Tiller tamer and ratchet block?

leob1

Member
My Super Porpoise requires that both hand be kept busy, and some times I could use a third. It doesn't have a place to cleat the mainsheet, so I have to hold on to it all the time. I also have to hold the tiller to maintain course. Every once in a while I'd like to let go of either one, usually the sheet, to do things like pick up my water bottle and have a drink. Important when it's hot and sunny. Or just to relax my hands when they cramp. Or to wave at another sailor
I was thinking of putting on a ratchet block for that purpose using well-nuts, rivnuts, or some other type of blind fastener to hold it in place. This would going into just the fiberglass with out a backing.
Do you think that it would be enough to hold it and not get ripped off using these types of fasteners?

I'm also think of devising some type of tiller tamer to hold the tiller for a short time to free my hands. Maybe clamping a line across the boat on the hull join seam and then a few turns around the tiller. Anybody ever do something like this?

I'm finishing my spring maintenance on the wood bits, and itching to get out on the water.
 
Most dinghy sailors turn their vessel into the wind to take care of 'other' business(es).
One can also relax with the wind coming in from the side and letting the sail flap. This way, your head will be safe from the boom.
 

Attachments

  • relax on Laser.pdf
    7.1 MB · Views: 50
If you just want to cleat off, you can put a cam cleat like this one on the wall of the cockpit. it will be fine because the force of the sheet will be tangential to the cleat.

The sunfish has a cockpit lip, which means the rachet shown can be backed by washers. The super sunfish doesn't have that lip methinks. So just putting it thru the top of the hull without backing could be a little iffy in stronger winds.


img0187_070.jpg

For a tiller tamer, you can try hooking a bungie to either side of the hull, doing a wrap around the tiller, and seeing how that goes.
Its fine for just cruising around, but not if you want to hold a course.
 
I was thinking of putting on a ratchet block for that purpose using well-nuts, rivnuts, or some other type of blind fastener to hold it in place. This would going into just the fiberglass with out a backing.
Do you think that it would be enough to hold it and not get ripped off using these types of fasteners?
No. :confused:

The Porpoise doesn't have the Sunfish's deck "lip" to run fasteners through.

'Thinking you'll end up with a small inspection port to back up your fasteners. Alternatively, a round piece of hardwood can be bonded to the deck for fasteners.

I tried attaching a block to the top of the daggerboard--which wasn't awful. :oops: The Porpoise was sold before trying the inspection port.
 
I use the Harken 57 mm Carbo Single With Cam. See the photo of one below. Here's the adjustments I made to make it work just right.

- Flip the cam cleat over
- Mount it with 2 springs
- Move the forward block on the boom forward... or just tie another one forward and leave the original on the boom.

I can't recommend this set up enough. Discovered it from another sailor on this forum. You can see it in "hands free" use at 2 minutes, 17 seconds is this video.

And here's some footage I shot of the fine tuning adjustments I made for the block so it works great.

- Andy

Carbo Block With Cam Cleat.jpg
 
Last edited:
I'm also think of devising some type of tiller tamer to hold the tiller for a short time to free my hands. Maybe clamping a line across the boat on the hull join seam and then a few turns around the tiller. Anybody ever do something like this?
I have a tiller tamer. I think the polite name for it is the intergluteal cleft ;^)
Seriously though, in light winds or going downwind if I want to eat a sandwich or something without heaving-to I just site at the back of the cockpit and a bit of light pressuse between my arse and the end of the tiller is enough to keep it straight. I can even steer a bit hands free. ha ha.
 
My Super Porpoise requires that both hand be kept busy, and some times I could use a third. It doesn't have a place to cleat the mainsheet, so I have to hold on to it all the time. I also have to hold the tiller to maintain course. Every once in a while I'd like to let go of either one, usually the sheet, to do things like pick up my water bottle and have a drink. Important when it's hot and sunny. Or just to relax my hands when they cramp. Or to wave at another sailor
I was thinking of putting on a ratchet block for that purpose using well-nuts, rivnuts, or some other type of blind fastener to hold it in place. This would going into just the fiberglass with out a backing.
Do you think that it would be enough to hold it and not get ripped off using these types of fasteners?

I'm also think of devising some type of tiller tamer to hold the tiller for a short time to free my hands. Maybe clamping a line across the boat on the hull join seam and then a few turns around the tiller. Anybody ever do something like this?

I'm finishing my spring maintenance on the wood bits, and itching to get out on the water.
My brother Bill... adjusting his smart phone for another photo.

View attachment 30995

- Andy
My tiller tamer is a strip of velcro along either or both edges of deck and opposing velcro wrapped around hiking stick, all in proper location. Have used this arrangement on other boats, works well.
 

Back
Top