[Rhodes22-list] Tiller Pilot Recommendations

[Michael McKay]

Thanks Reuben, that helps confirm my assessment that the motor lift electr connection will be much easier to accomplish. 

Michael McKay
(630) 209-2054 (m)

Sent from my iPhone

> On Feb 7, 2022, at 3:44 PM, Reuben Mezrich <reuben.mezrich at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> For what it's worth....I had General Boat install my tiller pilot and they
> took the power from the motor lift (which comes from battery #2).
> 
> Reuben Mezrich
> Pelican Cove in Sarasota and Back Bay, Boston
> 
> 
>> On Mon, Feb 7, 2022 at 3:08 PM Michael McKay <mm.bizlist1 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>> Roger,
>> 
>> Thanks again for taking the time and effort to provide such a detailed and
>> complete description of the options for installing the Tiller Pilot.
>> 
>> I returned to my boat yesterday to take more detailed measurements and
>> found that the tiller pin actually should go on the bottom of the tiller,
>> so that is consistent with what other owners have done.
>> 
>> While sailing her yesterday (one advantage of living in Georgia is year
>> round sailing) I realized that you are correct about the advantage of
>> keeping the power socket towards the aft of the cockpit.
>> 
>> I also think I’ll get the power from the starter battery, since I have
>> easy access to a connection block in the lazarette.
>> 
>> Thanks again for your advice!
>> 
>> Mike
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Michael McKay
>> (630) 209-2054 (m)
>> 
>> Sent from my iPhone
>> 
>>>> On Feb 3, 2022, at 6:22 PM, ROGER PIHLAJA <roger_pihlaja at msn.com> wrote:
>>> Mike,
>>> 
>>> I have an old fashioned varnished wood tiller.  I haven’t seen the GB
>> fiberglass tiller.  So, I don’t know exactly how it is shaped.  But, the
>> nice thing about the Raymarine pedestal mount is; there is a 3” OD X ½”
>> thick base which is thru bolted to the top of the gunnel.  Then, there is a
>> cylindrical pedestal that screws into the base.  The Tillerpilot has a pin
>> that drops into the top of the cylindrical pedestal.  The cylindrical
>> pedestal is available in a variety of lengths to adjust for the difference
>> in height between the top of the gunnel and the top of the tiller.  The
>> Tillerpilot Owner’s Handbook gives instructions how to determine the
>> appropriate length of the cylindrical pedestal such that the Tillerpilot is
>> installed level with the top of tiller.  The cylindrical pedestals are
>> available in the following lengths and you would need to choose the length
>> that raises the Tillerpilot up above the top surface of the tiller.
>>> 
>>> Pedestal Length                Raymarine Part No
>>> 38 mm (1.5 inch)                              D026
>>> 50 mm (2.0 inch)                              D027
>>> 64 mm (2.5 inch)                              D028
>>> 76 mm (3.0 inch)                              D029
>>> 89 mm (3.5 inch)                              D030
>>> 
>>> I think I needed the D027 Pedestal.  But, I don’t seem to have it
>> written down anywhere and the boat is in winter storage for a couple more
>> months.  The chances are, your fiberglass tiller would need a different
>> length cylindrical pedestal anyway.
>>> 
>>> I looked at all the other mounting options for the Tillerpilot.  Between
>> the selection of different length pushrods and the different height
>> cylindrical pedestals, this mounting option gives the best overall fit and
>> leaves the least intrusive hardware permanently attached to the tiller and
>> gunnel.  For example, when the Tillerpilot is not being used, the
>> cylindrical pedestal can be unscrewed and stowed with the Tillerpilot.
>> This leaves just the base attached to the gunnel, which is small enough to
>> sit on and not likely to snag a line or stub your toe.  There is also no
>> permanently attached bracket on either the top or the underside of the
>> tiller.
>>> 
>>> Regarding the plug and socket for the Tillerpilot cord - The socket
>> comes with a waterproof cap, which has a retaining lanyard, so you can’t
>> lose it.  The plug itself is waterproof and I’ve never had an issue with
>> water intrusion in 22 seasons.  For me, running the cable thru an area of
>> the cockpit wherein you are unlikely to sit on it &/or foul a line on it is
>> a more important issue than protecting a waterproof socket from the
>> elements.  But, that’s just me.  Certainly, mounting the socket inside the
>> coaming compartment will work.
>>> 
>>> Roger Pihlaja
>>> S/V Dynamic Equilibrium
>>> Sent from Mail<https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for
>> Windows
>>> 
>>> From: mm.bizlist1 at gmail.com<mailto:mm.bizlist1 at gmail.com>
>>> Sent: Thursday, February 3, 2022 12:19 PM
>>> To: 'The Rhodes 22 Email List'<mailto:rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>>> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Tiller Pilot Recommendations
>>> 
>>> Roger,
>>> 
>>> This is very helpful information.  Other owners like Peter and Bill
>>> installed the mounting socket directly into the gunnel as opposed to
>> using
>>> the pedestal mount.  Bill installed his tiller pin on the bottom of the
>>> tiller using the 1" tiller bracket, but that won't work for me.
>>> 
>>> I have a GB fiberglass tiller.  The bottom of my tiller is exactly level
>>> with the height of the gunnel.  For that reason I think I need to put the
>>> tiller pin on top, which may require the use of the pedestal mount to
>> keep
>>> the Tiller Pilot horizontal.  Is that what you did?
>>> 
>>> I'll reconsider where to put the electrical socket--you make a good point
>>> about keeping the seating area clear.  I also need to replace my tiller
>>> extension with a shorter one since the current extension covers the point
>>> where the tiller pin needs to be.  These boat projects have a nasty
>> habit of
>>> growing as you get into them!
>>> 
>>> Thanks again for your support.
>>> 
>>> Mike McKay
>>> s/v Liber (2006/2018)
>>> Allatoona Lake
>>> Acworth, GA
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Rhodes22-list <rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org> On Behalf Of
>> ROGER
>>> PIHLAJA
>>> Sent: Wednesday, February 2, 2022 4:44 PM
>>> To: The Rhodes 22 Email List <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>>> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Tiller Pilot Recommendations
>>> 
>>> Mike,
>>> 
>>> In my previous post, I gave Raymarine Tillerpilot P/N's.  These
>> pieces/parts
>>> assumed the gunnel end of the Tillerpilot would be mounted on the top of
>> the
>>> gunnel on the starboard side.  The pedestal mount is thru bolted thru the
>>> top of the gunnel using 4 SS fender washers as backing plates.  This
>> type of
>>> mount will load the gunnel in shear.  The 4 fender washers will provide
>> more
>>> than enough shear strength for this application.
>>> 
>>> Far more critical is the installation of the pin in the tiller.  It
>> needs to
>>> be precisely mounted in terms of the distance from the center of rudder
>>> rotation and the angle of the pin in the tiller.  The pin needs to be
>>> vertical when the tiller is all the way down.
>>> 
>>> I considered mounting the socket for the Tillerpilot in the starboard
>>> coaming compartment.  But, I decided against it because the cable would
>> be
>>> in the way in between the Tillerpilot and the coaming compartment.
>> That's
>>> very valuable sitting real estate in the cockpit.  Instead, I mounted the
>>> Tillerpilot socket thru the side of the starboard gunnel aft of the
>>> Tillerpilot.  This puts the cable out of the way of the mainsheet and
>>> traveler controls and it isn't in danger of someone sitting on it.
>>> 
>>> Have you ever crawled under the cockpit seats?  On my boat, there is an
>>> epoxy coated strip of wood covering the hull/deck joint.  Cables can be
>>> anchored to this strip of wood with cable ties & anchors.  As far as the
>>> installation of the Tillerpilot socket, the underside of the gunnel can
>> be
>>> accessed from the lazarette compartment.  Assuming the lazarette
>> compartment
>>> is cleaned out, I can get my whole body in there and I'm a pretty big guy
>>> and not very flexible anymore.
>>> 
>>> You will need to use a fish tape or an unbent wire clothes hanger to fish
>>> the wire from the cockpit bulkhead to the circuit breaker box.  It's
>> only a
>>> couple of feet, so this is a pretty easy fishing job.  The Tillerpilot
>>> should be on it's own separately fused circuit.
>>> 
>>> Other than that, refer to my previous post.
>>> 
>>> Roger Pihlaja
>>> S/V Dynamic Equilibrium
>>> 
>>> Sent from Mail<
>> https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgo.microsoft.com%2Ffwlink%2F%3FLinkId%3D550986&data=04%7C01%7C%7Cc61deb045f3b4e34337008d9e7526ed8%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637795163510316570%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=m2mIbKc28wuZ6wT75jpDglW0mh16Mms%2B5sirULe9lcs%3D&reserved=0>
>> for Windows
>>> 
>>> From: mm.bizlist1 at gmail.com<mailto:mm.bizlist1 at gmail.com>
>>> Sent: Wednesday, February 2, 2022 11:02 AM
>>> To: 'The Rhodes 22 Email List'<mailto:rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>>> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Tiller Pilot Recommendations
>>> 
>>> Hi Peter,
>>> 
>>> I do have Bill's writeup, as well as Roger's email describing his Tiller
>>> Pilot installation.  My boat has speed and depth transducers in the
>>> lazarette, so the pathway into the coaming is already present.
>>> 
>>> Since I will be drilling holes in my boat for the first time, I want to
>> make
>>> sure my plan sounds reasonable based on your experience.  I intend to
>>> install the electrical socket for the Tiller Pilot in the starboard
>> coaming
>>> pocket.  I will also install a 12V socket there as well.  Since these
>> will
>>> be relatively small holes I am guessing that I will need to use a fish
>> tape
>>> or something like that to get the wiring from the electric panel
>> connection
>>> to that hole.  Is that how you did it?
>>> 
>>> I'm also hoping that my gunnel is thick enough so I don't have to
>> reinforce
>>> the Tiller Pilot mounting socket from underneath.  If that is not the
>> case,
>>> I believe I can reach that point from inside the lazarette.  Is that what
>>> you did to put the hardwood backing block in Silverheels?
>>> 
>>> Thanks for all you help and for the amazing library of videos you have
>>> shared with our community.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Mike McKay
>>> s/v Liber (2006/2018)
>>> Allatoona Lake
>>> Acworth, GA
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Rhodes22-list <rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org> On Behalf Of
>> Peter
>>> Nyberg
>>> Sent: Monday, January 31, 2022 5:59 PM
>>> To: rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org
>>> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Tiller Pilot Recommendations
>>> 
>>> Mike,
>>> 
>>> I'm not Roger, but I'll offer some of my experience anyway.
>>> 
>>> First, I hope you've found Bill Wickman's write-up of the installation
>> of a
>>> Raymarine ST-1000 on his boat:
>>> 
>> https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Frhodes22.org%2F&data=04%7C01%7C%7Cc61deb045f3b4e34337008d9e7526ed8%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637795163510316570%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=0UhN6lzUm4L8Bb7fNpP4WUb%2FTku3fZTlMz%2FLVVwn0tc%3D&reserved=0
>>> 
>> %2Fdocument.html%3Fdocuments%2FTillerPilotSetuponRhodes22.pdf&data=04%7C
>>> 
>> 01%7C%7C46b1c3e18c8d4716342608d9e67e7d8d%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%
>>> 
>> 7C1%7C0%7C637794253233449617%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJ
>>> 
>> QIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=qHOiiYudmChIw13
>>> nZzsvDBcaTFJ8DxOZWGu0TMF2joA%3D&reserved=0
>>> 
>>> To answer your second question first, I had an unused circuit on my
>>> electrical panel, and used that to power the tiller pilot.  Since that
>>> placed a breaker into the circuit, I did not also include and inline
>> fuse.
>>> It seems to me that would be redundant.
>>> 
>>> As for the routing of wires...  If you have the standard General Boat
>>> galley, there's an area that's below the electrical panel, above the
>>> counter-top and behind the sliding panels.  If you drill a hole in the
>> aft
>>> panel of this area, you will have an opening into the interior space of
>> the
>>> starboard coaming.  Do this close to the hull, just to be sure you're not
>>> drilling a hole into the cockpit.
>>> 
>>> Best of luck,
>>> 
>>> Peter Nyberg
>>> Coventry, CT
>>> s/v Silverheels (1988/2016)
>>> 
>>>> On 2022-01-31, at 16:36:49 EST, Michael McKay wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> Hi Roger,
>>>> 
>>>> I am finally prepared to install a Tiller Pilot on s/v Liber and am
>> hoping
>>> to
>>>> get some additional advice before I start.
>>>> 
>>>> 1) What is the best way to route the wiring harness to the starboard
>>> coaming
>>>> pocket?
>>>> 2) Did you connect your Tiller Pilot to the electric panel or bypass
>> that
>>> and
>>>> connect it to the house battery directly?  I do understand that an
>> inline
>>> fuse
>>>> is required in either case.
>>>> 
>>>> I do plan on eventually installing a chartplotter and integrating the
>>> Tiller
>>>> Pilot with that, but that is a project for another day.
>>>> 
>>>> Thank you for all your contributions to this forum!
>>>> 
>>>> Mike McKay
>>>> s/v Liber (2006/2018)
>>>> Allatoona Lake
>>>> Acworth, GA
>>