Broken Tiller Replacement

Nov 1, 2017
635
Catalina 25 Sea Star Base Galveston, TX
Hey Everyone,

Good morning! It's been about a week or so since I've posted anything on here; I've just been so busy, between Valentines Day and wrapping up college class selections and work! It wasn't really until yesterday, in fact, that I found myself a few hours of freetime. The winds were howling at a solid 23 knots, which is my kind of weather! I was so excited, in fact, that I woke up, got dressed and loaded up my Sunfish. When I got to the neighborhood lakes I was, to say the least, impressed; the wind was blowing so hard that the water from the fountains in the middle of the water (about sixty yards away) was being carried downwind and I could feel it hitting my face as a sort of mist. I backed the trailer down the boat ramp, put her in the water, rigged her up on the side of the lake and shoved off. I sailed around for almost four hours, beating hazardously upwind, coming around the far fountain, and then broad-reaching down to the other fountain on a plane; I would then jybe around the other fountain and repeat. I also tried to practice roll tacks, but the wind was so furious that every time I tried I almost got knocked over.
Anyway, it was all good fun until I was flying downind to beach the boat and de-rig her. As I was approaching the halfway mark (a tree on the side of the lake), I heard a loud crack, and the boat suddenly rounded upwind. Broken tiller. Oh joy. So. Now I'm trying to find an appropriate replacement for it; I was thinking maybe aluminum or stainless. Something that isn't gonna break! Any ideas or recommendations?

God Bless,
S.S.
 
Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
I have made a rudder before. Rudder Craft has quality products but the are pricey. If you want to make your own..go to Lowes over by the specialty wood and get a few strips of oak and pine.... or alternatively if you have a table saw you can rip a few 2x4s. If you have access to cedar, throw a few strips of cedar in to contrast the wood some. Make a jig. I screwed pieces of scrap wood to the floor of my shed for a jib but if you don't have a shed you can simply use a piece of plywood as your base.. Then glue, clamp, sand, varnish. It is fun and very satisfying. I've attached pics. Don't forget the plastic sheeting on the floor or your tiller will be glued to the floor... :)
NewTiller1.jpg
NewTiller2.jpg
NewTiller3.jpg
NewTiller4.jpg
NewTiller6.jpg
 
Aug 2, 2005
1,155
Pearson 33-2 & Typhoon 18 Seneca Lake
Once upon a time......we took the tiller of our Catalina 27 to our home for refinishing. Yes, you guessed it, the next time we went to the boat we had left the refinished tiller at home (2 1/4 hours away)! A quick search of the shore line produced a piece of driftwood that we cut a bit and drilled for through bolts. Unique emergency tiller.

To rgranger...... great looking new tiller. I drilled a tiller whose laminations had separated. As I epoxied the laminations back together I also added dowel sticks through the tiller from top to bottom to add to the holding power (and the esthetic appeal) of the tiller. I think I added 4 light colored dowels through the tiller. Satisfied with the new look.
 
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May 20, 2016
3,014
Catalina 36 MK1 94 Everett, WA
Making a tiller is fairly easy, adjust lamination thickness so you can pull the tightest bend without breaking the wood fibers. You can go thicker if you want the pain of steaming the wood.

Mahalo
 
Oct 19, 2017
7,733
O'Day 19 Littleton, NH
Use a broom handle but make two and Velcro the second one to the fore deck. Cheap and you'll never be without a tiller again.

I have made a rudder before.
Super nice work.
I like the plastic wrap idea, I've used packing tape. However, you have to design your form around the need to wrap the object on all sides.

- Will (Dragonfly)
 
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