My good friend & crew has just been transferred & I am now faced with being a single handed sailor. As a matter of fact I am a beginner at this & wonder what experience sailors have had with the Tiller Tamer , a poor excuse for an auto pilot. Is this gadget worth the $25.00 or $30.00 ?
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tiller tamer value?
Bill I have used the Tiller Tamer for several years on a C22 and have found it useful on relatively flat water and light steady breezes.In these conditions it can give you enough time to be away from the helm for a short time and still maintaine a fairly constant bearing .In rough water and/or moderate winds I do not advise using it since it cannot perform the subtle adjustments that may be needed to keep the boat under control when you are away from the helm.There are other inexpensive and simple devices that perform the same function but none should be construed as an autohelm in anything but light conditions (and light traffic).
Bill I have used the Tiller Tamer for several years on a C22 and have found it useful on relatively flat water and light steady breezes.In these conditions it can give you enough time to be away from the helm for a short time and still maintaine a fairly constant bearing .In rough water and/or moderate winds I do not advise using it since it cannot perform the subtle adjustments that may be needed to keep the boat under control when you are away from the helm.There are other inexpensive and simple devices that perform the same function but none should be construed as an autohelm in anything but light conditions (and light traffic).
Find a Better Way
Bill Try the link below. I used Letcher's self steering with the mainsheet on our C25 for many years before finally buying an autopilot. Both this or an autopilot has the great advantage of teaching you sail trim, since both require good sail sets to make them work. While it may look complicated to begin with, once you understand it, it works fine. I had a cleat mounted on the forward end of my tiller, with cam cleats on each coaming to make it easy to run the required lines. Good luck. PS when I finally bought my autopilot, I commented and was published in a Sail article that went something like: "autopilots are just like microwaves - I wonder why I took so long to buy one." PPS In answer to your original question, the tiller tamer isn't worth anything, you can do the same thing with an inexpesnive cleat on the bottom of your tiller, or even by wrapping a line around the tiller tied to the pulpit stanchioon bases...think about it.
Bill Try the link below. I used Letcher's self steering with the mainsheet on our C25 for many years before finally buying an autopilot. Both this or an autopilot has the great advantage of teaching you sail trim, since both require good sail sets to make them work. While it may look complicated to begin with, once you understand it, it works fine. I had a cleat mounted on the forward end of my tiller, with cam cleats on each coaming to make it easy to run the required lines. Good luck. PS when I finally bought my autopilot, I commented and was published in a Sail article that went something like: "autopilots are just like microwaves - I wonder why I took so long to buy one." PPS In answer to your original question, the tiller tamer isn't worth anything, you can do the same thing with an inexpesnive cleat on the bottom of your tiller, or even by wrapping a line around the tiller tied to the pulpit stanchioon bases...think about it.
Happy with Tiller Tamer
I have not yet gotten an autotiller, and I singlehand a lot. I find that once you get the sails balanced, the tiller tamer is good for leaving the helm for three to five minutes, enough for most small tasks about the boat. Best on a beam reach, OK pointing, but I would not trust it running before the wind, where you risk a jibe. On the other hand, it is useless under power, at least in my inboard as then prop wash over the rudder kicks it out. My two cents worth of experience.
I have not yet gotten an autotiller, and I singlehand a lot. I find that once you get the sails balanced, the tiller tamer is good for leaving the helm for three to five minutes, enough for most small tasks about the boat. Best on a beam reach, OK pointing, but I would not trust it running before the wind, where you risk a jibe. On the other hand, it is useless under power, at least in my inboard as then prop wash over the rudder kicks it out. My two cents worth of experience.
super cheap solution
Bill, as a super cheap and easy to make interim solution, why not use two lines made up of a length of rope spliced (knotted) to length of small diameter bungee cord. One line is attached to port with a jam cleat and the other to starboard with a jam cleat. The other ends which ar bungee cords are looped around the tiller. Trim the boat and shorten/lengthen the ropes in the jam cleats to keep the tiller where you want it and your hands are free for short trips forward. Depending on point of sail you could even take the afternoon off from steering! I has worked well for me. Should cost less than $2.00. jamcleat-line-bungee-tiller-bungee-line-jamcleat
Bill, as a super cheap and easy to make interim solution, why not use two lines made up of a length of rope spliced (knotted) to length of small diameter bungee cord. One line is attached to port with a jam cleat and the other to starboard with a jam cleat. The other ends which ar bungee cords are looped around the tiller. Trim the boat and shorten/lengthen the ropes in the jam cleats to keep the tiller where you want it and your hands are free for short trips forward. Depending on point of sail you could even take the afternoon off from steering! I has worked well for me. Should cost less than $2.00. jamcleat-line-bungee-tiller-bungee-line-jamcleat
Here's another idea
When I single-handed my Catalina 27 before getting an autopilot, I rigged up a line from my tiller, outside the cockpit stanchions, forward to the mast, around the mast, and back to the other side of the cockpit and to the tiller. I found that there was enough friction in the system to hold the tiller in place and had the added advantage of being able to steer from the mast (and from anywhere in between).
When I single-handed my Catalina 27 before getting an autopilot, I rigged up a line from my tiller, outside the cockpit stanchions, forward to the mast, around the mast, and back to the other side of the cockpit and to the tiller. I found that there was enough friction in the system to hold the tiller in place and had the added advantage of being able to steer from the mast (and from anywhere in between).
very usefull
I had a tiller tamer on our 26. The best $15 spent! Its usefull for all sorts of situations, holding the boat upwind while raising/lowering the main being my most common use. Also useful when single handing for going below to get something, use the head, etc. As other posts have said, it doesn't hold some points of sail for very long, but some are fine for minutes at a time. There are numerous options for rigging something of your own. But it was worth every penny many times over. If you don't want to invent something yourself, buy it! Now we have an autopilot, which is just the greatest thing since sliced bread... can barely remember what life was like without it.
I had a tiller tamer on our 26. The best $15 spent! Its usefull for all sorts of situations, holding the boat upwind while raising/lowering the main being my most common use. Also useful when single handing for going below to get something, use the head, etc. As other posts have said, it doesn't hold some points of sail for very long, but some are fine for minutes at a time. There are numerous options for rigging something of your own. But it was worth every penny many times over. If you don't want to invent something yourself, buy it! Now we have an autopilot, which is just the greatest thing since sliced bread... can barely remember what life was like without it.
Worth it...
Have used a tiller tamer for two years on our Catalina 25. Still use it in conjunction with the autopilot when single-handing (there are times its just more convinient). Found it to work well with sails properly trimmed. If the budget allows, there ain't no better piece of single-handing equipment than an autopilot!
Have used a tiller tamer for two years on our Catalina 25. Still use it in conjunction with the autopilot when single-handing (there are times its just more convinient). Found it to work well with sails properly trimmed. If the budget allows, there ain't no better piece of single-handing equipment than an autopilot!
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