, only recently brought a chart plotter. Each season I find I am building up my equipment, brought a I Com hand held VHF with DFC at the boat show make.

It is so easy to waste money.
Click to expand...

+1

Oh, did you buy a boat? " A hole In the water into which you throw cash"
 
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