Carbon Tillers
- Thread starter Tom
- Start date
call mike at nelson bay lasers or go to www.lasersales.nelsonbay.com
drLaser
Member
Tom,
ANY Laser dealer will be able to sell you a Black Diamond tiller (at least in North America). Use your local dealer to be nice. I don't know where you are located, but you can get the contact info for all dealers from the website of the Laser Builder in your region.
I have a Black Diamond by ACME, and also an "Exelarator" by Sailboat International (Suthpen designed). I prefer the Excelerator, which is much lighter.
The Excelerator has a carbon "roller" right where the traveler blocks cross over the tiller, as opposed to a fixed metal (now titanium) plate used by ACME. The Excelerator is no longer manufactured and hard to come by.
That "roller design" was so successful that... I would swear Steve Cockerill (Rooster Sailing, UK) had recently started marketing an almost identical design, but now, I can't seem to find it in www.roostersailing.com. Maybe it was a different merhandiser... Worth a search!
Shevy
ANY Laser dealer will be able to sell you a Black Diamond tiller (at least in North America). Use your local dealer to be nice. I don't know where you are located, but you can get the contact info for all dealers from the website of the Laser Builder in your region.
I have a Black Diamond by ACME, and also an "Exelarator" by Sailboat International (Suthpen designed). I prefer the Excelerator, which is much lighter.
The Excelerator has a carbon "roller" right where the traveler blocks cross over the tiller, as opposed to a fixed metal (now titanium) plate used by ACME. The Excelerator is no longer manufactured and hard to come by.
That "roller design" was so successful that... I would swear Steve Cockerill (Rooster Sailing, UK) had recently started marketing an almost identical design, but now, I can't seem to find it in www.roostersailing.com. Maybe it was a different merhandiser... Worth a search!
Shevy
ChrisSmith
New Member
I recently got the latest Rooster tiller and sailed with it for the first time last weekend. The ONLY reason I shelled out the cash was to get the lowest-to-the-deck tiller out there, which I believe it is. The whole light-weight thing is a bit silly to me.
drLaser
Member
It's not a matter of total, all-up hull weight.
All carbon tillers have heads that perfectly match the rudder head without any play. So, it's not a matter of unwanted tiller play, either.
It's a matter of sensitivity of the tiller to your fingertips. You'll notice the difference in anything under ten knots.
The difference between the feel of an aluminum tiller versus an ACME carbon tiller is the same as the difference between the feel of an ACME carbon versus the Sutphen carbon. I have not tested the Rooster tiller.
SG
PS. Chris: Could you please define what you mean by the "latest Rooster tiller"?
Could you also pretty please place the tiller on a flat surface, push down hard on the rudder head so that the forward end of the tiller lifts off the surface, and then measure (in mm, to the nearest 1/2 mm) the distance between the flat surface and the top of the tiller stick, exactly at 45cm from the aft end of the tiller? (1 in = 2.5417 cm) We'd love to hear that statistic.
All carbon tillers have heads that perfectly match the rudder head without any play. So, it's not a matter of unwanted tiller play, either.
It's a matter of sensitivity of the tiller to your fingertips. You'll notice the difference in anything under ten knots.
The difference between the feel of an aluminum tiller versus an ACME carbon tiller is the same as the difference between the feel of an ACME carbon versus the Sutphen carbon. I have not tested the Rooster tiller.
SG
PS. Chris: Could you please define what you mean by the "latest Rooster tiller"?
Could you also pretty please place the tiller on a flat surface, push down hard on the rudder head so that the forward end of the tiller lifts off the surface, and then measure (in mm, to the nearest 1/2 mm) the distance between the flat surface and the top of the tiller stick, exactly at 45cm from the aft end of the tiller? (1 in = 2.5417 cm) We'd love to hear that statistic.
Fuzzy Metal
New Member
ACME has been the norm in North America for a while. The MBYachting Tiller from NZL is also nice. Can be seen at www.lasertillers.com They are quite slick and have super smooth feel on the helm. He has also developed a plate that can be installed instead of the roller for those that can't get past the wear plate style. Or you can just switch between the roller and plate depending on your preference. You can get them through Glenmore Sailboats in NA... check the last Laser Sailor.
Steve McBride
Steve McBride
mattsterett
New Member
"I would swear Steve Cockerill (Rooster Sailing, UK) had recently started marketing an almost identical design, but now, I can't seem to find it in www.roostersailing.com. Maybe it was a different merhandiser... Worth a search!" SG
I got the tiller you described through APS (apsltd.com). It is made by rooster sailing.
"what is the best carbon tiller on the market" Tom
I have both a black diamond tiller and a rooster tiller (with a roller). The rooster cost more but is obviously (in my oppinion) better made. Also, I think the roller is much better for steering, esspecially in light winds.
I got the tiller you described through APS (apsltd.com). It is made by rooster sailing.
"what is the best carbon tiller on the market" Tom
I have both a black diamond tiller and a rooster tiller (with a roller). The rooster cost more but is obviously (in my oppinion) better made. Also, I think the roller is much better for steering, esspecially in light winds.
drLaser
Member
Tiller design is not restricted by Laser Class Rules, other than the requirement of being straight.
Shevy Gunter
Shevy Gunter