Tiller shortening?

saurav16 · #1 (**permalink**) 08-09-2007

I have a catalina 27 and I was practicing racing today around buoys. It was hard to tack with someone in front of me running the jib sheets. Is it wise to shorten the tiller so crew are not in the way? Is there a way to raise it up higher and fix it in that position. It moves up but doesn't stay at a fixed point. Thanks!

sailingdog · #2 (**permalink**) 08-09-2007

You could probably modify the tiller cap piece to keep the tiller at an angle. Shortening the tiller will reduce the leverage you have, and if your boat suffers from extreme lee or weather helm at any time, it will be much harder to deal with.

tenuki · #3 (**permalink**) 08-10-2007

figure out how to get it to stay at any angle you put it at, mine does that I and like it a lot.

Siamese · #4 (**permalink**) 08-10-2007

Okay, so this won't be the definitive answer, but I've had a little experience with this.

I recently sailed on a Catalina 27 for the first time (my current boat has a wheel but my previous 26 footer had a tiller).

My impression was that the tiller on this particular 1977 27 footer was loooong. I took turns with the skipper (he's new to sailing) manning the tiller and working the winches as we tacked up the lake.

It seemed to me that the person manning the winches had no place to go to be out of the way of the tiller. Just seemed clumsy. I'd shorten the damn thing in a heartbeat. I doubt very much that leverage would be problem as you'll still have plenty of tiller.

Regarding the low tiller...I know what you mean. It's inconvenient and also presents a hazard. When the tiller's that low it's more possible for someone to step or fall on it and snap it off...ugh. It's been a decade+ since I had my 26 with the low tiller, but I recall that I put a shim (actually I think it might have been a bit of rope) under the the tiller right at the mounting harware so it wouldn't be so low. BIG DIFFERENCE.

Boasun · #5 (**permalink**) 08-10-2007

You might be able to cut it back a couple of inches. Have the end carved into a face of a bird or dragon. But when tacking the helmsman still would need to lift the tiller some in order to pass to the other side. Lift it too far and the boom may catch it.
You could try putting wedges under it to find an appropriate angle for you and your crew, in order to work the cockpit more easily.

You would cut it back to where your hand is normally on the tiller. But if you hand is normally at the bitter end of the tiller then Don't cut it. Think of it as a torque wench. The longer the handle the more torque you can use. Shorten it up to much and you will tire quickly as you wrestle that too short of a tiller and that will distract greatly from the joy of sailing.

blt2ski · #6 (**permalink**) 08-10-2007

Years ago on my stepdads 21' trailersailer, the tiller was straight out and flat, ie too low, length was ok. So I made an "S" curved upward then back level tiller out of maple and mahagony. I sorta kinda used the design from a Westsail 32 that also had a curve in the tiller. I may do teh same thing for my current Jeanneau to get the tiller a bit higher. Not sure if I will shorten it tho!

marty