Bungee to tiller

[Martinhilldpo]

HI all. Its a slow day and I have been reading some old posts and have come across a couple of references to attaching a bungee to the tiller and the boom while hoisting the main. I would guess you would have to be under power for this to happen? I dont understand how bungeeing the tiller to the boom can hold a course when you are still putting up the main.

Does this work? I have been doing it with the tiller pilot or just plain stopped if its calm enough.

[Chrisa006]

I have never done it but my guess is if you are powering into the wind with the tiller lashed to the boom as the sail goes up and you fall off the wind the boom will move to leeward pulling the tiller. This will take you back to head to wind till you fall off the other side. If the mail sheet is very slacked you will be doing some large S turns. I will be interested to hear what someone who has done it says.

[tjr818]

It sounds like a great idea,but I could never get it to work. How do you hold the tiller down? We went with the tiller pilot instead.

[Skipd]

I've had good luck securing the tiller but usually only when there is some weather helm. There is a great book "Self Steering for the Sailing Craft" that gets into all the factors related to balancing the helm under different points of sail and sail combinations. I usually raise the main on the mooring or before pulling anchor when leaving port. And, as I sail solo most often , when coming back to port, if it's gusty or there's lots of traffic and I don't want a frenzied event, then I use the autopilot. Lazyjacks also help make things more manageable too.

[Martinhilldpo]

Is that yhe book by Peter Foerthman? I just bought it on kobo for $3.99. Thanks

[Skipd]

Self Steering for Sailing Craft is by John Letcher. The Forthmann book is excellent too, as is his Windpilot product.

[Neil Gordon]

Before I had the Tiller Pilot, or when I'm not using it, I just head into the wind, cut the power, go to the mast and raise the main. Weather helm is sufficient to turn the boat back into the wind as the head falls off. Just make sure you have sufficient room to avoid traffic and obstructions.

[Carl Thunberg]

I'm one of the lucky ones. My wife comes sailing with me almost every time. I just hand her the tiller, and I go forward to raise sail. I'm blessed in many ways.

[Neil Gordon]

I'm one of the lucky ones. My wife comes sailing with me almost every time.

Reminds me of the single-hander who pulled into the marina in Tahiti after months crossing the Pacific. As he met his neighbor in the next slip, he said, "I just spent two months alone, crossing the Pacific. The neighbor reported, "I just did the same trip, but I did it with my wife." After a silent moment or two, each said to the other, "Wow, you're really lucky!"

Just saying.

[mgphl52]

Reminds me of the single-hander who pulled into the marina in Tahiti after months crossing the Pacific. As he met his neighbor in the next slip, he said, "I just spent two months alone, crossing the Pacific. The neighbor reported, "I just did the same trip, but I did it with my wife." After a silent moment or two, each said to the other, "Wow, you're really lucky!"
Just saying.

LOL!!!

[Paul D.]

Femme has a wheel and now a slick hybrid half new autopilot. But on our old Typhoon I would lash the tiller and hoist the main. I usually kept a length of bungy cord for that and it worked fine but for short periods only of course.

[Martinhilldpo]

Did you bungee the tiller to the boom? I am still trying to picture how that works