INVESTIGATOR 563

Hi again:

Does anyone still use an original tiller handle on their boat?

I'm presuming these were made from wood - unlike the aluminum shaft I have.

I'm keen to make a wooden copy of the original tiller, and would appreciate knowing how long these were for a start please. A good side photo would also be handy if anyone has one please.

Many thanks,

I have a curved laminated timber tiller - you can see it in part in 2nd photo in "swing up rudder blade" thread.
Its a family tradition for 50yrs that we make all of our tillers from laminations of white beech and Australian red cedar - think I have enough beech for one more after making 4. The beech had seasoned for 25yrs when dad bought it in about 1962 to use on the deck of our Star class. The red cedar has been acquired as needed.
Will take a pic hopefully at the weekend.

Thanks for this post, and link to pic. It's a lovely piece of work.

Your tiller looks a lot shorter than mine, so I will be interested to know its length.

I have recently bought a shaped hardwood axe handle and plan to make a swing up mount on my rudder box to use this adaption.

I'll post some pics if and when I make this.

Cheers,

geoffr,

I'm fairly sure that my tiller is the original one that came with the Investigator. I've had the boat for twenty years and it was pretty standard when I got it. The length is 110cm if you don't count the curve and is made of laminated wood.

Pics of tiller on No Way.
Length is 760mm from back of cockpit and was determined to clear(just) the folding cockpit table. Sitting square to the tiller puts your bum at the front of the locker lid. One can stand at aft end of table and steer with tiller raised - for motoring naturally.
Even with table in position it is possible to sail using the folding extension.

More Pics

Its only loading one file at a time for some reason so here's another pic

These are all great photos, so thank you very much to those who have posted them here in response to my query.

The curved laminated handles are lovely, and I might have to make up a jig on which to laminate, steam, bend and glue the appropriate wooden pieces together. The photos will really help me with laying out the shape and size.

A good winter job in the shed!

I'm also intrigued now by the folding cockpit table: did this come with the boat, or is this a home-built unit too?

Cheers,

Firstly, if you use 6mm laminations there should be no need to steam bend provided that the bend is not ridiculously severe - just glue the laminations with epoxy and clamp them to your jig/pattern in one hit.
I made the folding table for my Cole 23 in the early 80's and kept it. Its an all teak prototype of a FRP model that I produced. The 50mm aluminium tubular leg folds up underneath, and within the length of the centre panel and acts as a carry handle to which the 2 side flaps clip. The tube fits into a flush socket in the cockpit floor.
Will post some pics shortly

Re table- if you go to http://www.investigator563.com/forum/vi ... ilit=table you will see a selection of pics on using the infill piece between the forward bunks as a table, both inside the boat, and in the cockpit.