Has anyone swapped their tiller for a wheel on their 25?/ Thinking hard about doing it. I'm thinking that it would eliminate my having to sweep the cockpit everytime I tack. Only problem that I can think of so far is that while I can remove the wheel itself while entertainig in the cockpit, I can't remove the pedestal, while with the tiller I can just swing it up and out of the way. Jonathan "My Amy"
Wheel Conversion
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I've had both
My OD20 had a tiller and my OD25 has a wheel. And I occasionally sail my brother-in-law's Dufour 29 which has a tiller. The wheel and helm are convenient and look fancy but (in my experience) you lose "feel" and the wheel is not as responsive to small corrections. The wheel/helm set up can get in the way of movement around the cockpit as much as the arc of the tiller takes during a tack. 6 of one - half dozen of the other. In my opinion, if you really want to sail the boat, keep the tiller and make clearing that area of the cockpit part of the tacking process. Fair winds.
My OD20 had a tiller and my OD25 has a wheel. And I occasionally sail my brother-in-law's Dufour 29 which has a tiller. The wheel and helm are convenient and look fancy but (in my experience) you lose "feel" and the wheel is not as responsive to small corrections. The wheel/helm set up can get in the way of movement around the cockpit as much as the arc of the tiller takes during a tack. 6 of one - half dozen of the other. In my opinion, if you really want to sail the boat, keep the tiller and make clearing that area of the cockpit part of the tacking process. Fair winds.
What do you want?
Jonathan, You have gotten 6 to 8 responses. The responses don't matter. What is it you want on your boat? I think you like the idea of a wheel. That is fine. I wanted to retrofit mine with a wing keel. I am glad I didn't. Jonathan, If you have just purchased your boat, sail it for a season. Then make decisions like the wheel. In the mean time, ask some others around where you sail if you can sail with them to see how a wheel feels , not only in the hands but what it does to the cockpit. You would be amazed at most sailors kindness in letting you sail their boat. It is alot of money to put into the boat that you won't get out. r.w.landau
Jonathan, You have gotten 6 to 8 responses. The responses don't matter. What is it you want on your boat? I think you like the idea of a wheel. That is fine. I wanted to retrofit mine with a wing keel. I am glad I didn't. Jonathan, If you have just purchased your boat, sail it for a season. Then make decisions like the wheel. In the mean time, ask some others around where you sail if you can sail with them to see how a wheel feels , not only in the hands but what it does to the cockpit. You would be amazed at most sailors kindness in letting you sail their boat. It is alot of money to put into the boat that you won't get out. r.w.landau
lift tiller when tacking
On any boat with a tiller that I've sailed, I have always lifted the tiller as I tacked, it then is out of the way of other people. You don't need to lift it far, and in fact you often don't really need to swing the tiller as far while tacking as many new sailers do. I did sail on one boat (a Lockley-Newport 17) that had a traveler across the transom, preventing the tiller from lifting. I learned quick that I could not tack the same as on my own boat, where I lift the tiller and duck under it as a tack.
On any boat with a tiller that I've sailed, I have always lifted the tiller as I tacked, it then is out of the way of other people. You don't need to lift it far, and in fact you often don't really need to swing the tiller as far while tacking as many new sailers do. I did sail on one boat (a Lockley-Newport 17) that had a traveler across the transom, preventing the tiller from lifting. I learned quick that I could not tack the same as on my own boat, where I lift the tiller and duck under it as a tack.
Another O'Day 25 Owner
I have a '76 O'Day 25, and I can't imagine putting a wheel on it. First, the transom-hung rudder doesn't easily avail itself to wheel steering. Next, I think it would ruin the cockpit. Too much room would be taken permenantly. With a tiller, you can lift it over folks heads when necessary, and it's usually out of the way anyway. Finally, that would be a LOT of expense that would very little value (if any) to the boat. As a matter of fact, it might devalue it, because of additional holes that would need to be made in the transom.
I have a '76 O'Day 25, and I can't imagine putting a wheel on it. First, the transom-hung rudder doesn't easily avail itself to wheel steering. Next, I think it would ruin the cockpit. Too much room would be taken permenantly. With a tiller, you can lift it over folks heads when necessary, and it's usually out of the way anyway. Finally, that would be a LOT of expense that would very little value (if any) to the boat. As a matter of fact, it might devalue it, because of additional holes that would need to be made in the transom.
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