I'm looking for a way to keep my CD 22D on a straight course for short periods while I am raising/lowering the sails, using the head, etc. Currently I tie the tiller to a jib sheet cleat, but the boat quickly veers one way or the other. This is more of a problem when under sail, but is also a problem when powering (under diesel).
I used to have a Marshall Marine 18-foot catboat. When I tied the tiller on her, I had no problems keeping her straight for fairly long periods of time. Perhaps it's because the catboat had a huge rudder.
Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Stephen
sailint@star.net
How To Keep Boat on Straight Course While Single-Handing
Moderator: Jim Walsh
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Darin Bartram
Re: Straight Course While Single-Handing
Have you considered an autopilot? I have one, and it makes a great sailing partner. Never complains about taking the helm when it is raining and I want to seek refuge under the dodger. They're somewhat expensive, but work far better than tying the tiller.
dbartram@hunton.com
Stephen wrote: I'm looking for a way to keep my CD 22D on a straight course for short periods while I am raising/lowering the sails, using the head, etc. Currently I tie the tiller to a jib sheet cleat, but the boat quickly veers one way or the other. This is more of a problem when under sail, but is also a problem when powering (under diesel).
I used to have a Marshall Marine 18-foot catboat. When I tied the tiller on her, I had no problems keeping her straight for fairly long periods of time. Perhaps it's because the catboat had a huge rudder.
Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Stephen
dbartram@hunton.com
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kevin aubuchon
Re: How To Keep Boat on Straight Course While Single-Handing
>>: I'm looking for a way to keep my CD 22D on a straight
I tie the tiller with shock cord to both jib cleats. This keeps it centered yet has a little give for the occasional big wave or puff. However I only do this for short periods of time. The autopilot is the way to go for a permanent solution. If I wasn't selling my boat, I would have bought one for this year.
I saw a picture of a clever installation for boats with a tiller. The autopilot was inside the cockpit locker, and there is a hole in the side of the locker for the pushrod to connect to the tiller. This left the cockpit seat uncluttered, and made the autopilot almost invisible.
Good Luck,
kevin aubuchon
kaubuchon@primary.net
I tie the tiller with shock cord to both jib cleats. This keeps it centered yet has a little give for the occasional big wave or puff. However I only do this for short periods of time. The autopilot is the way to go for a permanent solution. If I wasn't selling my boat, I would have bought one for this year.
I saw a picture of a clever installation for boats with a tiller. The autopilot was inside the cockpit locker, and there is a hole in the side of the locker for the pushrod to connect to the tiller. This left the cockpit seat uncluttered, and made the autopilot almost invisible.
Good Luck,
kevin aubuchon
kaubuchon@primary.net
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Tim Mickleburgh
Re: How To Keep Boat on Straight Course While Single-Handing
When I sailed an Alberg designed Ariel a few years ago I made tiller lines as follows: secure a line to the jib cleat that is about the width of the cockpit. Make a flat plywood cleat about 4-5 inches long with two holes which will pass the line snugly. The line goes through one hole, round the tiller, then back through the other hole where it ends with a stopper knot. It's the same principle as an old-style tent guy, and can be quickly adjusted without any tying of knots. For sailing you use one line from the windward side, holding the tiller slightly to weather. For motoring or when at anchor, use both to hold the tiller centered. Almost as good as an autopilot and considerably cheaper.
I haven't sailed the CD22, but I'm guessing some of your problems may be due to trim changes as you go forward. Because she's a small boat, your weight will put her bow down slightly which will increase her tendency to round up. On the Ariel (about the size of a CD25D) I got used to putting the tiller a tad too far too weather right before I went forward so that she would fly straight while I was on the foredeck. Of course when the jib is down you'll need to head aft again before she rounds up. You might also consider a simple downhaul on the jib: make a line fast at the head, bring it down through the sail hanks, through a block at the bow fitting and back to the mast along the foredeck. When you cast off the halyard you can haul the jib down smartly from the mast.
You have one of the best small boats ever designed.
dmickleb@psesd.org
I haven't sailed the CD22, but I'm guessing some of your problems may be due to trim changes as you go forward. Because she's a small boat, your weight will put her bow down slightly which will increase her tendency to round up. On the Ariel (about the size of a CD25D) I got used to putting the tiller a tad too far too weather right before I went forward so that she would fly straight while I was on the foredeck. Of course when the jib is down you'll need to head aft again before she rounds up. You might also consider a simple downhaul on the jib: make a line fast at the head, bring it down through the sail hanks, through a block at the bow fitting and back to the mast along the foredeck. When you cast off the halyard you can haul the jib down smartly from the mast.
You have one of the best small boats ever designed.
Stephen wrote: I'm looking for a way to keep my CD 22D on a straight course for short periods while I am raising/lowering the sails, using the head, etc. Currently I tie the tiller to a jib sheet cleat, but the boat quickly veers one way or the other. This is more of a problem when under sail, but is also a problem when powering (under diesel).
I used to have a Marshall Marine 18-foot catboat. When I tied the tiller on her, I had no problems keeping her straight for fairly long periods of time. Perhaps it's because the catboat had a huge rudder.
Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Stephen
dmickleb@psesd.org
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Bob B.
Re: How To Keep Boat on Straight Course While Single-Handing
Stephen,
I ran into the same problem this week. I tied a clove hitch around the tiller with the jib sheet. While up messing with the jib, I could just tug on one sheet or the other and keep the boat going where I wanted to. If there is a stiff breeze like this week's, 25kts in a CDTyphoon, I could just tie the windward side and pull as needed. It worked fairly well.
Good luck with it.
Bob
BundyR@aol.com
I ran into the same problem this week. I tied a clove hitch around the tiller with the jib sheet. While up messing with the jib, I could just tug on one sheet or the other and keep the boat going where I wanted to. If there is a stiff breeze like this week's, 25kts in a CDTyphoon, I could just tie the windward side and pull as needed. It worked fairly well.
Good luck with it.
Bob
Stephen wrote:
BundyR@aol.com
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denny
Re: How To Keep Boat on Straight Course While Single-Handing
John Letcher is the authority on self steering small sailing craft. He wrote a book several years back entitled "Self Steering for Small sailing Craft" in which he goes into great detail on how to set up and use many sheet to tiller arrangements. The book is excellent. I wish I had a copy; its out of print now. He mostly relied on sheet to tiller arrangements. They work,I use them alot but they do require practice. Good Luck.
Stephen wrote: I'm looking for a way to keep my CD 22D on a straight course for short periods while I am raising/lowering the sails, using the head, etc. Currently I tie the tiller to a jib sheet cleat, but the boat quickly veers one way or the other. This is more of a problem when under sail, but is also a problem when powering (under diesel).
I used to have a Marshall Marine 18-foot catboat. When I tied the tiller on her, I had no problems keeping her straight for fairly long periods of time. Perhaps it's because the catboat had a huge rudder.
Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Stephen
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Rhapsody
Re: How To Keep Boat on Straight Course While Single-Handing
You might also try a book by Lee Woas "Self-Steering without a vane" also out of print. It has the same info, but most of the photos in the book are Cape Dory's.
Bill
willie@clnk.com
Bill
denny wrote: John Letcher is the authority on self steering small sailing craft. He wrote a book several years back entitled "Self Steering for Small sailing Craft" in which he goes into great detail on how to set up and use many sheet to tiller arrangements. The book is excellent. I wish I had a copy; its out of print now. He mostly relied on sheet to tiller arrangements. They work,I use them alot but they do require practice. Good Luck.
Stephen wrote: I'm looking for a way to keep my CD 22D on a straight course for short periods while I am raising/lowering the sails, using the head, etc. Currently I tie the tiller to a jib sheet cleat, but the boat quickly veers one way or the other. This is more of a problem when under sail, but is also a problem when powering (under diesel).
I used to have a Marshall Marine 18-foot catboat. When I tied the tiller on her, I had no problems keeping her straight for fairly long periods of time. Perhaps it's because the catboat had a huge rudder.
Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Stephen
willie@clnk.com
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José Siquiera
Re: How To Keep Boat on Straight Course While Single-Handing
I also sail a CD 22 "Cutie Pie", I often make overnight trips and enjoy whatching the boat steer itself. Up wind and with good wind , over 10 knots, I can rig a sheet
to tiller system that works very well.First I trim the Jib and the mail so that I have very little weather helm , than I tie a small line from the main sheet through
a block that is tied on the top of the Jib cleat on the leeward side than tie it to the tiller , on the weather side I tie a spring line from the cleat to the tiller .The critical point is to adjust the pressure on the lines, the pressure will be hi and you can adjust it by making loops . It takes a feel minutes but once you see it steering itself it will stay on course for hours , you can walk around or do whatever and the boat will stay on course .
Under power, I use an Autopilot and it works great.
Good luck , try it because it is worth the effort when you see the lines moving and the boat steering itself.
See you ...José Augusto (Zé).
Siqueija@sterlingdi.com
to tiller system that works very well.First I trim the Jib and the mail so that I have very little weather helm , than I tie a small line from the main sheet through
a block that is tied on the top of the Jib cleat on the leeward side than tie it to the tiller , on the weather side I tie a spring line from the cleat to the tiller .The critical point is to adjust the pressure on the lines, the pressure will be hi and you can adjust it by making loops . It takes a feel minutes but once you see it steering itself it will stay on course for hours , you can walk around or do whatever and the boat will stay on course .
Under power, I use an Autopilot and it works great.
Good luck , try it because it is worth the effort when you see the lines moving and the boat steering itself.
See you ...José Augusto (Zé).
Stephen wrote: I'm looking for a way to keep my CD 22D on a straight course for short periods while I am raising/lowering the sails, using the head, etc. Currently I tie the tiller to a jib sheet cleat, but the boat quickly veers one way or the other. This is more of a problem when under sail, but is also a problem when powering (under diesel).
I used to have a Marshall Marine 18-foot catboat. When I tied the tiller on her, I had no problems keeping her straight for fairly long periods of time. Perhaps it's because the catboat had a huge rudder.
Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Stephen
Siqueija@sterlingdi.com
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José Siquiera
Re: How To Keep Boat on Straight Course While Single-Handing
I also sail a CD 22 "Cutie Pie", I often make overnight trips and enjoy whatching the boat steer itself. Up wind and with good wind , over 10 knots, I can rig a sheet
to tiller system that works very well.First I trim the Jib and the mail so that I have very little weather helm , than I tie a small line from the main sheet through
a block that is tied on the top of the Jib cleat on the leeward side than tie it to the tiller , on the weather side I tie a spring line from the cleat to the tiller .The critical point is to adjust the pressure on the lines, the pressure will be hi and you can adjust it by making loops . It takes a feel minutes but once you see it steering itself it will stay on course for hours , you can walk around or do whatever and the boat will stay on course .
Under power, I use an Autopilot and it works great.
Good luck , try it because it is worth the effort when you see the lines moving and the boat steering itself.
See you ...José Augusto (Zé).
Siqueija@sterlingdi.com
to tiller system that works very well.First I trim the Jib and the mail so that I have very little weather helm , than I tie a small line from the main sheet through
a block that is tied on the top of the Jib cleat on the leeward side than tie it to the tiller , on the weather side I tie a spring line from the cleat to the tiller .The critical point is to adjust the pressure on the lines, the pressure will be hi and you can adjust it by making loops . It takes a feel minutes but once you see it steering itself it will stay on course for hours , you can walk around or do whatever and the boat will stay on course .
Under power, I use an Autopilot and it works great.
Good luck , try it because it is worth the effort when you see the lines moving and the boat steering itself.
See you ...José Augusto (Zé).
Stephen wrote: I'm looking for a way to keep my CD 22D on a straight course for short periods while I am raising/lowering the sails, using the head, etc. Currently I tie the tiller to a jib sheet cleat, but the boat quickly veers one way or the other. This is more of a problem when under sail, but is also a problem when powering (under diesel).
I used to have a Marshall Marine 18-foot catboat. When I tied the tiller on her, I had no problems keeping her straight for fairly long periods of time. Perhaps it's because the catboat had a huge rudder.
Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Stephen
Siqueija@sterlingdi.com
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Al Levesque
Re: How To Keep Boat on Straight Course While Single-Handing
Rather than keeping a course for such as raising, lowering, or changing jib or visits to the head, I have often sheeted the main in tight and released the helm. The boat will gradually make its way upwind by tacking back and forth. Progress is slow enough to give time for many tasks. This has worked on our Typhoon, CD25, and now our CD33. (We also sail from Salem and there is good space just outside the "23" marker for the stalling meneuver.)Stephen wrote: I'm looking for a way to keep my CD 22D on a straight course for short periods while I am raising/lowering the sails, using the head, etc.
Any suggestions?
Al
albert.levesque@internetMCI.com
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kevin aubuchon
Re: How To Keep Boat on Straight Course While Single-Handing
>> than I tie a small line from the main sheet through
>> a block that is tied on the top of the Jib cleat
Jose,
Your system sounds good. Could you explain a couple of items to me? Is the main sheet running free or secured in the main sheet block? If I understand correctly, when a puff hits, the main sail falls to leeward slightly, allowing the spring line to pull the tiller to windward, thereby turning the boat away from the wind, offsetting the weather helm.
Is the spring line shock cord? Thanks in advance.
kevin aubuchon
kaubuchon@primary.net
>> a block that is tied on the top of the Jib cleat
Jose,
Your system sounds good. Could you explain a couple of items to me? Is the main sheet running free or secured in the main sheet block? If I understand correctly, when a puff hits, the main sail falls to leeward slightly, allowing the spring line to pull the tiller to windward, thereby turning the boat away from the wind, offsetting the weather helm.
Is the spring line shock cord? Thanks in advance.
kevin aubuchon
kaubuchon@primary.net
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José Siqueira
Re: How To Keep Boat on Straight Course While Single-Handing
Kevin,
The main sheet is secured on the block, you will use one of the 3 lines between the block and te boom bail, tie the small line to the center of one of the 3 and as you aplly pressure with the shock cord
the line between the block and the bail will form a wide angle " V " so that when the pressure on the main decreases (if the boat goes upwind and the sail start to flop) the V angle will decrease giving slack for the shock cord to bring the boat back .
With gusty winds this set up will not work because as the wind increases the boat will hill , causing the boat to go upwind and the tension on the sheet will also increase bringing the boat up wind even more and I dont think the boat would be able to recover. With gusty winds the set up would be the opposite with the shock cord on the leeward side , but I don't think it would work on our 22' boat because the waterline is too short , on a long keel boat this works because the boat will stay on course better. In the book Singlehanded Sailing by Henderson somebody you will find some good information
If you have a fax I can draw you a picture and send it.
Have fun, we have a great boat ....don't we !!
Zé Siqueira.
Siqueija@sterlingdi .com
The main sheet is secured on the block, you will use one of the 3 lines between the block and te boom bail, tie the small line to the center of one of the 3 and as you aplly pressure with the shock cord
the line between the block and the bail will form a wide angle " V " so that when the pressure on the main decreases (if the boat goes upwind and the sail start to flop) the V angle will decrease giving slack for the shock cord to bring the boat back .
With gusty winds this set up will not work because as the wind increases the boat will hill , causing the boat to go upwind and the tension on the sheet will also increase bringing the boat up wind even more and I dont think the boat would be able to recover. With gusty winds the set up would be the opposite with the shock cord on the leeward side , but I don't think it would work on our 22' boat because the waterline is too short , on a long keel boat this works because the boat will stay on course better. In the book Singlehanded Sailing by Henderson somebody you will find some good information
If you have a fax I can draw you a picture and send it.
Have fun, we have a great boat ....don't we !!
Zé Siqueira.
kevin aubuchon wrote: >> than I tie a small line from the main sheet through
>> a block that is tied on the top of the Jib cleat
Jose,
Your system sounds good. Could you explain a couple of items to me? Is the main sheet running free or secured in the main sheet block? If I understand correctly, when a puff hits, the main sail falls to leeward slightly, allowing the spring line to pull the tiller to windward, thereby turning the boat away from the wind, offsetting the weather helm.
Is the spring line shock cord? Thanks in advance.
kevin aubuchon
Siqueija@sterlingdi .com