Help locating tiller head for 25+.

[GMC]

The Charles W. Morgan was in port in New Bedford for a big homecoming and local boats were invited to join the boat parade. I invited people down, dressed the boat and when approaching the swing bridge lost all wheel steering. Missed the parade. Anyway, the aluminum bolts and nuts on pedestal stand were attached to a steel backing plate that had guide wheels (bronze) welded to it. When I looked down, backing plate was essentially dust and aluminum bolts had dissolved around nuts.
I need to get the boat out of the harbor for mental health reasons, so I removed pedestal stand, steering wheel, compass, table assembly, filled holes and turned to finding a tiller and tiller head. I think I can get a 25+ stock tiller online. I am having a harder time with the tiller head (fork). Rudder head is on and requires a 2" spread for tiller head. Anyone have one, made one, or know where I can buy one? Or does anyone have a picture or drawing of one for a 1980 E 25+. Thanks.
Greg

 

[Loren Beach]

Reading somewhat between the lines, it sounds like no one was injured and (hopefully) the rest of your boat is OK too.
It's been a lot of decades since they built that boat, and even with some sort of buffering substance between dissimilar metals, at some point those metals (especially when they are a long ways apart on the active scale) can start corroding.

Hope that you can find or have built the part that you need. I sometimes find that a smaller machine shop can make parts as cheaply as they can be found... and if you find one and it's even a NOS piece, the seller may want a lot for it. Perhaps a good drawing generated from a picture from another Ericson owner is needed. You can supply the exact sizing of the rudder shaft head and its shape.

And... once this gets done... for a winter project... start taking ss screws off of the spars and re-beding them with 'lanocote' or similar.

Hope you are back out sailing soon!


Regards,
Loren

 

[Alan Gomes]

Any chance this might work?

http://www.catalinadirect.com/index.cfm/product/1508/tiller-head-cp-26-c-27-c-30.cfm

Kinda pricey but I think it will fit. I replaced the rudder on my E26-2 (basically the same boat as yours) and according to my notes the rudder post was something like 2.37 or 2.38". At least it gives you a point of reference.

It sounds like you already may have found a source for a replacement tiller, but if not you can get a direct replacement here: http://www.ruddercraft.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=88&products_id=261

 

[tenders]

If your 25 is like my 32, the tiller head is a relatively simple H-shaped piece with a single bolt through the top of the H pinning the tiller head to the rudder head, and two bolts through the bottom of the H attaching the tiller to the tiller head.

I thought someone took mine off the boat in the winter a year or two ago, and was prepared to make a new one out of 1/2" G10...but then I found it again, unstolen.