John, I have an emergency tiller that came with Calypso but does not fit the rudder post. IIRC it has a cast fitting that has a rectangular cut out to fit over a machined rudder post head. I suspect it was original from Bruckmann’s to fit the original rudder. Calypso’s rudder was replaced back in 1974 with no provision for using this tiller.
If you send me a picture and/or measurements I will dig the tiller out of storage and check if it would work on your 36-1. (BTW I owned a 1980 C&C 36 for 7 years. I do not recall what the top of the rudder post looked like. My wife still misses that boat, she is spooked by Calypso’s racing sail plan and heavier displacement.) I am a firm believer in having a emergency tiller or alternate method of steering. During a delivery of a C&C 39 south to LA for the start of the 1977 Transpac we experienced steering failure. It was 3 or 4 AM and we were in the middle of the “squash zone” an area of enhanced Northwesterly winds between the WA/OR border and Point Reyes (just north of San Francisco). The winds were gusting to the high 30’s and the seas were big and steep. When the woodruff key between the SS rudder post and the steering quadrant sheared the boat rounded up on the face of a steep breaking wave. I was below in on one of the saloon bunks and was tossed over the lee cloth onto the owner that was sleeping to leeward. We both raced onto deck to see WTF happened. We rigged the short emergency tiller (very similar to the one I have in storage). It took two of us sitting on the cockpit floor to exert enough force on the short tiller to bring the boat back to course. We reduced sail to a double reefed main. Once it was determined what failed and that a spare woodruff key was onboard we waited for daylight to effect repairs. The guy that drew the short straw had to climb under the cockpit and disconnect the steering cables and un-bolt the quadrant. With the replacement woodruff key in place and the quadrant re-mounted the cables needed slack to be re-attached. This meant holding the rudder full over on each side long enough for the poor guy under the cockpit to attach the cable and make a rough adjustment. Everything loose onboard was secured and the main sheet was manned. Once we pulled the tiller hard over the boat began spinning circles in the big seas. Of course this was entertaining for those of us up on deck but miserable for the guy hooking up the cables below. Of note, if the tiller slipped the guy hooking up cables could lose a finger or two. In all it worked out OK. Once full steering function was reestablished, sails hoisted and the mess cleaned up it was time for breakfast. IIRC it was egg-foo-young. Martin DeYoung Calypso 1971 C&C 43 Seattle/Port Ludlow >>>>>> John McCrea Thu, Dec 31, 2020 4:06 PM Hello all. I need an emergency tiller for my 1979 36-1. My bot did not come with one. I have access to one from a club members 36-1 that I can get replicated but it will be pricey. Does anyone have an extra or know of a source that has the casting for the rudder fitting? Thanks! John McCrea Talisman 1979 36-1 Hull 113 Mystic, CT
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