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tiller lashing help

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77Gypsy
Captain

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USA
356 Posts

Initially Posted - 03/10/2005 : 21:43:22

i'm going on a solo 35 mile sail and wanted advice on how some of you have secured your tiller in place. i was thinking of possible mounting some cam cleats but not sure where. any advice would be great

Steve
78 C25 SR/FK - Gypsy

Edited by - on

dhunt
1st Mate

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USA
83 Posts

Response Posted - 03/10/2005 : 22:29:47

Bungee cord works great! I hook one on the bases of the stanchions on either side of the traveller. Take a couple of wraps around the tiller and you're pretty much set. It's easily adjustable, and the elasticity of the cord is a little like having a light hond on the tiller . . . if you set it up just right, she'll sail herself. Next best thing to an autopilot

Edited by - on

Brooke Willson
Admiral

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USA
983 Posts

Response Posted - 03/11/2005 : 09:01:42

"Next best thing to an autopilot"

35 miles on a really really good day is 7 hours of sailing. An autopilot makes that kind of trip much more bearable. It will be the best accessory you ever put on the boat. You can go below without worrying, you can move around topsides to do whatever you need to do, you can check your navigation . . . etc. If you're singlehanding, it increases your safety when you're moving around the boat.

Brooke

Edited by - Brooke Willson on 03/11/2005 09:04:30

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 03/11/2005 : 10:42:27

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Brooke Willson
 "Next best thing to an autopilot"

If you're singlehanding, it increases your safety when you're moving around the boat.

Brooke
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Huh?
'cause when you fall off instead of the boat heading up and luffing your boat sails on FOREVER?

Edited by - on

aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 03/11/2005 : 12:37:03

I agree with Brooke, get an autopilot. Of course, moving about the boat with a harness is advised on operating with one. In lieu of that, surgical tubing works better than bungee cords. It's not as stretchy. It comes in different sizes. When I get home from work I'll see which is best and post it.

Another alternative is a device called a tiller tamer. I have one as a back up to my autopilot. You can leave the tiller for short periods only. With a stronger wind and properly set sails longer. I've used it and been away from the tiller for up to 10 minutes in winds 12 to 18 knots.

Al
GALLIVANT #5801

Edited by - aeckhart on 03/11/2005 12:41:46

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 03/11/2005 : 12:37:05

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by fhopper@mac.com
 <blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Brooke Willson
 "Next best thing to an autopilot"

If you're singlehanding, it increases your safety when you're moving around the boat.

Brooke
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Huh?
'cause when you fall off instead of the boat heading up and luffing your boat sails on FOREVER?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

The easy solution is...don't fall overboard!

Actually, an autopilot can keep you from falling overboard in the first place because it gives you the freedom to take care of those problems that pop up while underway that might be difficult to do without someone manning the helm for you. Almost everytime I go out, I ready the autopilot in the cockpit putting it in its mount, but I do not place it on the tiller pin. Instead, I just leave it off to the side bungee'd to the starboard stern rail. With it at the ready, I can deploy it in a second to take care of any thing that comes up. Sometimes I'll use it and sometimes not, but it is always there ready to take the helm.

I agree with Brooke, the autopilot is the only way to go for extended singlehanded sailing...just ask any around the world singlehanded sailor.

Edited by - on

Buzz Maring
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1773 Posts

Response Posted - 03/11/2005 : 13:14:58

Hi Steve,

Here's a link to a recent thread ... there are extensive comments about tiller tamers, bungie cords, etc. ... [url="http://www.catalina25-250.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8386"]Tiller tamers[/url]

'Hope that helps ... have a great trip!

Edited by - on

Brooke Willson
Admiral

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USA
983 Posts

Response Posted - 03/11/2005 : 15:53:02

What Don said.

If you refuse to wear a harness and are worried about the boat leaving you behind, you can rig a simple lift/trip line that trails behind the boat (not a bad idea to trail a line if you're singlehanding anyhow, with a big bowline at the end). You grab the line, it pulls the tillerpilot off the pin, the boat heads up, and you haul yourself back aboard.

Brooke

Edited by - on

Bill Sloane
1st Mate

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USA
91 Posts

Response Posted - 03/11/2005 : 19:05:36

The other part of the dragging line safety feature is that the bungee cord holding your ladder up needs to have one end hooked down low on the ladder such that when you are in the water you can reach up at the transom to unhook the ladder. Not that I ever had to . . . .

Bill
Suede Shoes No. 496 SR/SK

Edited by - on

Charlie Vick
Captain

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USA
423 Posts

Response Posted - 03/11/2005 : 20:06:55

I always drag a 25' line with a large loop in the end if I'm by myself or with my son which is most of the time.
Cheap insurance on your boat running off and leaving you.
As far as autopilots go, mine is a bungee cord also but I've only sailed 57 miles alone in one day.
If I was on the open ocean I would go with an autopilot.

Edited by - on

Dan86
Navigator

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130 Posts

Response Posted - 03/14/2005 : 22:15:00

My vote for economic reasons is the bungee, i recently single handed for 4 hours with barely a touch on the tiller except for corrections and course changes in 10 to 12 mph with good results.

Edited by - on

bbriner
Captain

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349 Posts

Response Posted - 03/17/2005 : 10:07:48

My method is pretty lame but sure is cheap.

(an embarrassing picture...the boat was a mess when I took this, but the gas cans are long since stowed away, along with the juice "MOB" practice container)

BillB
84C25 4036 SR/FK
SF Bay

Edited by - on

MattL
Admiral

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USA
990 Posts

Response Posted - 03/17/2005 : 18:21:49

Bill,
I think my computer must be too embarrased to show your photo. All I get is a white box with a red x in the middle.

Edited by - MattL on 03/18/2005 00:11:32

bbriner
Captain

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349 Posts

Response Posted - 03/19/2005 : 10:58:09

That's even more embarrassing. Someone said they had problems posting photos that are on Yahoo. Maybe I need to change too. Anyway, here's the url to my photo albums: http://photos.yahoo.com/wdbriner

You can see my lame tiller lashing method along with other photos.

Bill B
Wind Dancer
84C25 4036 FK/SR

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 03/19/2005 : 11:47:12

Thank you for your link. Those were wonderful pictures. Your boat looks great. Absolutely the best access plate photo I have seen.

Edited by - on

bbriner
Captain

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349 Posts

Response Posted - 03/19/2005 : 12:55:03

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by fhopper@mac.com
 Thank you for your link. Those were wonderful pictures. Your boat looks great. Absolutely the best access plate photo I have seen.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Thanks Frank! We've had the boat for nearly a year now and every day I think about the next time I can get out - or I'm thinking about the last time! In between I'm thinking about 'what can I do next on the boat' ..:)

Bill B

PS - I wouldn't have known what to do about the gudgeon without all the great help on this site.

Edited by - on

Sloop Smitten
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1181 Posts

Response Posted - 03/20/2005 : 10:34:24

Bill,
Yahoo photo albums will not let you post directly to a picture. They also will not let you adjust the size of the picture.

For those of you who need a site to post pictures from you might try http://www.photobucket.com/
There is no charge and they provide automatic cut and paste links to your pictures. I have no affiliation with them, just am impressed user.
Joe

Edited by - on

77Gypsy
Captain

Members Avatar

USA
356 Posts

Response Posted - 03/20/2005 : 19:55:52

i bought the tiller tamer here is a pic of the install, i'll prob go with a auto pilot later in the season, i would like to fool around with this for a bit.

Edited by - on

bear
Admiral

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USA
909 Posts

Response Posted - 04/09/2005 : 08:14:15

Steve, You need to get that tiller line towards the back of the boat.
The tiller needs an arc to follow when turned. I installed two cleats on the rear stantions on my C250. Believe me where the line is now the tiller will just bind up when turned. It needs to follow an arc.You can play with the placement of cleats etc till you find a good working radius.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 04/09/2005 : 09:03:32

I use the stock traveler cleats for my TT. (My new traveler control system is wonderful.)

(Things wrong in picture 2; Motor mount not up, continuous traveler control line not forward of back-stay adjuster.)

Edited by - Frank Hopper on 04/09/2005 09:09:25

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5913 Posts

Response Posted - 04/09/2005 : 09:58:57

Frank, is that your protest flag, draped over the starboard coaming?

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 04/09/2005 : 12:40:13

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Steve Milby
 Frank, is that your protest flag, draped over the starboard coaming?

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Believe it or not, that is an old Earth Shoe bag; remember Earth Shoes? My wife and I had several pairs each, of course that was when I was in Law School and thought I was going to be rich!

D's in Law School do not count.

I am not rich.

Edited by - on

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