Has anyone ever converted a cat 27 to wheel steering from tiller. I am wondering how happy you were once you completed this?
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Tiller to Wheel
It has been done, but with a lot of work and $$$. Save you money for the next boat and get a wheel. Many people like tillers and just as many like wheels. Your choice. There are advantages and disadvantages to both. I'm a wheel man.
It has been done, but with a lot of work and $$$. Save you money for the next boat and get a wheel. Many people like tillers and just as many like wheels. Your choice. There are advantages and disadvantages to both. I'm a wheel man.
both ways
Some people are just unable to get comfortable steering with a tiller, they are not intuitive to someone who has only driven a car. Some people have strength issues and need the leverage provided by a wheel. When sailing in a following sea, the tiller has a tendency to run everyone but the skipper out of the aft two-thirds of the cockpit. A wheel with binnacle provides certain amenities unavailable with a tiller, such as the ability to affix instruments autopilots and cup-holders readily at hand. On the other hand, there is usually less maintenance with a tiller, on smaller/lighter boats a tiller offers much more feel, enhancing sailing performance and when on the hook or in the slip, it offer far more room in the cockpit. For me, a tiller is preferable on a 27 foot sailboat for all the latter reasons.
Some people are just unable to get comfortable steering with a tiller, they are not intuitive to someone who has only driven a car. Some people have strength issues and need the leverage provided by a wheel. When sailing in a following sea, the tiller has a tendency to run everyone but the skipper out of the aft two-thirds of the cockpit. A wheel with binnacle provides certain amenities unavailable with a tiller, such as the ability to affix instruments autopilots and cup-holders readily at hand. On the other hand, there is usually less maintenance with a tiller, on smaller/lighter boats a tiller offers much more feel, enhancing sailing performance and when on the hook or in the slip, it offer far more room in the cockpit. For me, a tiller is preferable on a 27 foot sailboat for all the latter reasons.
Wheel to Tiller
I posted the same question last winter about changing my catalina 27 to a wheel also. I took the advice of most of the people on this site and kept the tiller and brought a tiller auto pilot. Best move I could have made. Makes single handing a breeze and when not sailing I still have all the room in the cockpit Just my two cents Pat
I posted the same question last winter about changing my catalina 27 to a wheel also. I took the advice of most of the people on this site and kept the tiller and brought a tiller auto pilot. Best move I could have made. Makes single handing a breeze and when not sailing I still have all the room in the cockpit Just my two cents Pat
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