CAL 34 - wheel vs tiller?

Apr 9, 2014
3
Cal 34 Lake Ontario
Hi all, my 1968 Cal 34 started life with a tiller, but a wheel was added at some point. It was installed way aft in the cockpit and makes it necessary to stand on the aft seat to steer, right on top of the mainsheet traveller. It was installed fairly well, but I am thinking of going back to the tiller as the wheel installation is really awkward.

I would like to hear from anyone sailing a Cal 34 with a tiller - is it a lot of work? I'm not a big person, and will be sailing with just my 12yo daughter for crew a lot of the time, so we need to be able to handle the boat - no deck apes available here.

Thanks in advance.
 
Mar 20, 2012
3,983
Cal 34-III, MacGregor 25 Salem, Oregon
the cal 34 rudder is balanced very well.... too well to suit my taste, so the tiller should be no problem at all.

even the 34-III has the wheel too far back in the footwell, but it has to be there to keep the access hole in the floor open for the emergency tiller use, and there is not much foot room behind the wheel, but with a leaning post set up it would be much better....

not sure in your boat, but if the rear cockpit seat is as wide as mine, fore and aft, there would be plenty of room for a deck chair to be set up there. sit and steer.... especially if the wheel is mounted so far aft as to not allow any standing foot well space behind the wheel.

I like the feedback a tiller allows you to have, though i have a wheel on this boat. maybe in a few years i will come to get used to the wheel steering.
 
Apr 9, 2014
3
Cal 34 Lake Ontario
Thanks for the reply. Where is the mainsheet on your Cal? In the original, it was across the aft cockpit seat - right where you would be sitting if you sat right behind the wheel. I think it was moved for later versions?
 
Mar 20, 2012
3,983
Cal 34-III, MacGregor 25 Salem, Oregon
mine is a 34-III... it has a taller mast and a shorter boom... I have end boom sheeting at the front of the cockpit.

i have thought about building a bridge and converting it to mid boom to clear the cockpit, but there are other issues to deal with there.... its all a compromise.

in your situation, I would definitely convert to mid boom sheeting... you may even be able to go to 3/4 and have the track directly in front of the pedestal... which wouldnt really be in the way at all.
 
Apr 9, 2014
3
Cal 34 Lake Ontario
I'll look in that, but I still have the original roller furling boom (no longer used for reefing tho) and I understand the round profile of that boom will not necessarily take the force of sheeting anywhere but the end. And I don't want to replace the boom!

But thanks for the feedback, food for thought.