One of my winter projects for my Sun Cat is to install a tiller tamer. Seems like the Davis Instruments tamer is very popular. I am also intrigued by the CanSail Marine tamer http://www.cansail.com
I'm interested in any feedback on these or other options and your installation (e.g. top of tiller or underneath). Also how do you secure the end of the line to each side of the transom? Could you simply tie the line off to the stanchion uprights? I only have experience with what I believe was the Davis Instruments tamer on my previous boat (Catalina 16.5) where I had the line running to two small cam cleats on either side of the top of the transom. I liked this because it allowed for quick and easy tensioning of the line.
Thanks in advance and Seasons Greetings,
Shawn
SF Bay Area
Shawn:
I've tried a few but found this one to work well and is built nicely. Apparently, there are different spring strengths available so investigate that before you buy. But the stock one works fine on my 23.
http://tillerclutch.com/
For the cause,
Bob23
I put a Davis Tiller Tamer on my Sea Pearl and liked it OK. But my new-to-me SunCat came with a Tiller Clutch and I find it handier to snap it on and off, as opposed to turning the knob on the Davis one. Based on my limited experience, I'd say the only advantage to the Davis, besides price, is wider adjustability of the tension. Still prefer the clutch.
I generally use a big, wet, stinky, ball-obsessed girl doggy.
(http://www.tropicalboating.com/imagestr/LibTillTamer.jpg)
Tom,
THAT'S CLASSIC!
Ron
Hey! I have met that dog! Yup, very ball obsessed! Tom, thanks for the pic.
Peter
I've have the tiller clutch using clamp on cleats on the sun cat gallows support. I'm almost exclusively a single hander and like the clutch a lot because I find it easier than the tiller tamer to engage and unengage. I do find I wear out the line a few times a sailing season. I use a longer than needed line and wrap the excess around one of the cleats. When it starts to fray I just advance the line a foot or so.
The plastic ones don't hold.
The tiller lock is better (Cansail)
My friend Pete invented the tiller clutch, which I prefer over the Cansail.
Less pressure to lock against if you have the foiled rudder, though.
I tie a 3/16 line to one stern cleat, and keeping tension on the line, I wrap the line two or three times around the tiller and then tie the other end to the opposite stern cleat. This allows me to move the tiller with some resistance, but it also holds a tiller position long enough for me to go into the cabin or to the forward deck.
My Sun Cat came with the Cansail unit. It came mounted on top of the tiller but it could be mounted underneath. I use bungee cord and have it fastened to the gallows up rights. You will need to experiment with how much tension you put on the cord. Mine is fairly loose. I find it very easy to use with the bungee. I can release the lock and simply move the tiller and the cord slips in the clutch. But I can also pull the cord forward and out of the clutch altogether when needed.
I want to add the forespar hiking stick. I will need to move the cansail unit under the tiller. No big deal. I think I will just drill through the tiller and thru bolt the clutch on the underside of the tiller so I don't have a couple of holes exposed.
Tom L.
Thanks everyone for the recommendations. I didn't know about the tiller clutch and it looks pretty good from my brief review of their website. It's coming down to a choice between the tiller clutch and the Cansail. I like your idea of trying a bungee Tom for quick unencumbered release and simplicity of mounting (simply hook to the stanchions).
If you can't find a big, wet, stinky, ball-obsessed dog, another option is a tiller extender and a lock box.
Set the extension to the desired length and drop the end into the box. You can put a box on either side of the cockpit, or both sides. I guess they must come with only one box because the installations I have seen had the box only on one side.
https://secure.interactiveticketing.com/1.7/36e024/?promo=sail15#/select
The lock Box is good but requires a big hole to be cut in the cockpit. For simplicity I like the above arrangement. This also shows the Bungee cord like I explained earlier. I don't have the hiking stick yet but it's on my list. Instead of the eurocleat I have a cansail clutch.
opps wrong link. try this from Don L.
Re: Any good ideas for a proper tiller extension for a sun cat?
« Reply #7 on: December 06, 2015, 05:59:18 PM »
Over the years I have tried lots of different tiller locks and extensions. The very best and also the most expensive is the auto pilot. It works great for sailing but also when raising sail and lowering sail and tiding up before you get to the dock. One story that a friend won't let me forget was when we were motoring down the lake because of the lack of wind and ran aground on a sand bar. Part of the problem might of had something to do with all the empty brown bottles in the cockpit. Spring is coming soon I hope.
ROGER
Although I like the beefy classic look of the CanSail, the TillerClutch gets my vote. I've used it for 2 seasons now and can't imagine single handing without it.
Definitely go with the tiller clutch!
I will echo what someone above said: Keep some extra line on board because you will go through it. Especially when someone aboard my boat this summer, who will remain anonymous, forced the tiller when the clutch was locked and super chafed the line, thereby ending it's usefulness.
For us the Cansail clutch works very good. We use a heavy bungee cord. The cord is not trapped in the clutch and can be released instantly reset or slipped out of the clutch altogether.
When I sit in the back corner of the Sun Cat cockpit it's like sitting in an easy chair. I wouldn't want a permanent or semi-permanent line running across the corner of the cockpit. I also don't need to add cleats as the bungee cord (which is tied to the gallows uprights) when removed from the clutch just drapes between the gallows uprights completely out of the way but instantly ready to put back in service.
When set up right the bungee will give when too much weather helm develops from a gust and let the boat slowly come up into the wind and spill the main. It will then head back off again if the wind returns to previous conditions.
It's not an auto helm but not far off either.
Tom L.
Bob, there is a fix for that...better line. Let me see if I can find the type of line I'm using-I suspect it will last 3-4 seasons and I regularly force adjust it.
It's pretty good line but the clutch works on a friction something or other. It frays the line a little.
But, yeah, let me know what you use. I'm always open to suggestions.
For awhile, when I was between devices, I had a 6 foot long, about half-inch thick bungee that went from side to side, wrapped in a loop around the tiller. I could slide it up (or maybe back) to adjust tension, and it could be used for minor steering adjustments and then spring back.
The bungee lasted awhile, and when it died, I couldn't any longer find such a long one. I never see them anywhere, either. So, perhaps I'll make one. I have to put the clutch I have on the current tiller some time, also.
Bruce, west marine sells bungee by the foot. You can buy 20 feet if you want.
Tom L.
Yes, Tom, you are right. I can get it at ACE also. I sure might have to do it. I'm guessing there's a decent way to put the hooks on the ends also.
I keep looking for the ready made, but heck, rather have it than look for it forever!
Bruce, I don't use hooks. I tie a clove hitch to each gallows upright. I pull the knot relatively tight and it will hold for a long time. The reason I tie a knot is so I can change the tension for different wind and heading conditions.
Tom L.
The Cansail lock works great. Had one on Serenity and it held very well with a relatively small amount of rope tied between the two rear stanchions. The Cansail was mounted near the rear of the tiller which kept the rope out of the way. Rope lasted for years.
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3954/15495881311_1c66de0006_z.jpg)
Also agree with Roger about the tiller pilot. You can see the bracket for that below the tiller. Cansail was great for quickly locking the tiller (to tack or whatever) but for single handing the tiller pilot was superb. Made raising or lowering the main or jib extremely easy. Also great for changing headsails or raising the spinnaker.
On a small boat as you move around you are changing the steering of the boat. The tillerpilot will compensate for that.
Shawn
I think I'm going to go with the Wavefront Tiller clutch and tie one end of the line to the starboard gallows stanchion and the other end of the line to the port stanchion via a sea dog rail mount fender cleat. http://www.sea-dog.com/groups/1747-rail-mount-loop-cleat-fender-cleat
I don't like drilling when I don't have to so had been looking for a rail mounted cam cleat for this type of application. I stumbled across this guy's blog which is how I found out about the sea do rail mount fender cleat and this method for setting up a tiller lock: http://stingysailor.com/tag/tiller-tamer/
This cleat only accommodates a line up to 1/4 inch so that should work for the tiller clutch which uses 3/16" line, but not the CAnsail which calls for minimum 5/16" line.
Thanks for sharing about the Sea Dog rail mount cleat. I have had an inefficient way to deal with the line end, so could use something like this.
Regarding tying the bungee, as mentioned above, I might give it a try if I use the make my own method. Do you burn the ends of the cut bungee?
Yep, fuse the ends or do a whip.
My Sun Cat came with the tiller lock.
(http://i1318.photobucket.com/albums/t652/Cobalt357/8DA0FA33-810C-42B1-B698-C89AAA58C71F_zpsj8fkkf8b.jpg) (http://s1318.photobucket.com/user/Cobalt357/media/8DA0FA33-810C-42B1-B698-C89AAA58C71F_zpsj8fkkf8b.jpg.html)
When I first saw it,i was excited to use it. It seemed like it would work really well. Adjustable, simple, line is easy to remove, etc.
However,i really did not like it. It made noise when not engaged. It was hard to get the right line tension. It did get in the way of sitting along the transom.
So I went back to even more simple.
(http://i1318.photobucket.com/albums/t652/Cobalt357/999BE7E5-5362-49AF-8BCD-4EE650D462E4_zpsqjwrhl16.jpg) (http://s1318.photobucket.com/user/Cobalt357/media/999BE7E5-5362-49AF-8BCD-4EE650D462E4_zpsqjwrhl16.jpg.html)
I love this set up. Easy to use. Hold s the tiller where'd you set it but easy to change steering angle with a push. If you really want to lock it in place.
(http://i1318.photobucket.com/albums/t652/Cobalt357/DE52189C-F698-4490-B14E-671571950150_zpsl6bykibm.jpg) (http://s1318.photobucket.com/user/Cobalt357/media/DE52189C-F698-4490-B14E-671571950150_zpsl6bykibm.jpg.html)
I use a telescoping stick.
A snap-in pin and socket at the tiller.
And a socket for a ball at the end of the telescoping stick.
I have a socket in each cockpit combing.
skip.
I found a long enough bungee in a box I was emptying out, and it's going to work fine. I will still have the tiller clutch, but the bungee is a great flexible use item for the tiller.