Sheet to tiller - self steering

B

Brian Hofler

.
Oct 30, 2019
1,021
Hi chaps,

I searched the net and found quite a few references but when I had a
play with it for real I couldn't even get close to a working
arrangment. Any clever people out there figured it out?

I have found that close hauled she'll steer herself quite happily (in
fact better than I can) with the tiller locked. She luffs up in the
gusts and bears away in the lulls.

I do have an Autohelm but I find that I carry so much weather helm
(on pretty much all points of sail) it get overpowered. And anyway
all that power usage means batteries to be charged.

I suppose there's always a wind vane but my buget is limited and
anyway it seems a bit over the top.

George Towler "Vista" 1043
 
R

reefmagnet

.
May 9, 2011
1,000
It seems that you need for the arrangement to pull the tiller to
weather somehow, in a puff. I am most interested in the reason(s)
for the weather helm. I have not found excessive W. H. on my Vega.

Are you habitually sheeted in on the main too hard? Is the mast
raked appreciably aft? Have you increased the SA of the main with a
big roach? Do you use headsails?

One of the great joys of my Vega is that it is so nicely balanced on
all points of sail. My tiller pilot only works hard in a seaway, or
downwind.

If you reef the main a bit, there would be less turning moment
upwind. If you put on a larger jib, there would be less turning
moment upwind.
 
R

reefmagnet

.
May 9, 2011
1,000
Hi George, Your Vega should not have excessive weather helm to begin with.
Peroid. I have had my Vega sail without a tiller pilot using just a bungee
cord and the sheet from the jib around the winch then to the tiller and
balanced with a bungee cord on the oposite side of the tiller. If you check
out some model boats you will see that system in operation, before they used
eletronic controls in the models. It will work on a Vega even on a downwind
leg or running. You just have to take the sheet to the oposite side winch and
then to the tiller and balance it all with a bungee or two when running. Got
tired of playing with the rubber bands and bungees and finally bought a
autohelm, but the model system works! Walt S.
 
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