Tiller screw atachment to rudder

Lark

New Member
When I picked up my boat yesterday, the tiller wasn't attached to the rudder. The dealer told me to just take the small screw out of the aft end of the tiller, pass it though the rudder sleeve and reinsert the screw. This worked except there is no stop to prevent the tiller from sliding aft, until the hiking stick hits the front of the ruder sleeve. Should I drill a small hole for this screw or just put a second screw forward of the rudder sleeve? Or it supposed to do this (seems odd to me)?
 
I have always thought the design of the tiller attachment is ridiculous.

The only problem I can see with putting a screw in front is that it makes storage of the rudder more difficult. In order for me to fit the rudder into my car, I need to shift the tiller a bit so the rudder is in the middle of the tiller.

I always figured I would eventually make some kind of removable pin system, but I have never done it (yet).
 
Tiller

I have my tiller permamently attached, but that may be inconvenient for some. Ideas, anyone?
 
My dealer sold me something he said came from a hobie. Anyway, I use a small stainless eye pin with a short cord. I drilled a hole just large enough for the pin in the top center of the rudder and into the tiller. I secured the cord to the pin with a stainless steel screw on the boat side of the tiller.

To install, insert the tiller, line up the holes and push in the pin. To remove, pull the pin and remove the tiller. The pin always stays with the tiller because of the short cord in the eye of the pin and screwed to the tiller. Works great.

Did a little looking and found the part at http://www.apsltd.com/Tree/d9000/e7442.asp
Also found a nice picture at same site.
http://www.apsltd.com/images/LaserBladesPartsLocatorLarg.gif

Alternatives that come to mind include a simple eyebolt.
 
Thanks for the link. That is an impressive website - it is one of the best online websites I have ever seen for sailing hardware because everything has pictures!
 
Tiller attachment - one man's solution

With any luck there should be a picture of my tiller solution attached to this message.

I used a 1/8" split pin and attached it to the side with shock cord. That was probably not necessary. The cord is so short that it's not going to get in the way of anything, and it's easier to clamp down on twine than shock-cord, which tends to squeeze itself out. I'll use twine when the shock-cord needs replacing.

This looks like the setup shown in the diagrams linked to the earlier postings. I essentially copied the set-up on my father's Wayfarer from oh so many years ago.

There's been no trouble with the pin coming out or with lines snagging on it - at least not so far.

Gordon
 

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