Tiller extensions?

Howdy,

I'm working on getting my 70s Hobie back on the water. And I'm recalling that my tiller is pretty much shot. It's just a 6ft fiberglass rod but it is beginning to splinter and leave little bits of fiberglass in the hands,which is very unpleasant.

So what have yall used for aftermarket tillers? I'm on a college budget so Im not sure I'll be able to afford anything too cool or extravagant ... But I'm pretty handy and I'm inclined to try to make one that will get me by for the summer at least, befor forking over e cash for a hotstick or something of the sort.

Do yall have any ideas about materials or have any of yall done is in the past?

Thanks,
Nathan

A thought just came too me, I'm a senior mechanical engineering student and I think with a little convincing I could get some time on the schools 3D printer. It will print up too 3 feet long at a time, I could probably draw something up on some CAD software and print a extendable locking tiller out of abs platic.

Anyone have any thoughts on that?

Thanks again,

Nathan

Lightly sand the outside surface of the extension to knock loose glass fibers (you will probably want to wear gloves). Then give a wipe with acetone to clean off and shoot with rattle can spray paint to seal the exposed fibers and protect from further UV damage. Use hockey tape to add grip to the end.

sm

As srm says and go a step further wrap the whole stick in hockey tape.

Sent from my SGH-T999L using Tapatalk

I have used a 3/4 inch schedule 80 pvc pipe. Both ends are filled with wooden plugs to toughen them up a bit. Especially the end with the fittings installed. Not as stiff as the fiberglass, but does a good job.

If the fiberglass is still strong, you could cover it with a few lengths of nice heat-shrink tubing from an electronics supply store.

_________________
'00 H16 #104691
'78 H16 #32692 ex-rental [gone]
Old Holsclaw trailer
My Hobie 16 pages

I have successfully used a broom stick for a season. It doesn't take much. Actually, it was from a mop and was some sort of very thin walled steel tube. I sail in freshwater, though.

_________________
Steve
2017 Hobie 16 "Cayman" sails 114795
1985 & 1973? Hobie 14 "Sea & Ski"

Did that in college for a makeshift tiller on a Laser 2 once. Worked great and the boat flew just as fast as a witch on her broom!

Why not use an ordinary aluminum pipe? :O Why is it even glass? Mine is aluminum. Isnt it supposed to be aluminum? :O

Two reasons:
1) Aluminum bends and stays bent. The original (1970's) tiller extensions were 1/2" Al extrusions that ended up looking like noodles after a short while. If you dropped the extension and it got swept back under the tiller, it would end up with a 90 degree bend in it - if it didn't break first.
2) Fiberglass extensions were introduced in the late '70s / early '80s as one of the first electrocution prevention / safety measures developed by Hobie. There was a huge extension exchange program and thousands of free fiberglass extensions were distributed.

Until recently, the class rules for all Hobies except the Tiger and Wild Cat required a "non-conductive" tiller extension - which precluded carbon fiber / epoxy extensions (very lightweight and stiff). Sailors argued that "non-conductive" was too ambiguous - anything will conduct electricity if you put enough voltage across it (even fiberglass - especially if it's damp with salt water). So the rule was changed to allow any extension material, with a strong recommendation that they be non-conductive.

2nd to that comment. My previous owner sold my boat to me with an aluminum tiller extension. During the first time I took the boat out I telescoped it out a little bit, then at some point during the race I must've sat on it. It's bent a few degrees but is mostly straight, but is locked in the extended position. It gets annoying sometimes to deal with, but it is also the lowest thing on my repair priority list since it doesn't hinder sailing much.

Well we are talking about self repair right I know it would be like 100 times better if you buy it from the store, but if you want to fix it yourself then just buy an Al pipe for 2 $ and there you go. It is 10 times better then just use a broom lol

Pvc is better. Done the aluminum thing. Lasted 2 trips. Crooked as a crankshaft.

Just paint the darn thing like SRM said. If it's really bad, you can give it a thin coat of epoxy then topcoat with paint.

_________________
Jerome Vaughan
Hobie 16

I can recommend the bamboo tiller. Can be bought cheap at garden centers.
As I am sailing alone most of the time I buy ca 3 m long often cheaper in a bundle.
Home made connection to cross bar.

Even when cracked it can still be used and repaired with some tape: will be stiff again.
Have spare one at the club so I can exchange within minutes

Eddie
The Netherlands