perhaps you needed a stiffer bungie cord?
"NE Sailboat" wrote in message
news:IoM%g.11278$iM2.8992@trndny08...
Tom,,

So, you have used it ... ok ok ... what and where does the jib sheet
attach to? Say we go with a starboard tack.

Wind from abeam to a beat... the sheet on the port side will be tight,
right. // the sheet on the starboard side is loose, right?

If the boat pulls into the wind { to starboard } the tiller is pulled to
port, right? So, this means that something must pull the tiller back to
starboard to keep the boat from pulling into the wind, right?

How is pressure applied to the windward side of the tiller ?? Is that
the stretch tuding that pulls it back to windward side?

I did this last summer with a bungy cord. I got her on course, attached
my cord and when the boat pulled into the wind the cord would pull a
little. Could hole a course for a few minutes, not long. But this was not
a very good set up.

If she would hold for one half an hour that would be great. Give me lots
of time to do other things.

If you could try to explain just a little better ... please?



"Tom Dacon" wrote in message
...
There's a really good book that describes how to do this. It's by John
Letcher and was published in the early 70's. Go to Barnes and Noble's
used and out of print books section (www.bn.com), search on John Letcher
as author, and see if you can find a copy.

I used that book to set up sheet to tiller steering on the 28' 3/4 keel
sloop that I owned back then, and it worked great. Wouldn't steer
straight down wind, of course, but on a beam reach to a beat it worked
just fine. Unless the boat got thrown way off course by a wave, it
steered like a champ. I'd set it up and sit back and read while it
steered the boat. I don't remember now, after all this time, how far aft
the wind could be before it stopped working, but it seems to me that the
wind could be a fair distance aft of the beam.

Best regards,
Tom Dacon

"NE Sailboat" wrote in message
news:J2s%g.8604$gZ2.6181@trndny07...
Found this info on the net, all about sheet to tiller self steering.
Since I have a tiller ,,

I read and re-read the web site info for the sheet to tiller set up.. I
still can't understand it. The pictures don't help and there are no
diagrams.

Figured one of you could explain better or send me to a site that shows
diagrams, and pictures that actually show the set up.