Bits of wood

[ash]

I haven't had the use of my tillerpilot since I fitted new locker lids as I can't steel myself to drill a hole in the new lid.

I was to spend 3 days single handed last weekend so knocked this contraption up on Friday evening - works just fine but would be a bit limiting if pouring rain!





Ash

[aquaplane]

Hey Ash, that's a mega mod.

Did you take pics of the work in progress? You could submit it to PBO as a project.

I have "modified" my tiller pilot too. It works what can only be described as intermittently. I saw in TOP that they can get damp and become tempramental but can be opened up to dry out.

I thought, nowt to loose, so I undid 6 bolts and started prising apart the case. At the first go there was an ominous twang followed by a suspicious rattle. It looks like the knob to select "OFF"/"smooth"/"rough"/"vane" is in more pieces than it needs to be, with not a prayer of putting it back together. I'll keep it for a few years then bin it.

[ash]

Did you take pics of the work in progress? You could submit it to PBO as a project.

Of course - this was the first version but I found that it could 'lift' under heavy loading.

Hey Ash, that's a mega mod.

I can't see if your tongue is in your cheek from this angle!!

Ash

[Falkirkdan]

Ash. Just buy the threaded ring and post for your Tillerpilot. That way you will not have to drill a hole in your locker lid.

[sam]

Go on just drill the hole, that way you'll be able to sit down.

[claymore]

I'm with the opinion that you should buy the post thingie. I had one on our old boat and it was the mutts. - Just be careful when you sit down

Just looking at the fender, Ash I think you should put another half hitch in the blue string- it seems to be coming undone.

[sahona]

Probably too late, but we've been busy sailing.
does it have to be that distance from the rudder stock? (because you're never going to have instant access to the locker whilst on auto)
If it's man enough, I'd try to move it aft and fit a blind socket in the fiberglass seat, raising the stud on the tiller if neccessary.
AND make sure there's no magnetic lumps sporadically in the locker!!

[Pete Cooper]

For mine I bought a bracket that bolts to the vertical side of the cockpit coaming - there is a solid rod which screws into the round plate, and a transverse hole in the end of this that he pilot drops into.
When you buy it the solid alloy rod is too long so you cut it to length and then glue on the end cap which has the hole through. Glueing the cap is fraught with worry because once you have applied the quick setting glue (supplied) it forms a seal round the end so the trapped air can not escape!
Anyway, once that is resolved it provides an excellent solution.
I leave the rod permanently screwed into the vertical plate, but yours would probably need unscrewing when not in use.

[Rowana]

For mine I bought a bracket that bolts to the vertical side of the cockpit coaming - there is a solid rod which screws into the round plate, and a transverse hole in the end of this that he pilot drops into.

Where did you buy this from Pete? Any photos?

I could do with something similar (I think)

Cheers
Jim

[puddock]

I'm with the opinion that you should buy the post thingie. I had one on our old boat and it was the mutts. - Just be careful when you sit down

Simrad has a socket (epoxied into seat), with post on Tiller Pilot. Very easy on the derier....

[Pete Cooper]

For mine I bought a bracket that bolts to the vertical side of the cockpit coaming - there is a solid rod which screws into the round plate, and a transverse hole in the end of this that he pilot drops into.

Where did you buy this from Pete? Any photos?

I could do with something similar (I think)

Cheers
Jim

I'll try for a photo when the rain stops - probably over the weekend.

[Falkirkdan]

Ash if you look at link http://www.raymarine.co.uk/products/aut ... etdet=8183" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; pick manuals and docs and download the user manual pdf file. Go to pages 31 and onward you will drawings of the various tiller posts.

[Pete Cooper]

Ash if you look at link http://www.raymarine.co.uk/products/aut ... etdet=8183" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; pick manuals and docs and download the user manual pdf file. Go to pages 31 and onward you will drawings of the various tiller posts.

Thanks for that - a picture paints a thousand words!
Mine is on page 38 - if anybody still needs a photo let me know. I got mine from BEE at Kip - I think it cost about £35.

[ash]

Just looking at the fender, Ash I think you should put another half hitch in the blue string- it seems to be coming undone.

Tis a Bowline with a long raggedy tail!!!!



Ash

[ash]

My thanks to everyone for their replys and suggestions. My situation is as follows:

My tiller is straight and starts from the bottom of the cockpit so it is a struggle to get it high enough to match up with a tillerpilot mounted as low as possible on the seating area. The rudder post slopes down and forward at 45 deg so the tiller works OK even when vertical but gets in the way of the mainsheet. I used to have the tiller sitting even lower, which I liked as I could hold it between my lower legs. I now have something jammed in the hinge to hold it up to match with the tillerpilot. The initial install was all a bit of a compromise - far enough forward so that the tiller pin was high enough - this gives plenty of power but reduced turning angle. Then I was a bit wary of cutting holes in the fibreglass but was happy enough to cut into the old locker lids - a few years on and I'm happier to cut a hole in the fibreglass. I think that I might mount the boat end of the tillerpilot in the fibreglass just behind the locker lid, even if this means that the t/pilot isn't quite square with boat. I could also get a long custom made tiller pin so gain height but this might tend to split the wood.

I'll think on it a bit longer!!!

Ash