Minding the Tiller by Peter Phillips

At some time, every boat equipped with a tiller will require some method of securing it in a fixed position when at a mooring so that it does not flop around and place unnecessary wear and tear on the fittings. In addition, it is quite good to have some means of keeping the tiller straight while the tillerman ducks below for a quick cup of tea or something.

Securing the tiller in a stable position while under sail works much better on a long keeled boat with a long waterline length than on a short keeled boat which is built for more speed. Of course if you are buying a boat with a tiller rather than a wheel based steering system you should already have a long keeled boat anyway, for the same reason - that is it will be much more comfortable steering, especially for hours on end.

If you have the luxury of a self steering device you won't have that problem, but if it's an electronic one you should be mindful that electronics and sea water are not good bedfellows, and electronic devices frequently break down while at sea, so it is always prudent to have a simple backup system available. Also, self steering devices are obviously built for steering purposes, not for keeping the tiller steady while at a mooring. They are also a tempting target for thieves, and are subject to the weather. It's much better to keep them inside under lock and key while moored.

The simplest method of securing a tiller is to tie it up tightly with a rope to stop it moving around. However these simple lashings are too rigid to use when under sail, and could be hard to disconnect if the seas are rough.

There are tiller clamps available from ship chandleries, which let you connect and disconnect the tiller almost immediately. They attach to a rope fastened across the cockpit, and different positions are selected merely by sliding the clamp to the desired position. These work very well, but you can make your own.

The simplest solution is to wind a rope several times around the tiller, then attach the two free ends of the rope to the stanchions, one on each side of the boat. Thus the tiller is locked in place.

A much more satisfactory method is to introduce a short length of shockcord to the rope on each side of the tiller. You can buy a bungy cord from a discount store, or if you are really cheap, use a part of the inner tube of a bike tyre.

This method introduces some give, and takes care of the sudden surges in tide or waves when moored or when sailing, plus any other kind of sideways knock which can occur. You can adjust the rope even further by introducing sliding toggles, like those used for tent guy ropes. You slacken them off in light winds, and tighten them up when the winds get stronger.

Peter Phillips is an internet entrepreneur living in Canberra, Australia

If you are interested in sailing, please join my online community at: http://www.internetcruisingclub.com

For all you need to get started in internet marketing: http://www.money-makingopportunities.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Phillips