Any ideas about tillers

[miata]

I have made 2 out of white oak but they are ugaley. I have found them for over $100.00, but I want to find a used one or a better price on a new one.
Miata

[crbakdesign]

( PS. These posts probably should be located somewhere else in the Forum.  Sorry. )

Among other ideas, you can buy a 4 x 8 sheet of 1/4" oak plywood, stout sandpaper, (rough and finish grit), wood glue and spar varnish.
1.  cut about eight strips of the ply   1 1/2" wide x 48" long.  This will work for a  Com-Pac 16 tiller which is 1 1/2 " wide by 2 deep
2. Take a flat 1 x 6" pine or something similar and draw the curving  "S" arch of a tiller with a pencil along the board which will be your bonding fixture.
3. Pound in a series of 16 p nails along the line, with 4 upright 1 x 2  x 4" lg wood blocks evenly spaced 6" from each end  also along the pencil line.
4. Lay a sheet of wax paper over the heads of the nails covering the area you will build the tiller.
5. Pour wood glue liberally over the first strip and bond to the second. Then add a third strip.  While the glue is wet, turn the strips up and using a C clamp at each block ease the wood back to the pencil line. You will begin to see the shape of your tiller.  
6. After the first strips set, add 3 - 4 more and let them dry.  When all of the strips have dried in the  bonding fixture lift the handle out, and remove the wax paper with a mat knife,
6.  Sand the handle to suit your taste, and then stain and varnish as you wish.  (Be sure to round the inboard end well.)
7.  Remove the broom handle from the top of the rudder, fit your handle in and using the plates drill two 3/8" holes to match.
8.  Insert the bolts, tighten nuts and Arrrgh!  Sail the Bonnie Sea, Arrgh!. :lol:

[CaptK]

Good idea, Clemens. I'll stick them down into the Boat and Hardware section.

[Bruce Woods]

I know, sounds silly; however, there was a guy on another forum who got a handle from the replacement handle rack. It was curved for use with some kind of implement, and it made him a great tiller for cheap. I got a handle and made a tiller extention from it.

[Craig Weis]

It is not clear, however if a tiller of the type that came with the boat is still around I'd sand the bugger down to smooth and clean wood.
The shape and bolt holes are all correct [if it is the orginal], and ought to be brought back from the dead.
A lot of boat places and marinas have a few 'dead' sailboats rotting awway so why not pick through the garbage. I have a ton of teak from doing this. skip.

[Craig]

It seems to me that I saw somewhere that an owner reported the Catalina 22 tiller is identical or real close to the CP-16. Perhaps you could find a tiller on a Catalina owners site.

Craig

[jgalaxie]

got my new tiller from hutchins.  it was very cool, i emailed them and none other than one of the hutchins themeslves.  he gave me many answers i was looking for.  the new tiller was $68 and came unfinished, but he told me how to finish it if i wanted to.  he said you really don't have to if you don't want. anyway...  try them, they are great

[mikew]

The $8 tiller
Miata, My 1983 cp-16 tiller started to rot so to finish up the season I made a temporary tiller. On a trip to Lowes in the garden section I found replacement handles for post hole diggers. These are clear ash sealed with a clear finish. They are half square then turned round, about 4 ' long. The only size that would work was slightly smaller in thickness then the factory
tiller. I drilled two holes to match the rudder side brackets, and used one size smaller stainless hardware. (1/4 "dia.) I needed a few flat washers
to make up the thickness, and a metal shim where the tiller hits the rudder
head.  Anyway this "temporary" tiller is now 3 years on the boat and works just fine.   Mike