Emergency Tiller for CD30

[Bill Gold, Seraphim]

I'd like to equip Seraphim with an emergency tiller before heading out over the Columbia River bar and up to Puget Sound this summer. She has the Edson steering with the small destroyer wheel.

I've looked inside the wooden steering box and underneath from the lazarette. All looks well, but.....

I'd appreciate any advice from those of you who have added an emergency tiller.

Bill Gold
CD30 Seraphim



billgold@hotmail.com

[D. Stump, Hanalei]

Bill,
Hanalei has an emergency tiller, but it may be different than what you are looking for. Hanalei is a CD-30, 1984, hull 364. It has Edson pedestal steering with a bronze deck plate just aft of the pedestal for the emergency tiller. The tiller itself is about 1 1/2" steel pipe welded into an open "L" shape and it fits over the end of the rudder shaft and is keyed 1/4" to the shaft. She does not have a "wooden" steering box, and that's where you confuse me. My suggestion would be to call Edson directly and ask them. They maintain a historical file of the type of arrangement they have supplied for all vessels and I'm sure they would have yours if it were factory installed. If you want the measurements for the tiller I have, search this site for "emergency tiller". It should be there as I porvided the same information to someone else I think last year.

Dave Stump
Captain Commanding
s/v Hanalei, CD-30

[Andrew Blight]

I'd like to equip Seraphim with an emergency tiller before heading out over the Columbia River bar and up to Puget Sound this summer. She has the Edson steering with the small destroyer wheel.

I had this problem too, when I was heading briefly offshore last summer. I called Edson and found no help there. The worm gear steering mechanism is useful in some ways but it does cause problems with things like linkage to wind vanes and fitting emergency tillers. In the end I made up a gadget based on a piece of agricultural hardware that was drilled to fit the four big bolts where the top of the rudder shaft is attached to the worm gear mechanism and allowed attachment of a suitable piece of lumber to act as an emergency tiller. Not a thing of beauty, and not something that I look forward to testing out, but it is possible. Of course, in a real emergency you probably would not want to have the top of the steering box open in heavy seas, but I did not come up with a way of interfacing a tiller with the shaft and allowing the top to be put back on. I too would be interested in any more sophisticated solutions. I would also be interested in knowing how many of the old "destroyer wheel" versions of the CD 30 were made. Mine is hull #69.



ablight@acorda.coom

[Olli Wendelin]

Bill,

I have the same type of Edson worm gear steering on my CD30. This is still sold and shown in the Edson catalog, although there looks to have been a few minor design changes. I don't have one, but the emergency tiller is a round plate with four holes, with a tiller arm welded to it. To install it you must: a) remove the top of the wheelhouse. b) remove the wheel and wheel shaft. c) remove the rest of the wheelhouse d)remove the worm assembly.

This leaves the rudder shaft and coupling, where you bolt the emergency tiller.

Olli Wendelin
BLUE MOON
Charleston, SC




wendelin@spawar.navy.mil

[John]

Bill,
Hanalei has an emergency tiller, but it may be different than what you are looking for. Hanalei is a CD-30, 1984, hull 364. It has Edson pedestal steering with a bronze deck plate just aft of the pedestal for the emergency tiller. The tiller itself is about 1 1/2" steel pipe welded into an open "L" shape and it fits over the end of the rudder shaft and is keyed 1/4" to the shaft. She does not have a "wooden" steering box, and that's where you confuse me. My suggestion would be to call Edson directly and ask them. They maintain a historical file of the type of arrangement they have supplied for all vessels and I'm sure they would have yours if it were factory installed. If you want the measurements for the tiller I have, search this site for "emergency tiller". It should be there as I porvided the same information to someone else I think last year.

Dave Stump
Captain Commanding
s/v Hanalei, CD-30

CD30's had two different steering systems. The earlier hulls had the aft cockpit Edson worm gear steering systems utilizing the aft facing spoked wheel. Later versions had the Edson pedestal in the cockpit center utilizing cable steering and a stainless destroyer wheel. Maybe someone knows of the model year changeover. Personally I think it would be a very rare occassion that a worm gear steered boat would ever need a emergency tiller, however those who own them would know far better how vulnerable they are, which I think is minimal due to their stout construction and inherent design characteristics.

[Andrew Blight]

This is true, we probably worry unnecessarily about an emergency tiller on a boat with worm gear steering. It seems unlikely that anything would render the worm gear unusable that did not damage the more vulnerable looking rudder or the integrity of the hull first. These gears are the strongest piece of hardware on the boat. Even if one had the emergency tiller that is in the Edson catalog (but not actually available from the Edson warehouse!) it would not be a snap to dismantle the gear down inside the "spacious" tail of the boat, which would be necessary to attach the tiller to the rudder stock.

Andrew

John wrote:

Bill,
Hanalei has an emergency tiller, but it may be different than what you are looking for. Hanalei is a CD-30, 1984, hull 364. It has Edson pedestal steering with a bronze deck plate just aft of the pedestal for the emergency tiller. The tiller itself is about 1 1/2" steel pipe welded into an open "L" shape and it fits over the end of the rudder shaft and is keyed 1/4" to the shaft. She does not have a "wooden" steering box, and that's where you confuse me. My suggestion would be to call Edson directly and ask them. They maintain a historical file of the type of arrangement they have supplied for all vessels and I'm sure they would have yours if it were factory installed. If you want the measurements for the tiller I have, search this site for "emergency tiller". It should be there as I porvided the same information to someone else I think last year.

Dave Stump
Captain Commanding
s/v Hanalei, CD-30

CD30's had two different steering systems. The earlier hulls had the aft cockpit Edson worm gear steering systems utilizing the aft facing spoked wheel. Later versions had the Edson pedestal in the cockpit center utilizing cable steering and a stainless destroyer wheel. Maybe someone knows of the model year changeover. Personally I think it would be a very rare occassion that a worm gear steered boat would ever need a emergency tiller, however those who own them would know far better how vulnerable they are, which I think is minimal due to their stout construction and inherent design characteristics.

ablight@acorda.com

[Carl Jones]

I'd like to equip Seraphim with an emergency tiller before heading out over the Columbia River bar and up to Puget Sound this summer. She has the Edson steering with the small destroyer wheel.

I've looked inside the wooden steering box and underneath from the lazarette. All looks well, but.....

I'd appreciate any advice from those of you who have added an emergency tiller.

Bill Gold
CD30 Seraphim

Bill,
According to your description, it sounds like you have the Edson worm gear steering. As pointed out by others, this system is practically bullet proof, and also difficult to use with an autopilot or self-steering. If that is the type of steering you have, you might want to consider this approach.
I have an RVG steering vane, not mounted yet, but from another CD30. This design has its own rudder. There is no connection to the boat's steering system. This rudder can also be used in an emergency. It can also be used with any steering system since it works independently of the boats steering. When you are using it you lock the boats rudder amidships and let it steer the boat for you.
The RVG vane is not made any more, but there are similar types out there. A good source is ScanMar Marine. Hope this helps.
Fair Seas,
Carl Jones
CD30 "Spanish Eyes"



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