[alberg30] Re: Tillers

[Gordon E. White]

From: "Gordon E. White" <gewhite at crosslink.net>

    Some years ago I bought an off-the-shelf tiller that fit my Alberg
perfectly,  probably from Fawcett's but  I see a selection of five
laminated tillers in the 1999 West Marine catalog p. 847.  Mine is 44
inches long. The J-24 model looks like mine but no length is given in
the catalog.

    I just finally solved the looseness in the rudderpost/tiller
fitting. Over the years the bolt had squeezed the ears of the tiller
fitting and wear on the rudderpost head fitting had contributed to
enough slop that was bothersome. The gap was not square, which made
snugging it up with washers useless. So I took off the rudderpost head
fitting, put it in the vise on my 1/2" drill press and using a 3/8" end
mill squared up both sides. I then was able to put it back on the
H-section fitting on the end of the tiller with two stainless washers
that made it snug again. My old shop teacher would have snorted at using
a drill press as a mill, but though not beautiful, it worked. (But I am
going to buy one of those Chinese mill-drills from Harbor Freight. I
miss my old Bridgeport, but the riggers wanted $2,000 to move it down
here to Deltaville.)

    Despite all this I am going to cut the tiller down to use for
emergency steering, as the Edson wheel is now installed. I find I can
still use the tiller autopilot and when using the wheel, swing the stub
of the tiller up and loosely secure it with a bungee cord. Till I can
afford a wheel auto pilot.

                                        - Gordon White A-275


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