The 222/192 rudder does kick up, although there was only a downhaul line fitted stock. I have fitted an uphaul line based on Joe Alves' "Trinkka," but it serves only to hold the blade up, not remotely raise it from the fully down position. The headstock was fabricated with 2 aluminum side plates, and spaced with SS tubular spacers that were riveted between the 2 side plates. When new, it might not have been bad, but over time these rivets loosen, and the headstock gets excessive twist in it. The blade gets a side to side moment, which causes a shear in the headstock plates at the pivot bolt. Basically, looking at the headstock from aft dead on, it's like the 2 side plates are a parallelogram with the spacers. Some folks have replaced the spacers down the front and back of the headstock with wood; I filled as much space in the headstock as possible with a massive solid teak block. I probably overdid it, but I always say (or what seems to happen) "if it's worth doing, it's worth over-doing!"
Others have also sistered additional AL plate in the lower headstock where the blade head overlaps the headstock plates. I didn't do this, but perhaps should have. I have pictures of all of this if needed.
I think the biggest consideration is the spacing of the gudgeons on your transom and the pintles on the headstock. Moving the pintles on the headstock might be the easier proposition.
I don't know that an all mahogany tiller is very common. I think the stock tiller on an O'day is often solid ash. The laminated tillers from Ruddercraft are ash and mahogany, I think. Some tillers may also be white oak. I'm not an expert at selecting wood for various purposes, so take that with a grain of salt, but then again, axe handles are ash, so that lends credence to the strength of ash for a lever arm
