Clamped a socket on the midportion of the transverse rudder connecting tube. A pipe (the tiller) removably inserts in socket and angles up and fwd into cockpit under the helm seat. Intended as emergency steering input should stock steering break.
To use, raise the helm seat out of the way,disconnect steering cable plunger from the transverse rudder connecting tube, insert the tiller pipe in its socket , and push it left and right to steer.
With motor up, its weight tends to heavily push the steering rightward or leftward. With motor down its better. but still heavy and stiff in view of the shortness of the lever arm from rudder pivot axis to transverse rudder connecting tube.
Better than nothing, to get home on if the X wheel steering system locks up, but thats about it. I'll stick with wheel steering system on the X, particularly for the convenience of the boat steering itself and holding couse reaching and close hauled for 20 minutes or more at a time.....I've never beenable to get my prior tiller boats to do near as well.
Ron
Steering Alternatives? Anyone?
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RickJ
- First Officer
- Posts: 292
- Joined: Mon Oct 01, 2007 2:39 pm
- Sailboat: MacGregor 19
- Location: Isle of Wight, UK - '94 19 + Tohatsu MFS30
I've been thinking about tiller v. wheel myself a bit recently, and my personal preference is a tiller when sailing but a wheel when powering.
A tiller gives more feedback and I find is less hard work for the continuous corrections needed to maintain a point of sail. It also makes it more natural to sit on the windward side, whereas the wheel makes me want to stand all the time.
Under power though, a wheel seems to make more sense, especially if going at any speed. I've thus been wondering about linking the wheel steering just to the motor, and adding a tiller for the rudders. It could actually simplify some of the linkages.
Would also remove the motor weight from the steering when under sail, which adds to the sluggishness. I know there are mods to unhook the motor when tipped, and I was thinking of doing something like that until I thought that maybe completely disconnecting the rudders and using a tiller might be an even better solution!
This seems to be the approach used on the German (?) power-sailer posted by TT.
Anyone else thinking on these lines?
A tiller gives more feedback and I find is less hard work for the continuous corrections needed to maintain a point of sail. It also makes it more natural to sit on the windward side, whereas the wheel makes me want to stand all the time.
Under power though, a wheel seems to make more sense, especially if going at any speed. I've thus been wondering about linking the wheel steering just to the motor, and adding a tiller for the rudders. It could actually simplify some of the linkages.
Would also remove the motor weight from the steering when under sail, which adds to the sluggishness. I know there are mods to unhook the motor when tipped, and I was thinking of doing something like that until I thought that maybe completely disconnecting the rudders and using a tiller might be an even better solution!
This seems to be the approach used on the German (?) power-sailer posted by TT.
Anyone else thinking on these lines?