Tiller Mystery (to me)

[Joe]

One of the reasons I'm so sorry I only acquired my first sailboat after retiring is that I've learned that EVERY TINY DETAIL on a boat has a whole school of thought and experience behind it and that one ignores it at ones peril. The details just keep on coming and I'm enjoying every minute of it.

I've been using this tiller on the E25 without understanding the function of an attachment. I was sure I'd stumble across an explanation. But so far, I haven't.

The first image shows the tiller inserted into the rudder - probably upside down.

The second image shows a series of three snapshots of the attachment that I've never used and don't understand. It can slide along the slot to the two end positions shown. The green circle highlights a screw that holds it loosely in position. The small blue circle highlights a small sunken screw that prevents lateral movement.

The large orange circle highlights some old glue remnants where something has broken off.

Can someone explain the purpose of this device to me?

Thanks!

 

[tenders]

The only things I can think of in existence to complicate the elegantly simple design of the tiller are:
* a tiller extension, to enable you to steer while sitting (or hiking) on the side
* a tiller lock, to prevent it from swinging back and forth while moored and sometimes to help keep a steady course for a few moments while underway
* a tiller pilot, some designs of which involve a cradle for the tiller to rest in while other designs use a small post protruding from the tiller on which to exert pressure
* a tiller cover, to prevent UV from destroying the finish.

Could this be some sort of a mount for an old tillerpilot? If so, it probably doesn't attach so close to the base of the tiller--it probably doesn't have enough power to move the rudder so close to the fulcrum. Is there somewhere closer to the end of the tiller that it might attach?

 

[Dave Hussey]

I wonder if it is a wedge to adjust the height of the tiller.... slide aft to raise, or slide forward to lower the angle/height of the tiller...just a WAG.

 

[Emerald]

If you flip the tiller so this thing is on the top, do the spots where it looks like something was glued correspond to the edge of cap the tiller slides into? Wondering if this was used to hold the tiller up somehow, and those marks correspond to the edge of the cap.

 

[Loren Beach]

I wonder if it is a wedge to adjust the height of the tiller.... slide aft to raise, or slide forward to lower the angle/height of the tiller...just a WAG.

Until more information surfaces, I'm votin' with Dave.
:nerd:

LB

 

[Emerald]

Looking at the picture of the way the tiller fits into the head of the rudder, I think I'll cast over to Dave and Loren's side that it stays on the bottom and slides under neath to lift the tiller angle. Here's a question. If you slide this aft to raise the tiller, does it go from hitting knee caps to clearing them?

 

[Joe]

Emerald: Yes! I just tried that and I attach an image showing the result: it seems that Dave and Loren were right.

BUT, that leaves the old glue mark unexplained and additionally, when I looked closer, there seems to be a notch cut out under the metal piece. When I removed that, I could clearly see the traces of a metal wire running along the notch (second image). So Tenders may be onto something: an old tiller pilot?

But, before I drown us all in minutiae, I'm happy to just accept it as a tiller wedge.

Thanks!