A Homemade Tiller Tender

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On my Catalina 22 I have a tiller tender which has served me well for many years — and it didn’t cost a cent.

A Homemade Tiller Tender

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On top of the tiller are two pieces of 3/8″ x 3/4″ hardwood about 5″ long. The two pieces are drilled horizontally, at the joint line, about 2″ from the end to accommodate a 3″ length of split neoprene which has an inside diameter slightly less than the diameter of the braided line which runs to the coamings. Two holes drilled vertically near the ends are used to fasten the device to the tiller.

The clamp is a short non-ferrous machine bolt and nut from salvage. The nut is epoxied into the bottom face of the lower piece so that it is flush with the bottom. A knurled knob is epoxied onto the bolt head. Some experimenting needs to be done to get the right length on the bolt. When tightened down there should be a small gap between the two pieces. This bolt assembly is about 3/4″ from the forward end.

Many times I have sailed with this tiller tender for twenty or thirty minutes without touching the tiller.

-G. Clark

Darrell Nicholson
Practical Sailor has been independently testing and reporting on sailboats and sailing gear for more than 50 years. Its independent tests are carried out by experienced sailors and marine industry professionals dedicated to providing objective evaluation and reporting about boats, gear, and the skills required to cross oceans. Practical Sailor is edited by Darrell Nicholson, a long-time liveaboard sailor and trans-Pacific cruiser who has been director of Belvoir Media Group's marine division since 2005. He holds a U.S. Coast Guard 100-ton Master license, has logged tens of thousands of miles in three oceans, and has skippered everything from pilot boats to day charter cats. His weekly blog Inside Practical Sailor offers an inside look at current research and gear tests at Practical Sailor, while his award-winning column,"Rhumb Lines," tracks boating trends and reflects upon the sailing life. He sails a Sparkman & Stephens-designed Yankee 30 out of St. Petersburg, Florida. You can reach him at darrellnicholson.com.