experience with a tiller stay

[Craig Taylor]

I have just purchased a Typhoon. I will be lake sailing and mostly sailing single-handed. I am considering a Tiller Stay or similar device to lash the tiller and give me the time and ability to work with sheets, etc. Can anyone comment on his or her experience with such a device. Thanks.
Craig




cnspsych@aol.com

[Mike Wainfeld]

I use a Tiller-Stay on my Ty and it works very well. You can see a photo of my original installation on www.tillerstay.com. This installation had two problems, however. The PVC tubes covering the springs caught up on the cockpit seat edges, and the cleat on the tiller was angled so that the knotted lines would pop out. I discussed these problems with Robin Tiesler, who owns the company, and he sent me two conical PVC pieces for the tubes, and a shim for the cleat. Now it works perfectly. Very helpfull while heaving-to, raising sail, etc.

Mike
CD Typhoon "Regalo"



ripcord1@erols.com

[Ken Cave]

Bite the bullet and go with an Autohelm 1000. You will find that it will even be better than most crew members that like to tag along as you do not have to feed them or ply them with beer! No porta pottie problems-no problems with weather (except when going down wind in 15 plus knot winds-"Max" doesn't like that) and they don't need naps!!

The Autohelm just grunts happily like a little pig when it is on-and it has a lot of controls to make you happy, especially in racing!!

Try pyacht.com (Performance Yachts) They seem to have the best price on the unit.

Ken Cave
Dragon Tale



bcave@whidbey.net

[Craig]

I use a Tiller-Stay on my Ty and it works very well. You can see a photo of my original installation on www.tillerstay.com. This installation had two problems, however. The PVC tubes covering the springs caught up on the cockpit seat edges, and the cleat on the tiller was angled so that the knotted lines would pop out. I discussed these problems with Robin Tiesler, who owns the company, and he sent me two conical PVC pieces for the tubes, and a shim for the cleat. Now it works perfectly. Very helpfull while heaving-to, raising sail, etc.

Mike
CD Typhoon "Regalo"

Mike, thanks for the info. Does the tiller stay now come with the conical PVC pieces and shim, or will I need to ask for these specifically.
Craig



cnspsych@aol.com

[Bob Luby]

I tried it and liked it. and next year I'm going to set it up again.

It has a great advantage for a single hander. When it is engaged, it is holding the tiller in place by friction. This means that if you suddenly have to change course, you can do so by lunging at the tiller with **one motion**. You do not **have to** first have to fiddle with something first to disengage it, and only then change course. This is a trade off, though. If weather helm increaases as the wind picks up, it can overcome the friction. This requires you to tighten the spring.

Hope this helps.



Rluby@aol.com

[chris mullins]

craig, on my cd25 i use two peices of line,one port,one stbd,each with a little spliced eye that just fits over the tiller and led to a fairlead on the coaming then fwd to a cleat.i have a turks head on the tiller and the fairleads slightly aft.once they're both adjusted,i slip either one on or off as needed.they're pretty quick,and they sure are cheap. chris



douglas_rock@hotmail.com

[Neil Gordon]

>>When it is engaged, it is holding the tiller in place by friction. This means that if you suddenly have to change course, you can do so by lunging at the tiller with **one motion**.<<

I use a line that goes from the tiller to a cleat on the port or stbd coaming. Is no more difficult to disengage than to throw off a genoa sheet or to disengage an autopilot. I don't know that I've ever had an emergency that required absolute instant "lunging" to change course.

>>This is a trade off, though.<<

Yup... short pieces of line don't cost anything, and they can be easily replaced if lost, damaged, dirty, color preference changes, etc.

>>If weather helm increaases as the wind picks up, it can overcome the friction.<<

I've never seen weather helm that would snap 1/4" line.


Regards, Neil
s/v LIQUIDITY
Cape Dory 28 #167



neil@nrgordon.com