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Emergency Tiller Technique

Filkee

Sustaining Member
0BF01E8B-3387-473C-8828-0EB3FE0BE689.jpeg

One last little fall foliage excursion up the bay and as I come about, I hear a clunk and the wheel just spins and the boat turns toward the rocks.

Feeling smart for taking out and trying to insert the tiller a few years ago so it wasn’t a complete mystery. The part where I couldn’t get the engine to start added to the adrenaline rush.

Limping back with the jib the feeling stupid part kicked in when it occurred to me that turning the key first improves glow plug performance dramatically.

Now I’m shopping for a good thread that explains how to fix the chain in the pedestal.
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Here's a start if yours is a YS pedestal, which it probably is.

It might be that the wires on the quadrant were loose and fell off. Or that the chain in the pedestal came apart. Or that the chain sprocket broke its roll pin and turns free.

The first clue will be what it looks like under the cockpit. Let us know.
 

jtsai

Member III
Limping back with the jib the feeling stupid part kicked in when it occurred to me that turning the key first improves glow plug performance dramatically.
Is this true that turning the ignition key first to fire up the electrical fuel pump improves glow plug performance?
 
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Filkee

Sustaining Member
Is this true that turning the ignition key first to fire up the electrical fuel pump improves glow plug performance?
More to the point, the engine doesn’t start if you don’t turn the key. I’m old and I forget things.
 

Filkee

Sustaining Member
Here's a start if yours is a YS pedestal, which it probably is.

It might be that the wires on the quadrant were loose and fell off. Or that the chain in the pedestal came apart. Or that the chain sprocket broke its roll pin and turns free.

The first clue will be what it looks like under the cockpit. Let us know.
I need to do a more thorough inspection, but the quadrant cables were loose and when I pulled off the binnacle, the chain wasn’t there on the top sprocket. I’m coming out of the water next weekend so I have the winter to work it out.
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
If the chain isn't visible when the top of the pedestal is removed, it may just be that the master link of the chain came apart. Not to be an optimist, of course...
 

Filkee

Sustaining Member
It’s always a matter of what three things I’ll break on the way to fixing the one thing. Am I going to have to pull the pedestal out like you did in Hawaii?
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
While you watch for Christian's more complete answer, I can relate that when we put our boat back together, finishing up the painting project, it was a huge help to have a person above, looking down the inside of the pedistal, and another person below the cockpit when guiding the chains and wires.
Edit: the chain falls, inside the column, might have to cross... so that the wheel steers the boat in the expected direction.
 
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Filkee

Sustaining Member
While you watch for Christian's more complete answer, I can relate that when we put our boat back together, finishing up the painting project, it was a huge help to have a person above, looking down the inside of the pedistal, and another person below the cockpit when guiding the chains and wires.
I just watched an Edson video which made it all look a lot less daunting. First need to recover the chain and see what shape it‘s in. Saw one on EBay for $55.
 

bigd14

Contributing Partner
Blogs Author
How did you find steering with the emergency tiller? I test fit mine recently and discovered it’s offset to the point where it interferes with the wheel and the stern rail. Looks like I’ll need to shorten the “tiller” and in an emergency remove the wheel. In my narrow river I’ll be aground or under a barge long before I can get the plate unscrewed, wheel off and emergency tiller in place.
57A31200-7258-46C5-AAEB-C3FDA13C796E.jpeg
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
I believe mine is designed to be used this way. It works, I've tested it. Not necessary to remove the wheel.

Ericson 32-3 emergency tiller.JPG

 

Filkee

Sustaining Member
I believe mine is designed to be used this way. It works, I've tested it. Not necessary to remove the wheel.

View attachment 44536

Interesting. Not sure if there is more than one way to seat it, but where I landed with it, the bar was across my lap while seated centerline and it was like steering a bike backwards. You get a surprising amount of turn out of a little bit of movement. You could adjust the bar right/left to give you room to go tighter if needed. Definitely awkward getting the bar through the top and I have the gel coat scratches to prove it.
 

bigd14

Contributing Partner
Blogs Author
I believe mine is designed to be used this way.
I believe mine was designed to be used that way, but not constructed that way... I would expect the tiller holes to be inline or at a right angle to the slot cutout. So this is either a cruel joke, or the guy on emergency tiller construction duty was having a bad day.


Edit- Or perhaps the thru bolt isn't at 90 degrees. I didn't actually check the emergency tiller setup for square. There was some modification to the steering system in the distant past. I'll have to investigate. Regardless, the system is non-functional as is and will need some work. At the very least I need to cut the tiller portion down a bit for clearance.
 
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Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
My emergency tiller was custom made for the specific boat, because the tiller hole (in the post) is at a non-standard angle. Maybe they all weren't customized.

I suppose we can drill a new hole in the emergency tube to accommodate any tiller angle. I'd have to buy a bit for my drill press that was slightly larger than 1 and 1/2 inches. I might drop it by a machine shop to save myself the hassle.
 

Filkee

Sustaining Member
How did you find steering with the emergency tiller? I test fit mine recently and discovered it’s offset to the point where it interferes with the wheel and the stern rail. Looks like I’ll need to shorten the “tiller” and in an emergency remove the wheel. In my narrow river I’ll be aground or under a barge long before I can get the plate unscrewed, wheel off and emergency tiller in place.
View attachment 44535
I always left my plate a little loose. Probably not good for rust avoidance but I didn’t need to wrestle with the key. I wonder if the offset has anything to do with your general steering gear alignment? Don‘t really know. Just beginning my pedestal odyssey. I have a wheel pilot which makes pulling the wheel difficult if not impossible. A shorter bar might be a good call. I felt like I could control it well with just the jib up holding it about a foot from center on each side though it was downwind.
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
I always left my plate a little loose.
That plate has an O ring to keep water out, and every year when you remove the plate... smear some grease around the threads... liberally. It will seal properly and also be easier to remove next time.
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
wheel pilot

If you have a Raymarine wheel pilot, just disconnect the power supply wire at the motor. The wheel then comes off normally, with motor and gear assembly attached.
 
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