Tiller-to-motor steering link...

[kchunk]

I had a request for more details regarding how I linked my tiller to my outboard and finally got around to the boatyard to get some pictures.

For me, linking the motor wasn't a question of convenience. You see, the day I bought my boat, never owning an outboard motor in my life, I was trying to figure out how this thing worked. The motor didn't have a tiller handle. So I figured I'd just lock the motor in a relatively straight position. Finding the locking bolt or friction bolt, I proceeded to tighten it down and broke the casting it was threaded in to. So now what? At first I used a piece of line and a bungee, but recently replaced that monkey motion with a better solution, a motor link steering kit. It's designed mainly for fishing boats, where a kicker or trolling motor can be linked to a boat's main o/b motor and steered from the helm while trolling, but it works great for linking a sailboat o/b to a tiller.



http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00199CIE2
This is the unit that I bought for about $40 from Amazon.com. It can be had at West Marine for a about 2X more dollars (of course).

The link is a straight stainless threaded rod that can be bent as needed and cut to length. The end fittings are threaded on the rod. The fitting is basically a socket designed to engage a ball (included with the kit) and a spring loaded collar to positively lock the ball in place.






Here is the ball as I mounted it to my tiller. The stainless angle I mounted it to was included in the kit. It was originally straight but I bent it and secured it under the tiller through bolt.






Here is the other ball mounted on the outboard. The bracket I mounted it on was already on the motor, I just had to reorient it a bit and drill a larger hole to accept the ball.






Finally, the link installed. You can see I put two bends in the link to accommodate the relative height difference of the balls.Unfortunately when I took the picture, I didn't have the outboard bracket all the way down, but the bends are necessary for the link to clear the transom. The picture above shows the tiller and outboard to port.




Tiller and outboard to starboard.

All in all, once you figure out the geometry, the link works great. Before you bend up the link, remember that the end fittings must engage the balls at roughly a horizontal orientation and the link must be bent allowing enough clearance from the transom with the tiller moved full throw both way. Once you have it all set up, the link is easily installed and removed in just a few seconds. However, be warned...every time I go to install or remove it, I can feel the the gentle tug of Davy Jones' locker. I'll drop this thing one day and man, will I be pissed!

Also, and this is a common complaint about the steering link from the fishing guys, the link rattles a lot. It's a bit noisy.

--Greg

[newt]

Nice writeup Greg. Good tutorial.

[nies]

I CANT THANK YOU ENOUGH, I WAS THE ONE ASKING FOR THE HELP. MY PROBLEM WAS NOT LOCATING THE POINT OF THE CONNECTOR ROD FORWARD ON TILLER, INSTEAD I KEPT TRYING TO FIND A POINT ON THE RUDDER ITSELF, THUS THE RADIUS WAS WRONG AND WOULDNT WORK. A PICTURE IS REALLY WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS. AS NEWT SAID THIS A GREAT TUTORIAL, I HAVE SAME MOTOR LINK STEERING KIT.AGAIN THANKS GREG FOR ALL THE TROUBLE AND I OWE YOU A BIG ONE.......PHIL NIES

[kchunk]

Hi Phil. I hope it does help. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask, either here or you have my email.

--Greg

[Steve Ullrich]

I have one Greg: Do you have to disengage the linkage when under sail?  Can you pull the motor up out of the water and tilt it without taking it apart?

Thanks...

Hi Phil. I hope it does help. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask, either here or you have my email.

--Greg

[kchunk]

Hi Steve. The way I have mine set up, I have to disconnect the link if I want to raise the outboard completely out of the water. It's not hard to do. Just reach back, slide the spring loaded colars back and lift if from the ball fittings. Takes 2 seconds. However, in my case I have nothing holding the motor from flopping from side to side on each tack (remember, my friction bolt that holds the outboard from turning is busted). I used to go through all the trouble, but now, I just leave the link installed. Yeah, the prop is extra drag in the water, but who cares. I only take it out when I'm at the dock so I can leave the outboard up all the way out of the water.

--Greg

[Steve Ullrich]

Thanks Greg...  Sounds easy to disconnect.  I think I'll look into buying one.  It is a pain in the butt to try and turn sharp around the docks and ramps as it is now.

Steve

Hi Steve. The way I have mine set up, I have to disconnect the link if I want to raise the outboard completely out of the water. It's not hard to do. Just reach back, slide the spring loaded colars back and lift if from the ball fittings. Takes 2 seconds. However, in my case I have nothing holding the motor from flopping from side to side on each tack (remember, my friction bolt that holds the outboard from turning is busted). I used to go through all the trouble, but now, I just leave the link installed. Yeah, the prop is extra drag in the water, but who cares. I only take it out when I'm at the dock so I can leave the outboard up all the way out of the water.

--Greg

[Craig Weis]

I don't think I want my motor to be tied to anything. Never tried it though. Might be way off base. Things could get in the way? I just lock her in 'go a head push' and pilot with the tiller. Occasionally motor and tiller maneuvering is required to turn 180 or 360 in it's own length from a dead stop. [That's the key'. Dead stop].

Do I need it? It's just more weight astern, just where I don't want it pushing the stern further into the water and slowing things down.. If I did build a linkage I'd be obliged to use Q/D Heim Joints.

What would be nice is a Fwd-N-Back gear selector on top of the motor cover, instead of down where I can't reach it very well. Kind of a 'ONE ON THE TREE', snicker snicker.
skip.

[nies]

kchunk, JUST FINISHED THE LINK FROM MY TILLER TO MY MOTOR. HAD TO MAKE A FEW MODIFICATIONS, BUT COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOUR HELP....THATS THE GOOD NEWS........THE BAD NEWS IS THAT IN NORTHERN  WISCONSIN THE SAILING SEASON FOR ME IS OVER TILL SPRING ..... CALLING FOR SNOW IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS, SO WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY TRY IT OUT TILL SPRING.......THANKS AGAIN NIES.....P.S. AS SOON AS MY TWELVE YEAR OLD GRANDDAUGHTER SHOWS UP TO SHOW PAPA HOW TO POST PICTURES, ILL POST.

[Steve Ullrich]

My linkage arrived but it has been nasty out and it doesn't look like I'll get it installed intil Spring.  Snow in the forcaste for this weekend.  Sailing season may be done and gone for this year...

Hi Steve. The way I have mine set up, I have to disconnect the link if I want to raise the outboard completely out of the water. It's not hard to do. Just reach back, slide the spring loaded colars back and lift if from the ball fittings. Takes 2 seconds. However, in my case I have nothing holding the motor from flopping from side to side on each tack (remember, my friction bolt that holds the outboard from turning is busted). I used to go through all the trouble, but now, I just leave the link installed. Yeah, the prop is extra drag in the water, but who cares. I only take it out when I'm at the dock so I can leave the outboard up all the way out of the water.

--Greg

[kchunk]

Sorry to hear about your impending winter. Here in Daytona, we had a short bout with an early winter last week. Went down to 58 degrees one night! But we're right back to our unseasonable temps on the other side of the scale. Tomorrow's forecast is for mid 90's. On the evening news, they were even talking about possibly the highest temps ever recorded in October...95 degrees.

Ha! So much for them liberal kooks and their "global warming"...Oh! ...uh...nevermind.

[nies]

GREG, I HOPE YOU DONT BECOME OVERCOME WITH HAVE HEAT EXHAUSTION, BUT WOULD SERVE YOU RIGHT,LOL.....STEVE AND I ARE CURRENTLY LOOKING FOR A NEW FORUM , FOR THE WINTER,  DEALING WITH ICE BOATING. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SOUTHERN HILLBILLY AND A NORTHERN HILLBILLY IS THAT WE WEAR MORE CLOTHES UP HERE......OLD JOKE.....CURRENTLY WORKING ON A SAIL PLAN FOR MY SNOW BLOWER AND FOR THE UNEDUCATED THERE IS A LEEWARD SIDE TO A SNOW BLOWER, MOUNTING MY WIND INDICATOR THIS MORNING. HAVE A HOT AND HAPPY DAY........PHIL

[Steve Ullrich]

I've never given ice boats a try... I've heard they are fast and furious though.  Might be a hoot if you can avoid freezing your butt off. I'm not going to put a rig on the snow blower though... I've been blown down the driveway as it is and there just isn't any way to tack before the highway.  Once in a while we have someone get hit by a snow plow when they slip or get blown in front of one.  Had a guy in our neighborhood found with the side of his head frozen to the road one morning.  Had been partying hard and walked home.  Passed out and froze to the road.  Not pretty.   I guess we're off topic... Sorry for that.

Anyhow, looking forward to Spring when I can rig up my new tiller to motor steering linkage...

GREG, I HOPE YOU DONT BECOME OVERCOME WITH HAVE HEAT EXHAUSTION, BUT WOULD SERVE YOU RIGHT,LOL.....STEVE AND I ARE CURRENTLY LOOKING FOR A NEW FORUM , FOR THE WINTER,  DEALING WITH ICE BOATING. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SOUTHERN HILLBILLY AND A NORTHERN HILLBILLY IS THAT WE WEAR MORE CLOTHES UP HERE......OLD JOKE.....CURRENTLY WORKING ON A SAIL PLAN FOR MY SNOW BLOWER AND FOR THE UNEDUCATED THERE IS A LEEWARD SIDE TO A SNOW BLOWER, MOUNTING MY WIND INDICATOR THIS MORNING. HAVE A HOT AND HAPPY DAY........PHIL

[Salty19]

Well after looking over my new-to-me CP19 with stern rail seats, it has occured to me that perhaps the tiller to OB link might be needed for reliably manuevering at the marina.

And I think a nice shifter extension is in order.

The Plan:  

Shifter Extension:  Use an 18" wood flagpole (they were on clearance for $1.50 at Defender marine last time I looked) as the shift arm. Use a small wood screw to machined screw adapter, and a female ended heim joint with a quick disconnect.  Screw in wood part of the adapter to the bottom of flagpole.  Screw in machined end to female end of all ball joint.  Bolt on ball joint to shifter arm.

Ball joint like this one:   http://www.midwestcontrol.com/catdisplay_short.php?pg=123

Done.

For the tiller link, 1/4 SS rod bent properly and covered with silicone hose.  Use QD ball joints again at both ends. Attach to motor similar to the shifter (threaded end of ball joint into hole with secure nut). Tiller end, install threaded wood inserts with 1/4 interior diameter.

I priced it all out..should be under $25 since I already have the $1.50 pole and the $5 piece of SS 1/4 rod.