Tiller Pilot: Does it work well?

[csobalvarro]

Does anyone here have any experience with Tiller Pilots? If they work, seems like a great investment. How steep are the power requirements? I run one battery right now, daysail mostly so haven't needed more. I sail short-handed often and, if this works, it would be really helpful.Thanks in advance for the advice!

 

[Mel Elliott]

Tiller Pilot

I single hand and wouldn't be without it. I have an electric start engine and in an emergency I could charge my deep cycle off the engine, but haven't had to yet.

 

[csobalvarro]

Limitations?

I too have an engine that charges back, so that's a good point. As for the effectiveness of the TP, how "well" does it steer, and what are it's limitations? Is it something that you should expect to use briefly to hold you on course while you adjust sail trim (or grab something from the ice chest, or can you expect it to hold you on course for long periods of time? I crewed on a Catalina 30 earlier this year and was really impressed with how the autopilot was able to hold the boat on a heading literally for hours. I'm wondering if a TillerPilot is comparable.

 

[Gary 25 Kunundrum]

ain't bad

When I got my 25' the PO has one on. You point the boat where you want it to go go and push a button and it takes that magnetic heading and keeps heading that way. I can set it, go up and change the head sail, go below and make some coffee or something to eat. During gusts, the boat will head up and then fall off as the gust wanes. Sometimes I use it just cause I feel lazy and other times when I need both hands free to reef, drop sail, use the binos to see something closer up. I love it--well worth the money to get one. They are designed to use very little power. I go about 3 days on a charge but then I use a stereo a lot too. A lot of times to save power I push the off button after it hones in on my heading so it holds the tiller in that position like a tiller tamer.

 

[MrBill]

I have the TP10

best 300 bucks I ever spent!