TillerMaster?

Discussions about Cape Dory, Intrepid and Robinhood sailboats and how we use them. Got questions? Have answers? Provide them here.

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oyster
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Location: Nor'Sea 27 "Galena", formerly CD31 "SeaMyth"
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TillerMaster?

Post by oyster »

Anyone know if TillerMaster is still in business? I've got an OLD unit that despite my best trouble shooting only wants to turn to port. I'm guessing the circuit board is messed up but that would be a question for the factory. The only number I've found for them seems to be out of service. Anyone else dealt with TillerMaster?

Bill O.
Neil Gordon
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Re: TillerMaster?

Post by Neil Gordon »

http://www.tillermaster.com gets you to someone who claims to repair them. There's an address you can email to.
Fair winds, Neil

s/v LIQUIDITY
Cape Dory 28 #167
Boston, MA

CDSOA member #698
oyster
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Post by oyster »

Thanks Neil,

I did not find that in my search, strange little site / page. I've e-mailed them, we'll see what they say. I guess it's no big loss if it ends up on the black market in Borneo, we'll see what they say.

Bill O.
Oswego John
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Location: '66 Typhoon "Grace", Hull # 42, Schooner "Ontario", CD 85D Hull #1

TillerMaster

Post by Oswego John »

Bill,

I've not worked on TillerMaster per se, but I have seen units having circuit boards that act up in strange ways or do nothing at all.

Before you go ripping things apart and buying hit and miss components, hoping something will work, I have a suggestion.

If you don't already have one, go to Radio Shack and buy a cheap pencil type, electric soldering iron. (should be under $10.00). I know the one that WalMart sells comes with a small coil of rosin core solder.

Unplug, or otherwise isolate the circuitboard and apply heat on all the solder joints until you see the dot of solder melt and get shiny. You don't have to add any solder, too much might overflow and short something out.

What happens is that sometimes circuit board solder joints suffer stress cracks or cold solder joints and open up the circuit passing through that joint. A trained eye, using a magnifying glass can most times detect these open joints (not all the time). When you apply heat, you reestablish the contact and complete the circuit.

One of the dirty secrets of some commercial and home heating contractors is to trouble shoot a high efficiency burner and sell the owner a new circuit board for upwards of $200.00. They then take the old board to the shop and redo the solder joints and resell the same board to the next unsuspecting customer.

If this doesn't fix the problem, not much was lost and you now have that soldering iron you always told yourself that you would get someday.

Good hunting
Think spring,
O J
oyster
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Post by oyster »

Excellent suggestion with the added bonus of a new tool purchase!

Thanks O.J.!
gkempin
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Joined: Oct 14th, '05, 07:45
Location: Flicka 20 (1981) "Catherine" Rye, NY
Sloop rigged, BMW D7 diesel

Tillermaster

Post by gkempin »

I have an old working Tillermaster that came with my Flicka. I would be willing to part with it if you can use it. I sent you an email so that you can give me your shipping address.

Gunther
Dalton
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Location: RH36, Colleen Marie, Atlantic Highlands NJ

Moonlight Marine

Post by Dalton »

I had one go bad on my previous boat, an Alberg 35.
I found a company in southern california called Moonlight Marine.

Moonlight Marine 776 W 17th St Costa Mesa CA 92627 949-645-0130. He did indeed repair it and it worked for years after.

I believe the fellow was an ex employee of Tillermaster.

Greg Dalton
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Cathy Monaghan
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Post by Cathy Monaghan »

Have you installed anything new or are you storing anything near the fluxgate compass that might interfere with it?

A pair of vise-grips sent Realization turning in circles, also to port, on the Hudson River a few years back. As soon as we got them away from the compass, she steered true.


Cathy
CD32 Realization, #3
Rahway, NJ
Raritan Bay
oyster
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Post by oyster »

Hmmm... I'll have to check on that one, although I've done a lot of moving stuff around and still just the same old one way ride. Thanks for all the great tips everyone.

Bill
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