[Rhodes22-list] Tiller Cover

[mputnam1 at aol.com]

Thank you, Dave, for your extremely helpful email ...
 
- Mark 
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: DCLewis1 at aol.com
To: rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org
Sent: Mon, 14 Aug 2006 5:11 PM
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Tiller Cover



Mark,
 
Your Email re tiller covers touched a chord, we have gone down that route  
and had winch covers made and a tiller cover made.  We thought of sewing  our 
own, but some of the comments on the web made me think that sewing Sunbrella  
might be a good way to break your sewing machine - I gather some people have  
found it's tough stuff to sew.   Instead, it didn’t occur to me to get  the 
wisdom of the board when we embarked, so I went to Defender.com, they have a  
canvas production capability, and it worked for us.  As I recall, I also  looked 

at West Marine and decided not to go that route; I forget why, probably  cost.
 
Ed says the tiller cover is no problem, that may not be the case.  If  you 
have a remote OB assembly mounted on the tiller, you will need an  unusually 
deep tiller cover, at least at the end, to accommodate the remote  assembly if 
you want to cover that assembly.  Also, his friend may, or may  not have a 
tiller lock assembly at the front of the tiller, which will require  a deeper 
tiller cover.  If you don’t have the tiller holder or  the remote assembly on 
the 
tiller, life is simple.  I recommend you measure  the length, height and depth 
of your tiller (with appendages) and  get in touch with Elle’s or Ed’s 
source, or Email Defender. 
 
In dealing with Defender I noted they have stock sizes in their catalog,  but 
I sent them an Email inquiry/order and included explicit dimensions - which  
were nonstandard because of the remote assembly.  Their canvas shop called  me 
to confirm, and what we got was made to our explicit dimension (I think, it  
fits - it could fit better, but I think the error is mine, not theirs).   I’m 
not pushing Defender, I’m sure Elle or Eds source will do a good job also,  
and they might be faster.   As I recall, it took a while for Defender  to 
deliver, maybe 3 to 4 weeks, it was not quick.
 
One thing I did note, however, that I wish were done differently.  The  
tiller cover we have is  basically sown as a tube with a drawstring at  it’s 
base.  
It would be much better, from my perspective, if the long seam  down the 
tiller cover were left open and several grommets with a draw string  were used 
to 
cinch down the cover.  This latter approach would let you  accommodate the 
varying effective diameter of the tiller cover needed as you  move down the R22 
tiller.  Thus it would accommodate the bulge on the front  of the tiller from 
the Forepeak tiller holder, and the bulge at the back from  the remote.  
Grommets and a draw string might be more flexible.
 
Also, you realize use of the tiller cover is going to preclude locking down  
the tiller with the Forepeak tiller holder (if you have one)?  You’ll have  to 
rope the tiller to secure it.
 
Dave
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