New tiller stick?
- Thread starter sbcwolff
- Start date
Some of the Hunters have tubular metal tillers. I replace my Mac 26S tiller with a laminated (sandwiched) wood one from IdaSailor. It was pretty 
The IdaSailor/Ruddercraft mahogany and ash 26S tiller. You can also order options
https://store.ruddercraft.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=181_43&product_id=127
https://store.ruddercraft.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=181_43&product_id=127
Strength is important and with a single piece of wood you always have to worry about the grain. Laminating several pieces of wood together and crossing grain patterns will ensure a very strong stick. You would then need to shape it. Laminate looks very nice in my opinion. I have a store-bought tiller stick
but I have made tillers by laminating. Here are some pics to give you ideas to chew on....
If you decide to go with a store bought stick... I have this one and really like it.
You can put one of these lock boxes in the gunwale...
By adjusting the length of the stick, you can lock your tiller in any position you like. I use it all of the time when I'm single handing the boat and need to go to the mast. If you go with this model, don't forget to buy this little clip...
When not using the stick, you can fold it back on top of the tiller and clip it in place. Very handy.
but I have made tillers by laminating. Here are some pics to give you ideas to chew on....
If you decide to go with a store bought stick... I have this one and really like it.
You can put one of these lock boxes in the gunwale...
By adjusting the length of the stick, you can lock your tiller in any position you like. I use it all of the time when I'm single handing the boat and need to go to the mast. If you go with this model, don't forget to buy this little clip...
When not using the stick, you can fold it back on top of the tiller and clip it in place. Very handy.
Wood has been a typical product. Laminated wood provides strength and can be formed in to a preferred shape with tools available to most DIY boat owners.
How did yours break? This might give you clues as to the type of wood and design you want to use.
Here is a video from the Schaefer Marine folk when they constructed two tillers for the boat their owner was refitting.
How did yours break? This might give you clues as to the type of wood and design you want to use.
Here is a video from the Schaefer Marine folk when they constructed two tillers for the boat their owner was refitting.
Boat next to our slip is an S2 about a 24 footer. It has a double bitted ax handle for a tiller on its transom hung rudder.
Hello sbcwolff,
I can identify with your use of the word "stick" in reference to the tiller. Once, "many and many a year ago in a kingdom by the sea" (actually, the upper Chesapeake Bay) we took home the tiller of our Catalina 27 to refinish it. Upon returning to the boat two weeks later we realized to our horror that the refinished tiller was still at home! We did some beach combing and found an acceptable "stick" that we fashioned into a tiller by drilling two holes at the thicker end and inserting two bolts from the spare parts box. It worked well enough and only made a few cracking noises when we were beating to windward.
I can identify with your use of the word "stick" in reference to the tiller. Once, "many and many a year ago in a kingdom by the sea" (actually, the upper Chesapeake Bay) we took home the tiller of our Catalina 27 to refinish it. Upon returning to the boat two weeks later we realized to our horror that the refinished tiller was still at home! We did some beach combing and found an acceptable "stick" that we fashioned into a tiller by drilling two holes at the thicker end and inserting two bolts from the spare parts box. It worked well enough and only made a few cracking noises when we were beating to windward.
Most of my sailing has been done on a 35' boat from the 1960s with a solid teak tiller. Now I have a wheel so I don't need a tiller (beyond the less-than-beautiful-and-less-than-ideal metal emergency tiller that I hope to never need). While there's something cool about pretty much anything that's made from big pieces of solid teak (imho) ... I'd absolutely pick a laminated tiller over a solid one. There's pretty much no chance of a laminated one failing. My solid tiller was only modestly curved, and I sometimes wished it was curvier to avoid crushing the legs of crew sitting nearby... and the curvier ones are even more likely to be laminated, as sawing a curved tiller out of a straight and solid piece of wood would significantly diminish its strength. Seems like it would be kind of fun to make a laminated one too (though I never have). If you do go with solid wood... I'd lean toward hickory or ash or a wood with long, straight grain... Someone brought up axe handles... and while I'm not sure I'd literally repurpose an axe handle as a tiller, it is not the worst idea, as axe handles get a ton of abuse, and rarely ever break... and are almost always made of hickory or ash for that very reason.
I made my tiller from a Douglas Fir 2x6. It is several years old now and just reoiled it again like every year with used motor oil. During my time in college for Industrial Engineering I took a materials class. We tested wood strength as well as motor oil and much more. Most hard woods are cellular in structure and dry very strong but will burst with excess pressure. Pines, furs are fiberous material and tests showed strength superior to Oak and did not explode at level that Oak did. It also stays slightly flexible since it is composed of linear fiber sinews. Motor oil due to its high quality and molecular linkage is a great wood treatment and lasts much longer than any other oil I have used. Chief
"For some reason the post-hole digger only has one handle... Guess I can't dig those holes today..."Post hole digger handle