Tiller Extension Length?

Dbarder

New Member
I am looking into buying the ACME tiller and ACME fatso tiller extension. However, I don't know which lenght is best; 24in, 48in, or 54in? Which do you prefer?

Also, what is the difference between the Fatso and Fatso Jr? I would presume it is the Diamator of the stick, no?
 
Re: Tiller Extension Lenght?

48" is the typical race length.

A few customers like the 54" and a couple customers cut theirs down to 44" but 48" is by far the most common.

Fatso is the larger diameter.
Fatso Jr. is a smaller diameter (fits smaller hands a bit better)
 
Re: Tiller Extension Lenght?

I made an extension from a 48" piece of carbon and epoxied a universal joint into one end...fixed to my Acme Carbon tiller, I found that the extension would get caught on the mainsheet, between the boom and the mainsheet block, when tacking.

To get the extension passed the mainsheet, I would have to oversteer the rudder. This made tacks slower and more clumsy. That night, I cut 6" off of it. Now it doesn't get caught.
 
Re: Tiller Extension Lenght?

See if your buddies will let you try theirs first for a tack or two. Like the dubber says, "I've cut it twice now and its still to short....." I'm 5'8" and I use the 48" jr. but I've sailed cats and other stuff, so I'm used to extra ext. in some circumstances, such as reaching in hvy air when you are farther back in the boat. I find you can adapt to an ext. which is a little too long, but one that is too short is no good at all.
 
I purchased the 48" fatso jr from IntensitySails and it makes my previous extension (that came with the laser) completely inadequte in comparison. The boat is just that much better to sail, particularly in stronger wind conditions. I'm 186cm's in height so the 48" lenght is spot on for me. I would also recommend you get the Black Diamond tiller at the same time.
 
Regarding the right length what most people say is to use the longest extension that you can handle i.e. not get it caught on the mainsheet
 
I have mine cut so that the end just clears the block on the boom when the tiller is pointed straight ahead. That way I can move it from one side to the other even when I'm steering straight ahead. Sorry I don't know the extension length...

I think most people like a it a bit longer - so that the tiller has to be moved to one side or the other a bit (ex. like when you're tacking) for the hiking stick to clear the boom block.
 
I bought the ACME fatso Jr. 54 inches long and broke it off at about 44 inches during a roll tack. 54 was too long, 44 was too short. I reattached the broken end and then cut it to 48 inches which I like alot. I'm 5'8".
 

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