DaySailer.org Forum

I am restoring a long neglected DS II. The tiller ends a few inches past the tiller extender in a rotted stump. There is no way to tell how long it was. I have made a tiller out of laminated cherry (long story-just ask) and went well beyong the pattern to 58 inches. How long are yours?

48 inches, end to end.

Looks like I have 10 inches to spare. I think I'll split the difference. I can always cut it down later, but I can't make it grow! Measure twicew, cut one my grandpa said.

Thanks,

greg

dont cut it til you try it...58 may be the exact length it should be....

Gerald,

Of course you're right. I still have a good sized patch and a hull paint job scheduled before I sail her for the first time. I don't even have a sense of what I need yet. I've just seen my the only other DSII I've ever seen in the area. Now I'll be able to physically compare boats.

Greg

redtailseven;

Tell us your laminated cherry tiller story. I have over time replaced almost every part of my boat that was wood, not that there was much in the first place. I have replaced and repaired the hatch twice, (perhaps more), this time it is plastic! The jib cleat risers are next as they are cracked and deteriorating... I have already repaired them once. Not long down the road is the tiller, that although has been refinished once also, is showing cracks as well. On the point of a wooden tiller however, I refuse to go to fg or aluminum, so am considering laminating up some ash with either cherry or lilac. Tell us your story.

RATS!!

I was just finishing up a detailed story about the tiller about 3 paragrapgs long, when my connection broke. I'll give the bare bones and flesh out the details after work, if necessary.
I use cherry because a local furniture company puts scraps out in a bin for wood workers and wood burners. I check the bin frequently. I just used some to rebuild a canoe for a buddy who just got back from Ramadi, Iraq.
I made a wedge the with of the throat of the tiller and about 18 inches long. Using "Gorilla Glue" I glued and clamped a !/2 thick strip to the wedge with enough for the prong going past the web. Let dry for 4 hours or so, then I glued another 1/2 strip to the other side and a 1/4 strip to the first side. When dry, the other 1/4 strip goes on. Round with a router or plane drill the bolt holes in the prong and cut to length.
My original has some reinforcing hardware that I don't know if I'll duplicate. Since there is only about an hour of fun work involved, I figure I can afford to experiment.

I can post a couple of picture in a day or so.

Regards,

Greg

The strips are 1 3/8 wide, so the finished tiller is a rounded 2x1 3/8 with a fairly gentle taper up to 3 or so inches wide (however wide the original was-of course!).

This really dates my restoration project. Last Saturday I sailed Redtail 7 for the first time. As I suspected,, it was too long. I kept getting poked in my side as I moved from side to sid. I cut is down to 48 inches, just as Adrift suggested. The forum wins again!