DaySailer.org Forum

One of these days I'm going to want to sail when none of my crew are available. The first technical challenge I see is managing the tiller while I am forward (to raise or lower the jib, for example). I have a tiller extension that stops about 8" short of the stern cleats (if it made it to a cleat, it would be an easy solution). What are the tried and true methods of locking the tiller in a position?

The second question is when and how do to this? It seems that on a close reach a windshift could cause bad luffing, and a puff could put me in trouble. Is it better to be on a beam reach, with the sail trimmed to spill quite a bit of wind?

Experience and ideas are welcome.

Thanks.

--john

I have a Tiller Tamer I use if I need to lock the tiller in position. D&R Marine sells a Tiller Tamer (also West Marine, etc.). There are several different makes of tiller holding devices and some home made types. When single handing I'll let out a little sail as well if I need to go forward.

John

Thanks, John. Always helps to know the name of what I'm looking for.

Looks pretty affordable, but I might try a line with a small loop in the middle first. It seems like slack is a problem, because if the pressure starts it heading higher or lower it will only continue. Something to play with.

Regards,

--john

Tiller Tamer has a spring loaded screw knob that allows tension to be applied to the line. Most the time I sail with it loose, only tightening the tension when I want to reduce play in the tiller or want the tiller to hold on course.

John

I fitted two fittings that I can hook a bungee into, so it goes across the cockpit and a bit below the tiller.

I "lash" the bungee to the tiller with three wraps of 3/16" shock cord.

This ultra simple device works super well in the low to moderate winds that I have tried it in.

The wrap will hold the tiller at some position along the bungee. The bungee has a little give to it, so it can balance slight shifts in direction due to changes in wind pressure. It also means that I can reach in and do correction and the system will "yield" right away without hesitation.

If I push the tiller too far, eventually the bungee would slip and the tiller would assume a new position. I use this to briefly oversteer and force the tiller into a new permanent position without taking my grip off the tiller to make any adjustments - I can even operate the system from a distance using a tiller extension.

On a DS with seat backs, the "fittings" I mentioned at the top might be eyestraps. On a DS I with wooden coamings, these could be hooks behind the coamings, so as to not have to drill into the surface. I took two SS fender washers and drilled two holes in each. The top one is used to screw the washer into the coaming from the reverse. The bottom one accepts the bungee. When not in use, I can rotate the washers to fully hide behind the coamings. (I ignore the original center hole).

This system is normally used only so I can briefly take my hand off the tiller when single handing without the boat rounding up or falling off immediately. Having the additional pull of the bungee when steering takes a bit of getting used to, but the advantage of the system being 'engaged' all the time (and usually automatically positioned to the proper location) outweighs that. I can do emergency tacks when racing without having to worry about getting "stuck" because I forgot to 'disengage the system'.

On one memorable occasion I sailed several miles at night on a close reach with the system positioned so it would balance the sails perfectly. I sat out on the side deck while the boat luffed up a bit in the puffs and fell off in the lulls, completely on its own.

It should work for stronger winds by taking another turn or two of the shock cord when wrapping the bungee, but I have not had occasion to try that in earnest.

I also use a Tiller Tamer. Instead of having it connected but loose as John describes, I run the control lines from mine to a clam cleat on either quarter so I can disconnect the tamer when not in use.

Mine has the lines run to clam cleats with a fairlead as well.

John

I have a bungee cord similar to GreenLake's. It's hooked between two small eye bolts on the aft end of the coamings. I mounted an ordinary cleat on the underside of the tiller. I can hold the tiller at any angle simply by taking a turn of bungee around the cleat. Sometimes it requires both hands to remove (disadvantage). Have not tried it in strong winds.

Greenlake--

I am going to try your system next week. (Taking a week of vacation, with the goal of sailing every day). How do you get enough friction so that the tiller doesn't slip one way or the other? Is the connecting bungee cord just wrapped around the tiller/crossing cord enough times so it is very tight? I suppose experimentation will give me the answer.

--john

Correct, currently I use three not very tight wraps, because that's the correct number given the length of the loop and my typical conditions (often light winds). Experimentation will show you how to work this.

I also use the bungee wrap method of taming. No autopilot to be sure, but good for buying some time to raise the main and/or going forward and hanking the jib. I have deck cleats on both port and starboard sides at the stern, so these work well for the hooks on the bungie. Then, as others have said, wrap a few times around the tiller and adjust as needed. Not bullet proof, but not nearly as costly as a tamer or clutch.

Just my $.02.

I sailed alone once this week already, with hopes of going again tomorrow.

The method of running a line between the stern cleats and connecting to the tiller with a shock cord worked well. I had a little trouble finding a steady balance point, but I hope that will come with experience.

Thanks all.

--John

I found the stern cleats a bit too far aft, so I made some eyes a bit further forward. Given that I have a DS1, with wood coamings, I found a way to do that so they are not in the way when not in use.