KISS? or ... why a wheel?

[Triquetra]

Mea culpa. I did not look at the date.

[smackdaddy]

Don't sweat it Triq. Out of curiosity - how did you find the thread? Were you generally looking for comparisons?

I ask because a lot of people run across these threads by Google, etc. That's how I came across this site. And that's why I personally think it's perfectly fine to float an oldie. A lot of them have great info and great entertainment at times.

[Triquetra]

Originally Posted by smackdaddy

Don't sweat it Triq. Out of curiosity - how did you find the thread? Were you generally looking for comparisons?

I ask because a lot of people run across these threads by Google, etc. That's how I came across this site. And that's why I personally think it's perfectly fine to float an oldie. A lot of them have great info and great entertainment at times.

I was just scanning through the titles and read through it. I was discussing having new people on my boat over lunch, and how using a tiller doesn't always come naturally to people. I guess that the thread just caught my eye.

As for the site, I found it while fitting up my boat in 2005. I am relatively new to sailing and try to learn as much as I can, because I would ratherlear from other people's experience than my own, though my self-taught experience is growing remarkably fast, unfortunately. I hope to be getting my renovated Fay-swamped boat back soon.

[smackdaddy]

Cool. Stay with it. There are a lot of really great sailors on this site that will be happy to answer virtually any question you have. They've been very generous with me...also a sailing newbie.

So feel free to jump in wherever you want - and don't sweat the trolls. They're chumps.

[Valiente]

I have hydraulic steering on the big boat at two helms, inside the pilothouse and on deck with a smallish wheel and 18 inches of "foot well" in which to stand. If I have a malfunction or if I want to run the windvane, I can bypass the hydraulics and run a tiller to the transom-hung rudder. Best of both worlds, I think.

[Triquetra]

Originally Posted by smackdaddy

Cool. Stay with it. There are a lot of really great sailors on this site that will be happy to answer virtually any question you have. They've been very generous with me...also a sailing newbie.

So feel free to jump in wherever you want - and don't sweat the trolls. They're chumps.

So far I have not met with any ill-will on this site, though lots of needling . SailingDog has given me great advice and I know he was not poking fun at my oversight more than he does with Cam, though I hope to not earn that level of abuse.

[WaterHouse]

Consider attaching a tiller pilot, an autopilot, closer than usual to the steering post (you may want a sturdier autopilot for this) and put a hinged joint in the tiller just beyond the pilot attachment.

When you have guests in the cockpit that want to party instead of sail, use the autopilot and move the tiller up and out of the way.

You can spend more time adjusting the sails and concentrating on your guests, instead of watching a compass if you let a pilot steer anyway. If you have guests, they can really get in the way of enjoying sailing.

[smackdaddy]

Originally Posted by WaterHouse

When you have guests in the cockpit that want to party instead of sail, use the autopilot and move the tiller up and out of the way.

I like the way you think Water! A fine use of technology, ingenuity...and booze!

[CaptKermie]

Even though I learned on a tiller and spent my first few years sailing with a tiller I still like my curent wheel.
In todays modern day & age tillers are old school, ancient technology. Sure the old salt purist will swear by one but the newer sailors comming out to play already have a pre-conceived notion that a wheel is the preferred mechanism for steering. They see wheels in all the latest magazines and most modern boats, even smaller ones have wheels to appeal to the modern buyer. If I saw a tiller in a new boat I was shopping for I'd likely move on to another boat with a wheel, just a preference to modern design. Wheels are modern, tillers are ancient, just the mentality of todays newer boaters.
This thread started in 2003 but today 5+ years later attitudes are changing, wheels will be the mechanism of choice by builders in order to apeal to the modern buyer. Use tillers for the dinghy sailboats, anything 25'+ is going to sell easier with a wheel.

[rdstanley]

I think it depends on what you intend to do. When I'm racing I prefer a tiller. When I'm hanging out with my wife, aka the admiral, or friends I prefer a wheel. I quess everything has it's place.