Wheel converted to tiller steering. How?

[BurnitBlue]

The major problem for me with my Moody is that I sail single handed and I cannot reach the sheet winches from the helm position. To move forward to the winches, I have to climb over the cockpit seats to get past the wheel. Last year I really tried to solve the problem by sitting forward of the wheel but despite practice I found myself turning the wheel in the wrong direction.

I will launch in a few weeks and I will not accept the risk of injury while I am trying to get forward with virtually nothing to hold on to. The wheel goes or the boat goes.

Last year I hit on a possible solution to remove the wheel from the plinth spindle and replace it with a vertical tiller. I mentioned it to some people who said it won't work. However, from my winter armchair I cannot see a problem.

The lock to lock is exactly three full turns of the wheel so the vertical tiller will have to be the same length as the present radius of the wheel to allow rotation. I will take care that the tiller is firmly attached to the spindle. I realise that I must still sit at the helm position because turning geometry will not transfer to tiller. ie, if I sit on the cockpit seat forward of the plinth, the vertical tiller will be opposite effect.

Does anyone know of a similar contraption on another boat or see a problem I am missing from my armchair? Or a better solution.

Thanks.

 

[Bav34]

Can't you do something with the emergency tiller and make it permanent?

 

[BruceDanforth]

A smaller wheel?

 

[BurnitBlue]

The emergency tiller has to be operated from the aft cabin. Daft but true.

To Edbenyon. If I had a smaller wheel I would try it. It would be expensive to buy and post to Greece just for a trial. But good idea, I will have to consider making one out of wood to try it out first. I cannot visualise how much room I need from my armchair until I get down to the boat. One thing is certain I must keep my feet on the cockpi floor.

 

[BruceDanforth]

Some autopilots - the raymarine for instance- often have a facility to initiate a tack by pressing 2 buttons at once so you might be able to do something with that to help you tack it.

 

[BurnitBlue]

The boat does have an Autohelm 3000 which came with the boat. No tacking button though, but it does have a remote device connected by long cable to the control unit with 1 and 10 degree course change buttons. Maybe I can try establishing the number of 10 degree button pushes to complete a tack.

There are really only a few options that are practical. Emergency tiller, smaller wheel, autopilot (with voice control, two hands for the winch) is about it. The problem is that a wheel was designed as standard on a 34 foot boat instead of a tiller.

The more I think about the smaller wheel the more I like it. Especially if I design it myself with optimum dimensions with, perhaps, a removable or hinged spoke or two for extra leverage power when needed. You know like grabbing the ears of a horse when in the helm position. If it works I can make an enviable model out of mahogany, teak and polished brass. Or I would probably just keep the prototype like I always do.

 

[BruceDanforth]

Mine does a 100deg tack if I press the 1 and 10 at the same time but it is an st1000. Yours should do it according to the manual. I use it sometimes and it works quite well.

 

[westernman]

Mine is a ST2000+ and will also tack through 100 degrees if I press the 1 and 10 buttons at the same time.

Pretty useful when single handed on the pilot cutter as I can get both staysail and jib let off and hauled in on the new tack by hand without having to revert to any winching while the autohelm takes care of the direction.

Without the autohelm, if I leave the wheel to itself I will end up heading well downwind by the time I have tied of the sheets.
Or, I correct the wheel and then end up having to winch in the jib.

 

[DaveS]

I would agree with those advocating using the "auto tack" feature. I have a tiller, which I greatly prefer to a wheel, but when single handing I mostly leave the Autohelm in charge of steering so that I can trim sheets, navigate and generally "supervise".

 

[sailorman]

Yes get everything sorted , then steer when the whim takes you. i often sail s/h & site myself ahead of the wheel to tend the sail trim, plotting ect.

I would agree with those advocating using the "auto tack" feature. I have a tiller, which I greatly prefer to a wheel, but when single handing I mostly leave the Autohelm in charge of steering so that I can trim sheets, navigate and generally "supervise".

 

[BurnitBlue]

Gee Whiz. Thanks for that. I thought that pressing the 10 and 1 together would be 11 degrees, or it would go up in smoke. Must read the manual. 100 degrees would be perfect so that's the way to go first. If it works then the problem could be solved.

I now feel I have achieved a lot today so I can relax with no guilt and watch a movie. Thanks again. I will post the results of the test after I launch.

 

[BurnitBlue]

Yes get everything sorted , then steer when the whim takes you. i often sail s/h & site myself ahead of the wheel to tend the sail trim, plotting ect.

Despite practicing I don't seem to get the knack to steer when sitting forward of the wheel. I tried it many times last year but I always at some point moved the wheel in the wrong direction. Do you have a technique or is it just practice practice, practice. What happens when you swap from starboard to port seats after a tack. Does your technique still work immediatly.

I need to get my brain out of the rut caused by too many years driving a car.

 

[prv]

I suspect I may be about to have the same problem . Always preferred a tiller, but ended up with a wheel boat as a compromise with everything else. My plan is to sit ahead of the pedestal as if steering with a tiller, and hold the wheel at a point lower than its centre. Pushing or pulling inboard and outboard will than have the same effect as with a tiller, albeit with more "gearing". May well end up using the autopilot for tacking as well.

Pete

 

[Grumpybear]

A

I suspect I may be about to have the same problem . Always preferred a tiller, but ended up with a wheel boat as a compromise with everything else. My plan is to sit ahead of the pedestal as if steering with a tiller, and hold the wheel at a point lower than its centre. Pushing or pulling inboard and outboard will than have the same effect as with a tiller, albeit with more "gearing". May well end up using the autopilot for tacking as well.

Pete

That works for me. I also find holding the wheel below the spindle convenient when sitting aft of the wheel (the labradoodle often insists on this so she can sprawl on the lee seat with her chin on my knee - something she learned from our late Old English sheepdog).

 

[Rossynant]

The emergency tiller has to be operated from the aft cabin. Daft but true.

Caught my attention - same in my boat. But there is one thing somehow forgotten nowadays, when designers put huge wheels right aft (and sailors barely ballancing behind) - commonest reason for wheel steering was to move it forward. So to have everything else within easy reach...
I understand it's something like this? http://www.yachtsnet.co.uk/archives/moody-346/w3368-cockpit-fwd.jpg

Can you move the column forward, before the sheets or about them? And probably smaller wheel would be better, so to pass it without taking legs from cockpit sole.

Traditional set-ups:
this was easy to singlehand, despite mainsheet track in the way, everything in reach https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/dytOY8ABU4Zcg6NCS1XY4NMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink
or this https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/y0ak4Fl1HoqkWAju1BSOJdMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink

This I think nice way too, by the way http://www.yachtsnet.co.uk/archives/seadog-30/t83803-cockpit-fwd.jpg

 

[sailorman]

Only owned the boat 16 yrs but getting to grips with her now

Despite practicing I don't seem to get the knack to steer when sitting forward of the wheel. I tried it many times last year but I always at some point moved the wheel in the wrong direction. Do you have a technique or is it just practice practice, practice. What happens when you swap from starboard to port seats after a tack. Does your technique still work immediatly.

I need to get my brain out of the rut caused by too many years driving a car.

 

[BurnitBlue]

prv and grumpybear. Absolutely brilliant. It honestly never occurred to me to grip the wheel below the spindle to simulate the tiller geometry. This may solve the problem while sitting forward of the wheel. Add the double button push on the Autohelm A3000 for tacking and I am sure the problem is solved. I too have had tiller boats for the past 18 years.

rossynant. Yes that is a photo of a Moody 346 cockpit which shows exactly the narrow footwell completely blocked by the wheel. It is not possible to move the wheel and plinth because it would prevent the cockpit locker lid being raised, It is an enormous locker with a single L shaped lid. Looking at the picture also shows the price for a large aft cabin with walk through. Part of the galley also runs along the side of the walk-through.

It definitely demonstrates that the brief from Moody to the designer was for a boat-show interior and to fit the sailing bits in as best as he could. He would have succeeded if he had installed a tiller instead of a wheel. I would think that the ability to sail a boat single handed is very important even on a crewed boat unless two crew in the cockpit day and night.

 

[Daedelus]

One thing to bear in mind is the balance.

I had a Moody 31 some years ago and it had been retro- fitted with a wheel because tiller steering was so darned heavy. It had surprisingly high weather helm and on a lumpy sea needed constant and large helm alterations to hold course.


A contemporary who had one with tiller steering reckoned that hanging onto the tiller with perhaps half the amount of travel used to keep her straight in strong winds was absolutely exhausting.

 

[BruceDanforth]

Sounds like the sails were worn out.

One thing to bear in mind is the balance.

I had a Moody 31 some years ago and it had been retro- fitted with a wheel because tiller steering was so darned heavy. It had surprisingly high weather helm and on a lumpy sea needed constant and large helm alterations to hold course.


A contemporary who had one with tiller steering reckoned that hanging onto the tiller with perhaps half the amount of travel used to keep her straight in strong winds was absolutely exhausting.

 

[widgeon]

100 degrees is the default setting for the auto-tack, but you can change that figure if it doesn't suit your boat by going into the settings (don't ask me where, I have to get out the handbook whenever I want to change anything on the auto helm!)