[Alberg30] Wheel Advantages

[Bob Johns]

On Tuesday, April 29, 2003, at 09:37  AM, George Dinwiddie wrote:

> I've heard of people making a folding tiller (just past the attachment 
> point for the autopilot) but I don't know the details.

The subject of the hinged tiller came up in a similar discussion back 
in July of '02. I will append to this message a quote of what I sent to 
the group at about that time that describes it briefly and mentions the 
advantages of the setup. I sent George several pictures of the tiller 
today thinking that he might want to publish them on the A30 site. In 
any case, anyone that would like more information can contact me off 
list.

Bob Johns, Wind Call,  #397

> When cruising we use an AutoHelm tiller type autopilot a lot. When we 
> first  started to sail offshore Barbara was concerned that while under 
> autopilot one of us might slip and fall across the tiller which would 
> break it because the autopilot was holding it in a fixed position. The 
> wood I found to build a spare tiller was going to have to be laminated 
> in three layers because I couldn't find wood thick enough to make it 
> in one piece. I realized that with the three piece lamination I could 
> easily add an extra hinge (pivot) to the tiller.
>
> The current setup that we have  used happily for years is the 
> following: the autopilot controls the tiller by connecting to the 
> tiller with a bracket located about 15 inches from the rudder post 
> pivot point. A second pivot point ('hinge') on the tiller is located 
> just forward of the autopilot bracket. When under autopilot, the 
> forward part of the tiller is tilted to a vertical position so the 
> forward part of the cockpit is completely clear of the tiller. Only 
> the 18 inches or so forward of the rudder post is blocked by the stub 
> tiller and the autopilot.
>
> Under autopilot the cockpit is clearer than it would be with a wheel. 
> At anchor the tiller is pivoted to a vertical position at the rudder 
> post and, as Mike pointed out, the cockpit is completely clear. All of 
> the advantages of the tiller are there when not using the autopilot as 
> you essentially then have a standard tiller. When leaving the boat on 
> the mooring I tie the tiller stub and the forward part of the tiller 
> is in the vertical position.
>
> I can't imagine using any other arrangement on an A30 and am surprised 
> that I haven't seen it on other boats.

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 |                This Old Boat by Don Casey                     |
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