Broken tillers

[jcatkeson]

Short sea  story: two months ago, a friend and I set  sail in a 20+ wind. Wind rose higher and we nearly broached twice. Putting helm down put a heavy load on the tiller. Better judgement sent us back to the slip. I spent time getting a knee replacement and did not get back to the boat foe two months. I discovered the tiller laying in the cockpit, no longer connected to the rudder post. The rudder was out of the water. Examination of the tiller revealed it had rotted. The tiller had been belayed by a rope from it to a cleat.  What apparently happened was that either the rocking of the boat or wave striking the rudder had put just enough load on the secured tiller as to cause the rotted section to give way. Had that tiller broken while we were out in the heavy wind I might not be writing this. Another C23 owner at the club said his tiller had rotted but he discovered it before it could cause trouble.
If there is a moral in this it is that one should regularly check the tiller where it joins the rudder head. What was left of the tiller delaminated over the next few days.

[BruceW]

Also good to have a spare! I took my weatherbeaten real tiller off to epoxy, etc. I used the wheelbarrow handle replacement type tiller I showed you. I may get around to putting the actual tiller on this weekend, because it has the tiller lock on it.

I assume your boat did fine in Arthur? I pulled mine, and although I have some adjustments to make, the re-built trailer did the job, and my boat was even dry inside when I went to launch it on Saturday after the water level was back to high from it's previous low post Arthur state.