Cutting Tiller Hole in Transom

Welcome to PocketShip.net! This bulletin board is for builders of the Chesapeake Light Craft-John C. Harris "PocketShip" design, a 15-foot micro cruiser sailboat built from a kit or plans.

For more information on PocketShip, click here: http://www.clcboats.com/pocketship

This site gathers PocketShip builders in one place. Here you can share photos, tips, questions, and---eventually---your sailing adventures in PocketShip! CLC will also post design updates and tips here as they come up.

We'll try to knock down spam as quickly as possible.

Moderator: John C. Harris

Forum rules
Spam or commercial posts will be deleted.
This is a civil forum: no flames or drunken tirades.
Please stay on-topic.
PocketShip's Web Page: http://www.clcboats.com/pocketship
If you need CLC customer service: http://www.clcboats.com/forms/contact_us.html
We'll try to delete spam as soon as it appears.

Cutting Tiller Hole in Transom

Postby Mflyer65 on Wed Dec 04, 2019 1:30 pm

I am ready to cut out the tiller hole in the transom but note that the dimensions recommended are 3 inches high and 3 1/4 inches wide, but the mark I made from the rudder opening is only 2 inches high. Any recommendations for final fit of the tiller? Do I start an inch higher than the marks I made on the transom or maybe split the difference and just center the 2 inches in the 3 inch opening? Since the tiller movement allows for some vertical activity I don't want to wait until I have a tiller in hand to decide and possibly need to make additional modifications.
Thanks for any recommendations.
Mike
Mflyer65
 
Posts: 67
Joined: Thu Nov 15, 2018 12:09 pm
Location: Durham, NC

Re: Cutting Tiller Hole in Transom

Postby riverron on Wed Dec 04, 2019 7:16 pm

Mike, do you have your rudder built that you can mark exactly where the hole needs to go? I would recommend that to make sure it is exactly where you want it. I also copied Jeff Perkins build and cut an oval hole which was much bigger and should allow enough horizontal and vertical movement. I also like the looks of the oval vs. square.
riverron
 
Posts: 256
Joined: Fri Aug 07, 2015 10:29 am
Location: Richmond Virginia

Re: Cutting Tiller Hole in Transom

Postby craig on Wed Dec 04, 2019 10:05 pm

I would wait until you have your rudder mounted and tiller made. Even then, keep in mind that the tiller comes out of the rudder at a bit of an angle.

This may be a mistake unique to me, but I dramatically overestimated the vertical movement of the rudder and cut a bigger hole than I needed to. If i was doing it again, i would wait until I had everything in place.
Titania, launched January 2015
craig
 
Posts: 284
Joined: Fri Feb 21, 2014 1:04 pm
Location: Chapel Hill, NC

Re: Cutting Tiller Hole in Transom

Postby Wayne G on Wed Dec 04, 2019 10:32 pm

I went strictly by the plans when locating and cutting the opening.
Because the rudder floats it travels between the upper and lower limits of the “Pintle” depending on whether the boat is in the water or on the dry and the designed opening allows the tiller to travel between these limits without coming into contact with the transom.
Wayne Gray
Orlando Florida
Wayne G
 
Posts: 88
Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2016 11:19 am

Re: Cutting Tiller Hole in Transom

Postby Mflyer65 on Thu Dec 05, 2019 8:18 am

Thanks for all the good input. I do have the rudder done and did mark the location of the tiller hole on the transom. I guess the hole size itself must not be too critical as long as the tiller fits through and can move about. I will look at Jeff’s oval idea too.
I think I'll just wait until I have the tiller built and the mounting work done for the rudder based on all the discussions here and do the cutting before painting and finishing.
Thanks for great feedback
Mike
Mflyer65
 
Posts: 67
Joined: Thu Nov 15, 2018 12:09 pm
Location: Durham, NC

Re: Cutting Tiller Hole in Transom

Postby Shudoman on Fri Dec 06, 2019 2:34 pm

I saw Jeff's boat that oval cutout also looks very sweet. I wish I had done it that way (I suppose I still could).

Bill
Shudoman
 
Posts: 144
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 10:31 pm

Re: Cutting Tiller Hole in Transom

Postby slash2 on Thu Oct 27, 2022 1:28 pm

I just cut mine and realized after that the tiller has a small drop on the bottom after it exits the rudder. I had to go back and cut another 1/4” off the bottom of the cutout. Otherwise I did as the manual says and I think it looks about right. Used a 1/2” radius router on the inside and a 1/4” on the outside. My router was just able to go around the entirety of the cutout. Must have had a bigger router in the manual.

BTW I was looking at the plans to see how far the rudder might swing as I’m looking at outboards. The rudder on the drawing is not centered on the boat. Hope that’s an error!
Steve Sawtelle
slash2
 
Posts: 153
Joined: Fri Jul 09, 2021 2:27 am

Re: Cutting Tiller Hole in Transom

Postby [email protected] on Thu Oct 27, 2022 6:43 pm

Make sure that the hold is wide enough (and the edge is beveled enough on the inside) to allow the tiller to swing all the way to the seatbacks.
Otherwise the tiller can bind on the edge of the hole, which puts a lot of stress on the tiller and the rudder pivots.

BTW, I built the pivots exactly according to the plans and manual, but I was horrified how much those four eyebolts and the SS rod cost!
I suspect that Racelite could make a custom-designed set of pintles and gudgeons for less money, and they would be lighter as well.

Doug
[email protected]
 
Posts: 183
Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2020 2:47 pm
Location: Princeton, NJ


Return to PocketShip Forum

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 21 guests

cron