DaySailer.org Forum

I need help finding a replacement for my old wood tiller (DSII). Any suggustions?

D & R Marine will sell you one for $59.00.

Some people have laminated their own - read back in the earlier posts on this forum (also under DS1 and Repair).

Finally, you can post an ad in the Wanted To Buy secttion of this forum.

Good luck!

Thank you for your reply. Do have contact information for D & R marine? Curt

D R Marine is online at www.drmarine.com

I made my own replacement tiller from an ash 2 x 4 I bought at a lumberyard. I used the old one as a pattern to shape the new. If you're handy with a sureform and a sander you can fashion a new tiller in an afternoon in your garage.

My next step was to build my own. Maybe that the best option. Thanks for your help. Curt

Using an ash post hole digger handle with wood extensions works well as it is stiff and fairly inexpensive.

Curt,

I agree with Bob here. A post hole digger (known from here onwards as a PhD) handle usually comes with a round portion where you would come into contact with it, terminating in a square end where it would usually come in contact with the tool. If I were you, I would just cut to size, leaving enough of the square end to easily fasten some wood blocks with. Just cut yourself 2 blocks of the same width as the handle - place one on either side and run a couple of stainless bolts through. Then drill one more hole at the other end of the blocks to run the bolt through the rudder. If the space between the blocks is larger than the rudder head - you may need to either shim this area up with 2 smaller pieces - or if you are a bit handier, make two cuts on the blocks to offset the thickness between PhD end and rudder head. Sand everything up to get rid of the sharp edges once assembled, then varnish 6 or 8 times and I bet this could look pretty sharp! - and cost you about 10 or 15 bucks. Maybe less!

The tool of choice to get to the D/R Marine home page is google.

Not everybody likes to do their own woodworking - no matter how easy. (Although I'd personally go that route every time).

I like the PhD handle suggestion. Just want to observe that the forces that act on the "fork" side of the tiller are substantial.

Through-bolting the two "tines" where they meet the stem helps, and even on my tiller which is made from a single piece, there's a boat nail fitted from side to side that's supposed to prevent the wood from splitting. Even if the wood cracks, the tiller can't pull apart readily.

However, there are two other places where it may be worth guarding against splitting, and that is where the bolt goes through the two tines and the rudder head. Each of the "tines" should be supported against splitting horizontally, for example by drilling a small hole top to bottom near the end and placing a #6 bolt with nut.

Even if the wood should crack, these bolts would prevent the hinge bolt from pulling out of the end of the tiller.

Yea - mine is original and has the two aluminum blocks or times, rather than wood. I think wood can easily be strong enough as long as you construct it properly as Green Lake made note. I thought for a long time about where one might find aluminum blocks that could work in a similar fashion but came up empty handed.

Thanks guys. Great suggustions. I'm off to the lumberyard. Curt

I purchased my 1983 DSII last month. Previous owner (PO) had made a beautiful new tiller — some special dark wood that I think starts with A laminated around white pine. Sadly, this tiller is unsatisfactory because it droops. Is there something I can do to raise it up to at least be level? Also I notice that the rear hole in the rudder head is now unused. Is that part of the problem? FYI, PO is an accomplished woodworker but a newbie sailor. : )

If not easily reconfigured, I plan to buy the DSIII/DSII(1983) 43" solid ash tiller from D&R Marine with cleat for $53. I like the idea of making my own from a post-hole digger handle, but I don't do woodwork quickly or easily (TY, GL). Moreover, I would enjoy driving down to Assonet where I have cousins.

Once this tiller issue is resolved, I will be looking at extensions ... so many choices ... so I can do the jib when tacking without letting go of the tiller! I appreciate the suggestion to leave room for a handhold in front of the point of attachment. Reminded me of the way the extension worked on my dad's Ensign. Will jump over to the tiller extension thread if I have questions.

There's nothing wrong with shimming the tiller a bit. Many rudder heads have an adjustable (or carefully positioned) stop that limits the tiller position. This one seems to rely on the fixed bolt which many have been positioned too low. Mounting it in the rear hole instead, might also fix things, simple enough to try. If that doesn't fix it, just glue something underneath the tiller where it rests on the bolt on the forward end. That should do it. (Just as long as you don't raise the tiller to where it is no longer held by the two plates. I don't think that will be an issue, because I suspect just a little amount of shim will make the necessary difference.

Thank you, Green Lake. I'm planning to try out your suggestions this weekend (on the trailer). First, moving to the rear hole; if necessary, adding a shim to the tiller where it rests on the forward bolt.

I bought Roger Conrad's book about DSII's and notice that the drawing on the cover (as well as drawing 6.4 Rudder Head Assembly) shows a different rudder-tiller configuration than I have on my boat, built March 1983. I'm guessing that mine — with the tiller passing through the rudder head — is a newer version. Is that correct? It is not one of the differences Roger lists on page 4 of his book.

Are there any other (besides rudder-tiller assembly) differences between pre-1983 and 1983+ DSIIs? If so, are they documented somewhere? (I realize that this last is off topic, so welcome its being moved to a more appropriate thread.)

-Cindy

Rudder heads are one of the items that owners tend to replace over time - for various reasons. So you can't assume that your boat is factory original.

There's an owner for the DS1 that put together a spreadsheet with design changes over time for that model. If DSII owners would like the same thing, someone would have to start one and share it. (In a new thread, perhaps "DSII Design Changes"). Maybe, you could just ask the question in a new thread and see what comes up from any other DSII owners on the forum.

Thank you. : )