Tiller Locks

[Zach]

Hi Guys,

I was remembering a neat gadget on a boat I went on an afternoon sail a few years back.

The tiller came through the deck aft of the cockpit, and on the back of the cockpit there was a rack gear bolted on. The underside of the tiller had a few teeth so one could lay the tiller down and lock it in place.

It was great, as tending a sheet didn't require straddling the tiller! Elegant in that instead of cleating off a line between the tiller and the cockpit coamings, just drop the tiller into a slot and walk away.

Anyone know what this gadget is called? The boat was single handed from Sweden across the atlantic sometime in the 70's, wondering if this gizmo came along for the ride.

Thanks,

Zach

[GordMay]

Aronowitsch & Lyth AB, canSail , & Windjammer Sails all call theirs a “Tiller Lock”. Davis calls theirs a “Tiller Tamer”.

Tiller-Lock for tiller contolled boats from Aronowitsch & Lyth - AB Best in test

canSail Marine Supplies

Davis - Marine - Tiller-Tamer™

[Oceansandmts]

I have used the Tiller Lock and like it a lot, but I think what you saw is sometimes called a "comb"; I am not sure if you can find one commercially any more, but it would be quite easy to have a machine shop make one up.

[Zach]

Thanks guys!

Tiller Comb.

[GordMay]

Good catch, John!
TILLER COMB: A blade on the bottom of the tiller drops into the teeth of an upturned comb (or stiff brush, whatever) to hold the tiller in position.

[Oceansandmts]

Good catch? You came up with the sketch. Gord, I am always impressed with how you come up with pictures, articles, instructions, etc from the web. You are either the Google master or you have some search engine that us mortals don't yet know about.

[Morgan Paul]

Gord, I am always impressed with how you come up with pictures, articles, instructions, etc from the web. You are either the Google master or you have some search engine that us mortals don't yet know about.

Gord is the Superman of Info.

[jjohnsonmarine]

You know...you have a good idea one day and then you find out it was made 40 years ago...always!

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by jjohnsonmarine

You know...you have a good idea one day and then you find out it was made 40 years ago...always!

Ah, but it's still a good idea; and original to you.

[barnakiel]

Yep. We have this set-up. We call it rake. Looks homebrew.

b.

[barnakiel]

Another easy way to achieve the same is to tie a length of nylon athwart just under the tiller and screw in a small catch under. Slide the line into the catch and you are locked.

b.

[barnakiel]

One more option is to tie two lengths of nylo with bungee ends - one to each side. Then just give a wrap of each line on the tiller and you are set. Pull the lines forward and you are free to hand steer.

b.

[boatman61]

Seen a variation in England on some of the old boats, basicly a wooden strip with peg holes..... set the tiller then peg it.

[Scotty333]

I have a Davis Tiller Tamer... Love the thing.. I keep a little drag on the twine at all times which gives a nice feel to the steerage. Sadly the pulley is now worn out from the last few owners years of leaving her out in the elements... They have replacement parts @ Davis... But I'm in Canada, its 30 dollars shipping for an 8 dollar part! The whole kit is 38 dollars

... Sometimes I just don't understand what it was we signed when Canada joined in on the free trade agreement... We were told that buying an Automobile south of the border was going to mean no duty to bring her home, that was 1988.... never happened... Canada STILL rapes us with their BOOK VALUES each time we cross... boats, auto.. don't matter WE PAY....

Customs Officers are worse than Politicians... I dont care much for either

[potter 19]

The replacement pulley for a Davis Tiller Tamer is the wheel for a sliding glass door. You can find them at most hardware stores for $4.oo. The dims are 1-1/4" OD x 1/4" ID x 5/16" thk. The one I found even had the same s&s part number on it.