Help installing new Autopilot onto tiller

[dailytrek]

I bought a San Juan 28 which came with a new Raymarine ST2000 that the PO had begun installing. The mount on the seat and the tiller pin are installed. It came with two tiller rod extensions (4" and 5") which get it about an inch from center so I may need to get a 5" to get me closer to center. I have not connected the autopilot electronically yet.
The tiller currently needs to be raised up to sail the boat or it hits the seats. This is not such a big deal without an autopilot as I just lift it up and sail. To operate the autopilot currently, it would have to rest (somewhat level) and slide a bit on the starboard seat but also the pin would have to essentially hold the tiller up above its naturally resting position....which I imagine will not stay connected when sailing as it is set up.
I've considered a couple options..... buy a new tiller with a much higher rise that clears my seats or extend the tiller up maybe enough to clear the seats or find a way to keep the tiller attached to the autopilot rod.
I would appreciate any ideas or solutions.
--Christian

 

[justsomeguy]

Raymarine sells a pretty beefy offset bracket of differing heights (or drops) for around $40.00.

Or you may be able to fashion one for yourself?

 

[dailytrek]

If I install the Raymarine drop bracket, my tiller will still hit my seats and limit the boat's directional change.

 

[justsomeguy]

If I install the Raymarine drop bracket, my tiller will still hit my seats and limit the boat's directional change.

Perhaps a piece or two of UHMW between the tiller's base and the gelcoat. Cut up an old cutting board?

 

[rgranger]

Well it would not look too salty but you could take a piece of shock cord (bungee) and crisscross it over the tiller and auto pilot arm (a butter fly knot) to hold the tiller pin into the auto pilot arm. It should work.

 

[dailytrek]

Maybe its as simple as you described with a bungee. I also have just seen two YouTube videos which show tillers being held up by the autopilot without any strapping.

 

[centerline]

If it were mine, I would figure out what it needs to be, to have it at the right height and make it so.... or hire it done.
with some plates cut to fit and welded in place, and the addition of a uhmw wear pad, the problem would be solved forever...

there is nothing more irritating or tiring to me than having a tiller that it too low and has to be held up to steer the boat. it should be at the height so a person setting down ca comfortably rest their hand on it for hours....or, in other words, the tiller should support the hand.

 

[Benny17441]

Yes, figure out a bracket which will hold the tiller up. It will pay for itself whether steering manually or with the auto pilot.

 

[Padrone]

Turn the Tiller over ? re-install the pin.

 

[dailytrek]

Really great points and ideas. Maybe I will replace the two wooden bushings on each side of the top of the rudder where it meets the tiller arm using UHMW. It could have the same profile as the existing bushings plus extend out at the bottom creating a rest for the tiller and still allow it to be raised completely upright when I'm docked. Is UHMW cut cleanly with a jig saw?...I really prefer our wooden cutting board....so that cheapo cutting board I dislike will get re-purposed while my lady is out of town this week?

?

 

[Joe]

It appears the problem is not with the autopilot.. it is with the tiller bracket.. I tried looking at some other SJ 28's to compare to yours. I am somewhat convinced that the tiller bracket on your boat is NOT factory made.... it appears to be fabricated from metal sheets... and it does not support the tiller correctly. Looking closely at these two boats shows the bracket to be a much heavier casting or forged hardware... My C27 has a similar casting....

Unfortunately, tiller bracket castings or forgings.. are very expensive.. For instance, a replacement Catalina 27 tiller bracket runs around $600.00 !!!. Yikes...

I would consider modifying the bracket to support the tiller properly... if you can't find a reasonably priced replacement. You do not want the tiller pilot supporting the weight of the tiller... no, no, no.

Looking at your close up of the bracket.. I would take the entire thing off and have a welder attach a horizontal bar to the CAP...in such a way to keep the bracket from settling on the deck. Building up the deck area rather than modifying the bracket/head may work in the short run until a more robust solution can be found.

 

[dailytrek]

Thanks for the effort to provide the SJ28 pics. They do appear to have the same issue as mine.

 

[centerline]

UHMW is soft, and because of this, thick sections can be difficult to cut with a jig saw because it wants to grab the blade.. a new blade helps a lot, but up to 1/2" should be no problem.

If you were to install a large stainless steel "washer" around the washer that is already there, and attach it to the fiberglass with countersunk screws, you could then cut a UHMW or nylon washer to set on top of it..... then weld a support on the tiller attachment to rest on the UHMW..... this would be easy to do and prevent any wear any wear to any part of it.

providing you had the tools and the ability to visualize objects in relief, so you could know where to cut, and using delrin or filled nylon, one could build the plastic piece as the entire support(no welding).... the stainless wear ring would still be needed to protect the fiberglass from wear as the support rotated around, as grit and grime will always find its way under the it...

 

[Ward H]

I agree with JSGs idea of a piece of UHMW (starboard?) cut into a half circle and positioned against the up against the existing washers. It will act as a support for the tiller, supporting it at the metal bracket. I did this on my first boat where the tiller sat on the transom. I didn't need more height so I used UHMW tape. worked well.
Then use whatever bracket is needed to support the pin of the tiller pilot so the socket of the rod just rests on the pin. I suggest you don't set it up where you need to tie it together. In case quick evasive action is needed for any reason you want to be able to quickly pop the tiller pilot off of the tiller so you can turn the boat by hand.

Edit: I was still writing when JSG just posted which made me think to add, my idea would probably require through bolting the UHMW support.
To eliminate that requirement you could use hole saws to cut a washer that the existing washers sit into. The new thicker washer would support the tiller.

 

[dailytrek]

Good ideas---I'm going to keep this as simple as possible initially and blend your ideas by mounting the UHMW and no welding. My options to attach the UHMW are small screws into the two wooden shims on each side of the rudder stock (this could split the 3/8" wood shim but I would predrill). The UHMW would sit on the existing washer that the tiller assembly rotates upon and not onto the gelcoat.

OR to screw UHMW under the tiller so it hits against the rudder stock, holding it up (this option is stronger as the tiller handle wood will not likely split).

 

[dailytrek]

I thought thru the UHMW idea and decided instead to have a welder add a very small triangular wedge at the bottom of my tiller bracket so it would rest on the large base swivel washer. Cost me $30 at Pete's Welding in Port Townsend. It works perfect and the autotiller rests level in its pivots points on my seat and tiller. While waiting for my welding job, I went next door to the Marine Thrift and bought a new, in the box Raymarine wired remote for my autotiller for $40 which will allow me piloting all over my boat. I ordered a second switch panel before I wire and need to get a 1" or 5" tiller rod extension to get the tiller 1/4" off center of my boat. Thanks for your help.

 

[Ken Cross]

I added a tiller pilot to our SanJuana 28.

It was pretty simple really. I cut an aluminum block that sat on the tiny ledge at the top of the rudder post and sized it to keep the tiller up where I wanted it. The downward force from the tiller kept it all in place. I no longer have the boat but it must have been about an inch high (give or take an inch ) It worked really well. Every time I raised the tiller it would fall out, but mostly on autopilot I didn't need to raise it up. The boat performed well on autopilot and I found myself using it most of the time we were underway.

Originally I drilled the block and planned to drill and tap the rudder post so I could bolt it together, but when I realized the post was stainless I didn't bother (stainless is hard to drill and tap.) I looked for a picture of it, but I didn't find it, sorry.

I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have however.
Ken

 

[S/V UsCa]

If I install the Raymarine drop bracket, my tiller will still hit my seats and limit the boat's directional change.

I have a 30 but by looking at the pic's your going thru what I went thru on mine I ended up getting 2- 6 inch extensions from west Marine from what I saw in the pic you only have an inch or so pull to Starboard and then full extend to port I would add the extension with the st 2000 farther back so the extend was equal on both the pull and retract of the Unit I had to go with 2 six inch ext. and a 4inch on mine had to go from the edge under the rail all the way across the seat but I think if you just add and ext and mount the unit farther back that should give you plenty of roomBut looks like you may end up cutting in the cockpit wall to make it work and easy sealing Job since the control is exposed then when not in use just remove the ext and disconnect from tiller and you could pretty much seal the unit right in place Where you cut into the side wall