Association Forum - Sheet to Tiller Steering #2

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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Sheet to Tiller Steering #2

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John P
Captain

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USA
324 Posts

Initially Posted - 09/30/2006 : 16:51:10

Well, I read the posts and looked at the pictures, read the online articles, and then I went to my boat last Saturday and during some of the brief dry weather, I rigged a simple STS system. Today I got to go and test it.

Today, winds were out of the South at 15-20 knots, temp was about 50 when I left the dock. Once out into the lake and heading to windward, I tried the system. After a little adjustment, It worked quite well. I got it to work such that it only changed the course of the boat 3-5 degrees at a time. Pretty good in my opinion.

Here is a pic of the setup, hopefully, all is visible. I describe it below:

I bought two small harken blocks, and two brass snap swivels. The two snap swivels are tied to the startboard and port stantions. One block is looped on one of the lengths of mainsheet between the mainsheet blocks, the 2nd block is snaped to the windward snapswivel. I then have a line (solid green line) tied to the block on the mainsheet, it then runs through the block on the windward side then is tied off at the tiller. My method for tieing at the tiller was to wrap the end of the rope around the end of the tiller, and tie off with a clove hitch. This way, I can simply twist another turn on the tiller to tighten the rope (or loosen) quite easily.

I was able to use this today, for about 3 solid hours, while going to windward. On the downwind run, however, the mainsheet method does not work as well. But, I was not ready to try it with the Jib sheet. maybe another time.

Oh, almost forgot this. Part of the this system requires a bungie cord or something that elastic, to pull the tiller back to leward, after the mainsheet pulls the tiller to windward. So, I used a long length of 1/4" bungie cord, that I typically used to steering. I tied the cord off at each stantion (where the swivel is tied), then created a loop in the middle of the cord, that loopes over the end of the tiller. This works well, and by tieing the cord to the stantion, where the swivel is, it keeps the snapswivel in the air, so I can easily connect the block to it at each tack.

Lastly, the Snapswivel/bungie cord is tied to the stantion, using some small diameter rope, running several loops from block to stantion.

'84, C-25, SR/FK, #4663, "ILLUSIONS", Chazy, NY (Lake Champlain)
http://www.sailblogs.com/member/illusions

Edited by - John P on 09/30/2006 16:56:11

britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 09/30/2006 : 17:45:34

Very interesting, (couldn't use it on our wheel steering) but I wonder, what can you do to the setup to provide a safety break in case of single handed mob?

Paul.

Edited by - on

John P
Captain

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USA
324 Posts

Response Posted - 09/30/2006 : 19:31:23

I could envision a quick release knot on the rope that goes to the stantions, the quick release end could be tied to a tether that would be tied to life preserver.