CD 25 Tiller, Last Sail of the year, and lessons learned

[Sea Owl]

Saturday I had a great sail in Raritan Bay, with all expectations of making another one with any luck next week....but all does not occur as we expect it too!

This was my first full season as a boat owner. Many lessons learned, and lessons taught to me by others driven home!

After I had rounded the West Bank and Rhomer Shoals lights, and gotten back to Sandy Hook Bay, I stopped by my friend Jack (Pelican Moon, CD 30) at Atlantic Highlands. On the way back to my dock in Monmouth Beach, about 1/2 a mile south of the Atlantic Highlands Marina, I relearned that a grounded boat does not move well ( I was motoring and drifted about 2 feet too far to a southern shore in a northerly breeze - been by there many times, previously but....). I waved down a passing power boat, who was kind enough to help me to deep water. As we are getting free, the tiller on Sea Owl broke off at the mounting tong, leaving me holding a piece in my hand, and looking at the 8" or so stub.

I mention this tale so that a) All you old sailors can laugh and reminisce about YOUR bad days as I will someday in the future, and b) warn fellow CD25 owners. The tiller on my boat, like everything else on it, was, I believe, 31 years old. I did NOT do a close examination of it prior to the season starting, and was very grateful that it broke when it did, and not earlier in the middle of a close reach in 15 knot winds! That would have truly been exciting!

If you own a CD25 or CD25D, or any other tiller boat, I hope you will do what I didn't do and look at it carefully at least once a season. Post mortem checking of mine revealed it had been partially cracked for some time, and I had just been lucky it didn't go earlier. Most more experienced sailors with tillers probably do it...I didn't and got the fun of dealing with it.

I was able to use my scouter skills to lash the big piece to the stub and get home with it - you would not believe how much effort it takes to move the rudder if you try to do it by just holding on to the mounting tong! Try it sometime! It can be done, but is not fun, especially if you are looking at maneuvering through a drawbridge passage!

Needless to say, I am done for the season, as I will replace the tiller, get a SPARE, and go on to await the next lesson.....

.....but gosh the weather here in Sandy Hook/Raritan bay has been great for sailing, as I see it was in Long Island! It will be long winter waiting for Spring Launching, with (I hope) successful completion of some other needed projects on Sea Owl, and a lot of time remembering the great sails this year.

For those who are still sailing this year - fair winds and happy faces!

[tartansailor]

Broken tillers reported on the board are occurring with disturbing frequency.
My present tiller consists of 4 strips of laminated teak.
Now we all know that real teak - Tectona grandis - is comparable in strength to our own white oak, but the plantation stuff used on my CD floats and is no where as strong or as shock resistant. Additionally the thickness and height dimensions of my CD-25 tiller are a quarter inch smaller than replacement tillers sold by the big chain stores.
I am getting a heftier tiller and fitting a spare yoke by inlay.

Dick

[ronkberg]

My Typhoon tiller broke and I am going to customize a larger, thicker one that I purchased locally. I used Gorilla glue and wrapped the original tiller to make it usable for the last few sails. Now I am hauled and have a new project for the winter.

Ron

[Steve Laume]

After a lifetime of woodworking I feel pretty qualified to turn out a decent tiller. It seems like there may be a part time business opportunity here. I have thought about making up some Typhoon tillers in the past. It looks like there might also be some call for CD-25 tillers as well. They could probably be made fairly reasonably if I made some fixtures and produced them in batches. Does this seem worth pursuing or are there commercial options available that make sense? I also wonder if there would be a way to strengthen up the area near the tangs that always seems to be the break point. Like I need another winter project, Steve.

[Clay Stalker]

A broken tiller on Yankee Lady cost me about 3 weeks of sailing this summer.....and yes, Steve, there are some nice commercial ones available for around $55....but a custom made one costs around $250-300. so there might be an opportunity. I was able to find a commercial one that fit Yankee Lady pretty well with some fine-tuning for $55. so was okay. I always carry a large package of plastic cable ties of all sizes, and three of these was sufficient to lash the broken tiller to the base to get home.....cable ties are to sailors like duct tape is to.....well, everybody!!

[Sea Owl]

Steve;

Hmm...if you decide to make some, think about leaving them unfinished...save you work, and the new owner could finish in their own favorite style....

...let me know if decide to take this up please!

[ronkberg]

My new tiller is "H&L Marine Woodwork, Inc" and the retailer said that they are not going to supply anymore. Not sure if that is true, but mine is light weight laminated w/o any finish and cost $55. I would have preferred one made for my Typhoon but will cut and route this one to fit the rudder attachment piece. Not much profit with that price but if you were to make them just for your CD friends, then I'd be one of your first customers

Ron

[Sea Owl]

Hmm....

The marina owner where I keep Sea Owl recommended H&L Marine to me today, and I was going to call them on Monday. Are they not doing tillers at all, or just one brand?

Not impressed with West Marine Offerings.....

Will let the board know what I hear when I call.

[tartansailor]

My tiller:
Curved length 37&1/2"
Chord height 2&3/4"
Base 1&1/4" square
Squared portion 7&1/4" (from there to the lip at the end the corners are rounded)
Taper starts 10" from the hand end.
Tapers to 1" high X 1&1/8" wide to the lip.

I prefer 3 strips of ash, and 2 strips of oak.
A height of 1&1/2" to 1&3/4" would be preferable.

Epoxy adhesive.
Finish: none

Please bmail me a quote if you decide to get into cranking out tillers.

Cheers,

Dick

[blackwatch]

My recently purchased CD 27 came without a tiller. The boat was previously converted to pedastal steering, but I plan to return to tiller steering. I'm trying to find a replacement which would be a close match to the original. Or, based on this discussion, should I opt for something beefier? Any thoughts?

Scott

[ronkberg]

Russ, in answer to your question "Are they not doing tillers at all, or just one brand?"

The Mass retailer I bought mine from last month said H&L was not going to manufacture tiller handles anymore. Now if that was a sales trick to get me to buy.....then she won! Let us all know if that was a correct statement or are they still going to be a supplier.

Once I have modified my new tiller to fit my Typhoon, then my old one will be available for anyone in the CD family that wants to go into the tiller manufacturing business.

Ron

[Sea Owl]

All;

Sorry for delay, but wanted to get my tiller ordered so I could give a better report.

First, H&L Marine is alive and well, and still doing tillers. Current phone number is (323) 636-1718.

Spoke to a nice lady who faxed me a two page "tiller catalog". I then was able to order my new tiller.

Based on my old one, my measurements were Style E, a length of 38", a curve height of 2.5 inches, and a height and width of 1.25 inches square. She told me it would have to be a 'custom' tiller. I cringed, as I expected the price to ballon.

The basic tiller came to $45.75. I thought that very reasonable. Tiller is laminated strips of 1/4 inch mahogany and ash, which seems to be the vogue on all tillers I saw online. I opted to have them finish the tiller, which means they put 4 coats of H&L marine varnish on it for about $12. Shipping to NJ is going to run about $20. Total cost to me, delivered, will thus be about $77.50 with shipping. They will fax/call me with the exact amount about a week before it is done so I can mail them a check. Payment options with them are check or COD, no credit cards.

"standard" tillers are available for a lot of boats, but no Cape Dorys.

If you would like me to email you the 'tiller catalog', I will scan it and send it to you - just send me a pm with your email address.

Or, you can call H&L and they will happily fax you your own copy!

Hope this helps!

Now, if anyone knows the best way to get the pins out of the brass H shaped tong to get the old tiller piece out, please post it or send me a pm!

Thanks to all, and fair winds!

[Roy J.]

They are bolts that screw into the drilled and tapped other tang of the rudder post fitting. Use a little wd-40 if they aren't easily removed, but defintiely don't try to bang them out -- they are screwed in!

[Sea Owl]

Ooooo.....bolts! There are a couple layers of varnish over the pins, and I couldn't see that. Thank you!

With luck, I will get them out ok and be able to reuse them, preserving the 'flat' no snag exterior.....

....just can't use my usual dainty technique of getting a bigger hammer......

[chase]

I sawed a stick of Ash lumber off the farm for my old tillered boat. It was easy to pattern the old one and jig saw, shape and sand it down. A very easy woodworking project and a $3 bill in materials.

While a tillered boat may not have room for a backup wheel, surely there is room for a backup tiller.

Best,

Chase