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Tiller Watch

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AADIVER
Admiral

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USA
966 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/11/2009 : 20:37:58

Is anyone using a product called Tiller Watch, (www.tillerwatch.com)?It's a shock cord tiller minder for under 30 bucks including S&H,
no state tax. I mounted ittoday: the two cord ends have ss hooks which I attached to the backstay eyes on the stern. Seems to have the proper angle from the tiller and sufficient tension. I'll sail with it tomorrow and report
back with a picture.

Frank Farmer
Long Beach, CA
aa.diver@verizon.net
http://mysite.verizon.net/aa.diver

PRETTY PENNY
'01 C-250 WK, Hull #558

Edited by - AADIVER on 04/16/2009 01:12:53

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 04/11/2009 : 23:56:37

Jeez... I missed my fortune!

Edited by - on

AADIVER
Admiral

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USA
966 Posts

Response Posted - 04/12/2009 : 01:09:08

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Dave Bristle
 Jeez... I missed my fortune!

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Meaning what?

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 04/12/2009 : 07:39:04

On my first boat in 1972 I used a shockcord wrapped around the end of the tiller. To release it I simply slid it aft at which point it became slack.

Dave, does that beat your title?

Paul

(of course, they used tiller taimers hundreds of years ago, long before shock cord! A piece of hemp looped over the wheel spindle!)

Arrhh! them wus de dazs!

Paul

Edited by - britinusa on 04/12/2009 07:40:35

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 04/12/2009 : 08:25:58

As Dave alluded to, at times, I also use a regular bungee cord that is simply wrapped around the tiller to hold a very temporary course. My autopilot gets way, way more use than the bungee, which I only use if my battery dies or when my autopilot is in the shop.

Edited by - on

AADIVER
Admiral

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USA
966 Posts

Response Posted - 04/12/2009 : 17:50:53

Just back from a sail with the Tiller Watch: shock cord or bungee, it functioned the same as a buck ninety-eight bungee from Ace Hardware; only "tames" or "watches" for short periods of time; less effective the further off the wind, and definitely NOT an auto helm.
First pic is underway, second a close up. Cord has to be wrapped around the outboard legs of the catbird seat and hooked to the inboard legs to provide necessary tension; an adjustment I made after the pic was taken.

Edited by - AADIVER on 04/12/2009 20:23:33

piseas
Former Treasurer

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USA
2017 Posts

Response Posted - 04/13/2009 : 01:26:50

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by AADIVER
 <blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Dave Bristle
 Jeez... I missed my fortune!

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Meaning what?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Frank,
I think Dave, who has a sense of humor, meant he was not savy enough to come up with that simple, cheap but effective idea. If he were, he would be sailing on his mega yacht now -and not his tiny stinkpot- and not talking to the rest of us <s>dimwits like himself</s>.

Does that about sum it up Dave?

Steve A
PS this is why I love this forum. We all understand one another, usually, as 99.9% of what we say is harmless but sometimes our words, as I well know, can be misconstrued. In this case Dave in the the majority.

Edited by - piseas on 04/13/2009 01:42:36

AADIVER
Admiral

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USA
966 Posts

Response Posted - 04/13/2009 : 08:29:43

No problemo.
Even though the Tiller Watch is no more effective than a length of standard bungee, it does have one advantage: easy on, easy off, compared to wrapping loops around the tiller. It's worth the dough.

Edited by - on

jbkayaker
Captain

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USA
299 Posts

Response Posted - 04/13/2009 : 12:03:51

I had a "tiller tamer" on my MacGregor 26-D. See website:
www.davisnet.com/marine/products/marine_product.asp?pnum=02205
It uses an ordinary piece of rope with an adjustable friction device mounted on the tiller. If you want to hold the rudder steady you just tighten down the friction adjuster. I don't know of any advantage to having a springy connection holding the rudder.

You can see several other opinions at
www.sailnet.com/forums/gear-maintenance/41149-tiller-tamer-2.html

Edited by - on

Peregrine
Admiral

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830 Posts

Response Posted - 04/13/2009 : 12:34:22

Figures that some one would market an idea I have used for years.
I use a length of bungee with loops on both ends to go over the aft cleats and a loop in the middle for the tiller. The more I pull the loop forward on the tiller the tighter it holds the boat on track the more I slide aft the less it controls the tiller.
The advantage is I can just buy more bungee if it ever wears out, it's adjustable and no holes in the tiller.
There is is an ancient version done with line. It is probably an idea that is as old as sailing itself.

Edited by - on

AADIVER
Admiral

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USA
966 Posts

Response Posted - 04/13/2009 : 13:51:24

JB, I have the Tiller Tamer, but it's awkward to attach and release compared to the Tiller Watch, the best of the bungee/shock cord rigs.

Edited by - on

crcalhoon
Captain

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USA
303 Posts

Response Posted - 04/13/2009 : 14:02:09

I forget the name of mine, but it is the one from Canada. It is all stainless steel and brass and will probably last a hundred years and looks yachty as all Hell. It cost about $40.00 US and works at least as well as $2.00 worth of shock cord or an old worn out jib sheet.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 04/13/2009 : 17:26:49

What I meant was, as several alluded, I used a bungee starting many years ago with a different boat, and never tried making it a commercial product so I could be on my "megayacht" now.

I used the "wraps around the tiller" method rather than a fixed loop or attachment hardware. That allowed me to adjust the tiller setting by putting my hand around the wraps and twisting them so that one end was loosened a little and the other end tightened. Pulling the wraps forward engaged it, and pushing them aft essentially disengaged it. I may have gotten the idea on Trailersailor.com... although I'm also thinking I started using it in the early '80s--a while before Trailersailor.

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 04/13/2009 17:34:48

Turk
Admiral

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USA
736 Posts

Response Posted - 04/13/2009 : 18:47:33

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by crcalhoon
 I forget the name of mine, but it is the one from Canada. It is all stainless steel and brass and will probably last a hundred years and looks yachty as all Hell. It cost about $40.00 US and works at least as well as $2.00 worth of shock cord or an old worn out jib sheet.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Tillerlock!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Sailboat-Tillerlock-tiller-lock-your-rudder_W0QQitemZ330320732272QQcmdZViewItemQQptZBoat_Parts_Accessories_Gear?hash=item330320732272& _trksid=p4506.c0.m245& _trkparms=72%3A1171%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318#ht_885wt_1350

Works great!

Edited by - Turk on 04/13/2009 18:48:14

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5376 Posts

Response Posted - 04/14/2009 : 17:41:16

I use a slightly different approach on Passage to steer a straight course (more or less).

I use a telescoping tiller extension handle propped at a 90 degree angle to the tiller, and mash the rubber-ball end up against the inside starboard gunwale.

Next, I take a standard $1.25 bungie cord and use it connected from the tiller handle to the winch to force the extension handle against the gunwale. Then I adjust the telescope length to steer straight. This is a little touchy, but once you get it, you've got it.

Once I can adjust it pretty close to center, there must be enough slack in the pintles and gudgeons to apply a small amount of negative feedback to the rudder, so that if the boat starts to turn to port, the play in the rudder will force the boat back to starboard.

Vice versa, if the boat starts to head to starboard, the slack seems to push the boat back over to port.

Surprisingly, I can go for a mile or two, and only then do I have to make any course adjustments. You can actually see it tracking on the GPS.

Not sure why it works, but it's pretty handy

Edit: Now, I have to figure out a way to make a bundle on this high tech solution! Any investors out there?

Edited by - Voyager on 04/14/2009 17:42:59

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 04/15/2009 : 08:28:54

Bruce, if you really like that approach, Forespar makes this Tiller Lock Box. (Looks like they've already one-upped you.

)

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 04/15/2009 08:31:10

piseas
Former Treasurer

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USA
2017 Posts

Response Posted - 04/15/2009 : 16:02:59

Bruce, I have the Forespar tiller extension and lock box like Dave B. spoke about, but it poorly keeps track. I don't use your bungee idea but will give it a try. One thing, what size is your extension? I have the shorter of the two and wonder if that is not the problem. Perhaps the longer one might work better.
I have much better luck with my auto pilot, FYI.
Steve

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 04/17/2009 : 10:00:40

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by piseas
 Bruce, I have the Forespar tiller extension and lock box like Dave B. spoke about, but it poorly keeps track...I have much better luck with my auto pilot, FYI.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Of the many sailboats at my marina, the ones that get the crap sailed out of them, like mine, have autopilots. But then again, the boats that get the crap sailed out of them belong to singlehanded sailors.

Edited by - on

piseas
Former Treasurer

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USA
2017 Posts

Response Posted - 04/17/2009 : 13:01:45

Don, I am in that category!

And every time I go out solo, I use the autopilot. Funny, I only use the tiller extension only when sailing with others.
Steve A

Edited by - piseas on 04/17/2009 13:04:17

AADIVER
Admiral

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USA
966 Posts

Response Posted - 04/18/2009 : 13:37:20

Back to the Tiller Watch product. I've discovered the way to make it work best is to adjust the shock cord tension; less on the wind, more off the wind. So I hook one end to the port catbird seat leg and the starboard end through a cam cleat attached to the aft combing. Pics to follow.

Edited by - on

AADIVER
Admiral

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USA
966 Posts

Response Posted - 04/20/2009 : 15:49:10

Here's how I've adjusted my Tiller Watch so I can control the tension. It begins hooked to the port catbird seat, runs thru the tiller connection, then to a small block attached to the starboard seat leg and up to a small cam cleat attached to the top of the seat by one of its bolts. So no holes have to be drilled for this adjustment. Remember: less tension close hauled, more tension off the wind.

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