"Beauregard" wrote in message ...
| I got tired of replacing my Davis Tiller Tamer about once per year,
| and ordered a stainless and brass TillerLock form cansail.com. I stll
| have to replace athe line occasionally, but the stainless and bracss
| mechanism should outlive me. I sail single-handed about 5 days a week
| and have been very pleased with my Tillerlock.
| .
| See http://www.cansail.com/ for details.


Waste of money, I'm afraid. Why opt for expensive hardware when
a marine spec bungee cord with stainless steel end hooks can be
made up for a song. Simply take a couple or three wraps around the tiller
with the bungee and secure the ends to either side of the cockpit. Tension
on one side or the other (depending on point of sail) can be adjusted
by rotating the wrap. One obvious advantage, due to the elastic
qualities of the bungee, is that the tiller and rudder are cushioned
from the effects of boat motion and wave action.

Self- steering by the wind can also be set-up with the bungee system
by supplementing a side of the bungee with a jib sheet. I've held
a desired course for hours using this system.

When sailing the simpler the better. . .

CN