Helm VS Tiller & Other Questions?

[Sail123]

Not new to sailing, but I am new to a helm.

Purchased a Clipper Marine 32 Aft Cabin ketch sailboat with a inboard 8 hp Yanmar diesel, and a helm. The mizzen, helm and inboard diesel is new to me.

I own a sister ship, same length, with tiller steering.

My main question is, what differences will I notice right away going from a tiller to a helm?

Also is the introduction of a mizzen sail going to change the way the boat interacts with the wind to any great deal? I can surmise it will tack quicker?

This yacht also has a fin keel, and my other 32 has a shoal keel.

I like to hear about what it is I will soon be doing, before I do it, so let me know what I am likely to expirence.

Should splash her in two weeks after a bottom paint, buff of the hull, and engine gets checked out.

 

[Doug L]

I cannot help you, all my boats have been conventional sloop rig with a tiller. Bit I do hope you enjoy your new boat, it looks interesting.
I have heard that a mizzen is helpfull in maneuvering in tight quarters, you can rotate the boat in a boat length by backwinding the mizzen...or so I hear.

 

[higgs]

A helm with a wheel instead of a tiller, does not give one the feel a tiller gives. With a tiller one can easily feel when the boat gets out of the groove. A wheel will not give you that feel and you will have to develop other ways to find the groove. The nice thing about a wheel is when one tacks, you don't have to move everyone in the cockpit around to avoid the tiller. A wheel often gives you a more comfortable position at the helm. Tillers can give you a stiff neck.

The deeper draft will give better upwind performance.

The mizzen won't help upwind and there is probably no point in setting it in those conditions. On a reach, though, it gives you added sail area. I have never sailed a ketch, but I suspect its advantages may be similar to a cutter rig. As the wind pipes up, it gives you more options to keep the boat balanced and moving fast off the wind.

 

[plainssailor]

Gary, I wonder if it is going to be too much work on 1800 acres. I sailed an Islander 36 on the Pacific Ocean and the wheel takes the "feel" somewhat out of the picture. But at least you should be comfortable with the space of that ship. Looking forward to seeing her in person. They say the wood docks will be ready next week and if it is so, I will be there ready to launch my little 25 footer!

 

[Ross]

The "helm" is the steering position. It may be a wheel or a tiller. Beyond that everything said is true.

 

[Sail123]

Touche!

However, Kirk had neither a steering wheel or a tiller. He had "His People" pushing buttons.

I tiller is rarely if ever referred to as a helm, and a steering wheel is almost never called a steering wheel, and almost exclusively called a helm.

The "helm" is the steering position. It may be a wheel or a tiller. Beyond that everything said is true.

 

[Joe]

The biggest advantage of the ketch rig is that it allows more trim options with its relatively low aspect sail plan. This means you have the sail area spread horizontally fore and aft, as opposed to a sloop's essentially vertical distribution. On long passages you can balance the rig with a lot of precision because you have so many sails to mess with... genoa, staysail, main, and mizzen... not to mention some other possibilities.

Sailing with the headsail or staysail and the mizzen only (no main) is a popular heavy weather set up.. aka "jib and jigger".

Another option is the ability to rig a mizzen staysail when sailing off wind. A second spinnaker is possible... but you need a bunch of crew to handle all these sails.

On your lake I think jib and jigger would be a cool experience... for you and your crew.... and the onlookers around the lake.

On your ketch... a wheel is practically a necessity because the cockpit appears smaller than your sloop rig, and the rudder post is covered by the aft cabin... but I wouldn't anticipate any difficulty in making the transition between tiller and wheel steering.

 

[Joe]

Touche!

However, Kirk had neither a steering wheel or a tiller. He had "His People" pushing buttons.

I tiller is rarely if ever referred to as a helm, and a steering wheel is almost never called a steering wheel, and almost exclusively called a helm.

That's just not true...... who told you that? I think you are confusing "helm" with "pedestal". Whatever you think "helm" means...... you may want to reconsider before making such an absolute statement.

 

[kpgraci]

Ha, my off topic $0.02

If a boat has a wheel, someone might say...man the helm.

While this would be equally appropriate for a tiller, I would say...man the tiller.

(man of course referring to huMAN, which could include both sexes, so thank you to the PC crowd)

To the OP - that is a nice looking boat...congrats.

 

[higgs]

Chapman defines helm: The tiller, wheel, and other steering gear; a boat is said to have a weather helm if it tends to turn its bow to windward, lee helm if it tends to fall away to leeward.