We broke a fairly new (2nd season) steering cable about 100 miles outside of Bermuda in 09'. We setting up for a gale when we slid backward with a only the heavily reefed main up...my guess is the rudder went to its stops, unloaded the cable (which was recently tightened) and when re-loaded the cable misaligned and snapped.
So we immediately put the auto-pilot on. The ram is directly attached to the post via its own tiller arm. Great insurance if the radial drive goes. We used the pilot all day in the ensuing 30+ knots slog upwind. Could not imagine doing that manually with the emergency tiller. I guess we would have rigged some sort of tackle to manage the thing. To use our tiller, two things have to happen. Remove the wheel and remove the helm "throne". I suggest removing the wheel at the dock to test its ease of removal. If it is corroded and set (like I discovered a few years ago) it may take a pulley puller to get the thing off. I don't usually carry one of those things aboard so I now check that at the start of every season and rent the tool if necessary. When the tiller is installed dead-ahead is oriented 45% off center (starboard) to clear the binnacle. Sailing with that orientation in practice is not so bad but trying to back into a dock was more than a little challenging and a bit embarrassing. Over-all the big issue was load. I am fairly large at 6'4" and 215 lbs and I really had to throw my hip into the tiller to make it move (even docking and motoring) so you may want to keep that in mind when planning on using it. In Bermuda we replaced the cable with one a size larger than Edson recommends just in case... It is stored in the cockpit locker. David F. Risch 1981 40-2 (401) 419-4650 (cell) Date: Mon, 1 Aug 2016 08:15:14 -0500 To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com Subject: Re: Stus-List Emergency tiller & wrenches. Where? 33-2 and others From: cnc-list@cnc-list.com CC: capt...@gmail.com Dave, Touche's emergency tiller is snapped into two clips right inside the starboard cockpit locker. See: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_sb5TfIENvsdWgtQkQ5TDM4cWM A pair of clips like these would work: http://www.defender.com/product3.jsp?path=-1|10918|2303301&id=19242 It is immediately available. A wrench is attached with electrical tape. The tape has a pull tab for easy removal. Right above the tiller is our boat hook. Dennis C. Touche' 35-1 #83 Mandeville, LA On Sun, Jul 31, 2016 at 7:14 PM, Syerdave--- via CnC-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote: This has bugged me since I bought the boat. The wrenches are currently cable-tied to the tiller and the tiller is tied to the hold down straps on the fuel tank. Not a fan really, and I don't like needing tools for such a thing. Thoughts/advice from those more evolved than I? Many thanks, Dave. _______________________________________________ This list is supported by the generous donations of our members. If you like what we do, please help us pay for our costs by donating. All Contributions are greatly appreciated! _______________________________________________ This list is supported by the generous donations of our members. If you like what we do, please help us pay for our costs by donating. All Contributions are greatly appreciated! Virus-free. www.avast.com
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