First things first, before we kick off this article – boats that have wheel steering should have an emergency tiller that works. All too many emergency tillers are useless. Go out in heavy weather and test your emergency tiller, not only going to windward, but also on a broad reach and dead downwind – two points of sailing that require a lot of steering. The inadequacy of emergency tillers was brought home to me early in my career as a delivery skipper. I was delivering a 40ft (12.2m) sloop with a short keel but attached rudder from Grenada to Fort Lauderdale via St Thomas. About 50 miles west of San Juan, the hydraulic steering system packed up, so it was emergency steering to San Salvador, the first island we figured we could find a harbour. We installed the emergency tiller, but it was not well designed, not strong enough and collapsed after about five hours. It was time to employ the MBLU: Master of the Bastard Lash-up – a degree I learned on the submarine USS Sea Leopard (SS-483), watching Tubes Theadford, a first-class torpedo mate. I discovered the biggest socket in the socket set would fit on the rudder head, a tackle on the wrench handle leading to a winch gave us enough control to sail her 400 miles to San Salvador, where we stopped and rebuilt the emergency tiller.
A welcome contrast was Pixie, a 54ft (16.5m) Gardner-designed ketch-rigged motor sailor. I was delivering her from St Croix to Fort Lauderdale when the hydraulic steering failed. However, it was no problem as Gardner had designed a proper emergency tiller. Pixie was a midship cockpit ketch, so there as a large aft/poop deck. We undid a deck plate, lifted a cushion in the after cabin bunk, dropped the emergency tiller through the deck plate onto the rudder head and we were all set as the tiller was a full 6ft (1.8m) long, giving us plenty of leverage.
Denne historien er fra December 2019-utgaven av Sailing Today.
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Denne historien er fra December 2019-utgaven av Sailing Today.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Dumbass In The Realm Of Dumas
Sam Jefferson treads in the footsteps of the Count of c as he makes a great escape to the Calanques of Provence
Paul Heiney
The joy of needlecraft has been somewhat lost on Paul after an attempt to stitch together a rudimentary canvas cover ends in much bloodshed
Clarisse hopes to inspire others
Vendée Globe sailor Clarisse Crémer has said she hopes to inspire other female sailors to follow in her wake.
Jeanneau what I mean?
French manufacturer Jeanneau is back with an all new 60’ cruiser that offers a beguiling blend of comfort and performance
Pip Hare and Medallia going for next Vendée - with new boat
The news that British Vendée Globe followers were hoping for was confirmed in May, with the announcement that Pip Hare and sponsor Medallia will continue their partnership for the next Vendée Globe in 2023/24.
Double-Handed Offshore Series blasts off
The new UK Double-Handed Offshore Series started on 1 May, organised by Henry Bomby with other double-handed sailing enthusiasts.
John Goode 1950 - 2021
Tributes have poured in from across the marine industry after the former editor of Sailing Today, John Goode, died on 15 May, aged 71, following a short illness.
Andy Rice
Sailing is a capricious sport and the chance to go from hero to zero within the space of minutes is extremely high, as Andy found to his cost
Back to nature
Author Tristan Gooley has made a name for himself as the Natural Navigator. He discusses his life long passion for sailing and how it has helped to shape his career path
A voyage of rediscovery
The Discovery 58 has long been recognized as a superlative blue water cruiser. Toby Heppell steps aboard the latest model to examine how it has developed