Tillers

[Johan van Zwienen]

I have a problem with the tillers touching the hatches I saw some pics on the forum with the tillers shortened, this might be an option, any other good solution to solve this problem?

[Mark Balogh]

You can attach some small wedges on the sides of the rudder heads that will raise the tillers up to clear the hatches.

[Scott Overdorf]

Hi Johan,

Just pulled my Tiki 21 off her mooring yesterday for some mid-winter maintenance (I live in the Southern Hemisphere) and my starboard hatch is rubbed from the tiller.  I agree with Mark that a small wedge on the rudder head will correct the problem as I intend to do that also.

Cheers

[Ian Bamsey]

My tillers come back over and above the hatches by an few inches. I wondered if it would be better to shorten them, but later realised this is probably by design. If the tillers are short (don't come over the hatch) and you fall or lean on the tillers, you are more likely to break them as there's nothing to stop you.

If the tillers are too low and are not higher than the hatches, you need to work on packing and adjusting the fit between the rudders and the tillers.

Good luck.

[Johan van Zwienen]

Thanks for the replies, for now I nailed two rubber strips on the sides of the rudder heads, the tillers move free now. when the boat is out of the water I will look for a better solution like a glued wedge .
Ian, You make a point about the tillers becoming fragile if not hanging over the hatches.

[John PAUL Bould]

I made a pair of shorter tillers, with a lower angle so they sit just over the beam.

[Johan van Zwienen]

Could you share a pic of those John ?

[John PAUL Bould]

the boat is sold..  but it worked well for me. No chance of falling on tiller bar and braking it, it just scimmed over the beam.