[Public-List] Tiller Talk

[Bill McCoy via Public-List]

Savants,


I read all of your comments, from the always loquacious and probing Don Campbell to the decisive Greg who has ordered from Spartan Marine on the same subject, plus all of your perspectives.


Don did point out a good perspective about angle and how that contributes to the excessive leveraging, and, in my words, perhaps over-twisting of the "strap" (Spartan's word) of the H bracket etc.  He cites the advancement of concept of the golf cart handle associated with wrist injuries, etc.  Very interesting.


All of these points are well taken.  I guess I may do the simplest of things first as I had already inserted a bit of a large washer on the connecting bolt to tiller shaft without any measurable improvement in "waggle."  The start will probably be to take the damn thing to the machine shop and have them do the dirty work on it like they did for my motorcycle shocks, my Cape Dory parts, etc.  They're used to me showing up with that "what the..." look on my face.  After cleaning their hands they begin a rather erudite examination of my odd devices and ask whatever I might need?


I think too, at least in my case,  (link to photo<http://[URL=http://s1358.photobucket.com/user/Skeep575/media/Alberg%2030%20Nautica/afa7be21-ebb8-44ad-869e-bd5951df1862_zps2nl9nkml.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1358.photobucket.com/albums/q763/Skeep575/Alberg%2030%20Nautica/afa7be21-ebb8-44ad-869e-bd5951df1862_zps2nl9nkml.jpg[/IMG][/URL]>) , this tiller has no routed area into which the H bracket might fit to add additional closure into the H bracket area.  Thus, although the end of the tiller fits between the H bracket closely, there is nothing to control the extreme pulling and pushing in heavier weather but 2 silly bolts.  And there is space on each side of the very end of the tiller past the bolts, which amounts to perhaps a 16th of an inch-both sides.  This has to add waggle as the tiller is hauled and pushed interminably in a sort of torturous ying and yang that would wear down the best of woods.  Those spaces could be reduced if the shaft were routed out so that the H fit deeper into the tiller's wood handle?


So, if that is done, then the 2 bolts would hold the tiller in the wood and as Don mentioned, be able to leverage the pressure to the rudder more directly because there is no ability for the wood to surpass the depth of the inset of the H bracket.  Correct?  Hmmm.


Then work to have my machinists pals re work the connection of the strap (the H bracket) and cap so that they perhaps have not only stiff metal shims but perhaps also a spacer thru the cap for a new bolt of larger and more persuasive design?  This is way out of my pay-grade to suggest.  But I'm suggesting.


Owing to the flurry of your comments, I see this is a common conversation leading to a thousand excuses of why someone might not have won their Wednesday night races.  For me, I simply want better direct control of my steering rig!


Skeep