TILLER FOR ONE ENGINE CATALAC 8

[LUCYLOU]

This is my first visit to the catalac 8 forum. we recently purchased a not so new catalac 8 in Guadeloupe and brought it down to Martinique, where we live.

I would like to know if anyone has ever had any need of an emergency tiller. We had a problem in the chanel between Guadeloupe and Dominica where an emergency tiller would have avoided having to call the coastguards!

[djeeke]

Hello,
My 8M is equipped with the original emergency tiller....
I don't have and pictures at hand of the setup...
Luckily I never had to use it.
Welcome to the forum!

[LUCYLOU]

Hello,
My 8M is equipped with the original emergency tiller....
I don't have and pictures at hand of the setup...
Luckily I never had to use it.
Welcome to the forum!

Thanks for the quick reply. Do you think you could give me more details about the tiller?

lucylou

[LUCYLOU]

Thanks for the quick reply. Do you think you could give me more details about the tiller?

lucylou

[djeeke]

Thanks for the quick reply. Do you think you could give me more details about the tiller?

Off course I can
I don't think I will be able to go to the boat soon to take measurements but I did go through all my pictures looking for a Catalac 8M left-rudder...
Finally found a picture of the old left rudder I took of my catalac before purchasing it:
(my rudders have been replaced in the mean time, see this article on Rick's website)




You can see the bent metal (steel?) plate bolted onto the inside of the rudder.
This creates a square recess that accepts the emergency tiller, a piece of square tube going upwards and some length (I think round) going forward...
A simple and effective setup in case something goes wrong with the cables...

Thinking out loud... Not as easy as the emergency tiller... In an emergency one could also disconnect the outboard from the steering setup and use the outboard to steer...
( I have done this last year on a friends 25ft monohull)
This obviously does not work with diesel inboards but then again, it is even easier to steer with dual inboards...

[LUCYLOU]

Hello yet again and thank you. Does anyone know where I can purchase an emergency catalac 8 tiller? I think we're going to have to replace the steering cable anyway but to be on the safe side, I would like the tiller!

[djeeke]

Hello yet again and thank you. Does anyone know where I can purchase an emergency catalac 8 tiller?

I don't think you will find something ready for the boat, you will need to get one built, it's not that hard for someone with access to a toolshop...
I will try to get the measurements and mock-up a drawing so you know what needs to be built...

[LUCYLOU]

My goodness, thank you sooo much! we're definitely going to get one made and as the original holes are still on the rudder I think we'll try to use them. Have a good Sunday afternoon, or evening maybe, if you live in UK.

[djeeke]

You're more than welcome, happy to help


measurements in mm

After having rebuilt my rudders I have not re-installed the emergency tiller support bracket as I intend to have it copied so I have a bracket on each rudder (maybe overkill but easy enough to do)
As you still have the holes on the rudder you know it's height (measure the holes and add 1 cm on each side) originally one flat and one bent steel galvanized plate (accepting the 40mm square tube), but stainless will also do off course

[LUCYLOU]

Thanks for help re our emergency tiller. We actually had a simple one made that slotted into the square bar of tiller and used it the other day when we lost our steering!!