TILLER LENGTH AND DESIGN

[Pjazz]

Hi all, may I ask your suggestions for a cruising tiller (not adjustable).

I find my 42" tiller (as per older plans) a little short and I may just make a 48" one to give it a go. Simple enough so far. I have been lurking on the previous posts and have found a lot of suggestions for adjustable ones, composite ones, etc... a little too much work for me. However, I note on some pics/videos that a lot of you racers have a "shape" extending/curving below the fore-aft axis of the tiller. Is this for occasionally holding the tiller between your legs while you may need two hands?

Is there a simple plan for this anywhere?

Thx a bunch, Pierre J (Mont-Tremblant, Qc)

[DN 5449]

https://geoffs.net/ice/FoamCoreTiller/index.html

[Geoff Sobering]

https://geoffs.net/ice/FoamCoreTiller/index.html

Once change I've made to simplify the design is to lengthen the piece of wood underneath the aluminum to the full length of the cutout.
This eliminates having to make the short "step" cut in the foam.

I've probably made half-a-dozen tillers like this and the only ones I remember breaking happened during a crash.

Cheers,

Geoff S.
US-5156

[DN 5449]

I have made a couple of these and they work great

[MICHAEL]

I have had one of these built by Ron. Works great. Twice in my early days of wipe outs, I broke the handle off and cracked the body. Both times a little glass cloth wrap have lasted 8 years!

[wnethercote]

I have built a bunch based on Geoff Sobering's design, although now I use carbon fiber rather than plywood.  I used to use a fixed tiller.  It was either too short when starting or too long when sailing, and REALLY hurt when I dropped a runner into a crack.  A telescoping tiller is beneficial in more than one way!