Tiller Extension

J

james17

New Member
As you have probably seen there are 3,000 odd posts so i dunno whether this has been mentioned but,
Has ne1 other than me ever had a problem with gripping the laser xd carbon tiller extension! i find mine just slips out my hands sometimes in a gybe or tack! wat do i use? some sort of taping method isnt there? I would appreciate your help! thanx alot!
 
Oh and also does anyone find it to be too long? im thinking bout taking a couple of inches off the end cos i get it tangled in the mainsheet off the ratchet wen i roll tack and try to keep the rudder straight!
 
James17 wrote:
"i find mine just slips out my hands sometimes "

I use a Ronstan-alu-tiller-extension, that also has not enough grip. I went to the local-biker-shop and bought a neoprene tube for the handlebar of a racing-bike. It fits enough and the cost for that tube is only: 6 Euro. Open the rivets on the tiller-extension at the connection-side to the tiller then put the tube on it. Screw the extension to the connection joint with "V2A" srews (screw that do not rust) or "V4A"-Screws (if you sail on saltwater).
That was all I had to do.
Bye
LooserLu
 
In my last boat I used a 48" Battlestick. I really liked it. I did have to turn the rudder while roll tacking to get the stick to clear the mainsheet, but not much. I've been away from the class for about 5 years and now I'm seeing guys w/53" extensions. Maybe they are shorter. I'm 6'2" so my arms have good reach. My current boat has a 46" standard Vanguard stick. I'll try it this weekend and see how it works. As for the grip all of the sticks I've used in the past, (on lasers and othr boats) have been fine. Sometimes I will wrap the extension grip with 1/8" line and cover that with a good layer of duct tape. That's all I've ever done.
 
I've been using an Acme Fatso Jr extension - when the grip wears on that I have recoated the area I want to regrip with epoxy and sprinkled fine beach sand on it. That seems to last about 6 months.

On previous aluminum extensions I used to use hockey stick tape for grip. It's a cloth tape, not vinyl, that seemed pretty grippy.

My current extension is 52" (I'm 5'10") and after some initial getting used to the extension longer then the cockpit issues, I really like the longer length, it lets me keep my steering hand up higher on my body when hiked out, and lets me sit more or less anywhere I want in light air
 
I use an aluminum extension that I bought many (many!) years ago. It is a small enough diameter that I use a golf club grip on it. I don't golf, and they look at me funny when I bring in, but a $6 grip gives several years of service.

Of course, they will tell you that the grips are not supposed to get wet.....
 
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