Hobie Cat Forums

My young children love to sail small boats with tillers. I was hoping that when I bought the TI, they would love sailing it as much as I do. I was even planning to buy more TIs for my kids so we can sail and race each other.

But what we have discovered is that the TI is very difficult for young children to steer with their small hands and fingers. The force necessary to steer a TI at speed are too great for them. Hobie's small steering handles are very short and provides them insufficient leverage.

Has anyone figured out a way to extend the TI steering to provide additional leverage?

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Marc K
2010 Hobie Tandem Island
Boynton Beach, FL

I am uncertain if this will be adequate. I placed these knobs on my steering, which has made a significant difference. Price is very reasonable.

http://yakass.net/articles/equipment-a- ... ndle-knobs

Sure. You could use this part, or you can screw any type of handle grip you want into the 1/4" 20 count socket on top the tiller.

With and adult onboard, handling the sheet, they should have no problem using both of their little hands to steer.

Are those kids any good at playing "Crash Bandicoot"?

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"You can avoid reality, but you cannot avoid the consequences of avoiding reality."
- Ayn Rand

I am unsure adding a knob on the existing short steering handle will provide the additional leverage the children require. Also, they expressed a preference for a tiller.

Below are two "tiller" prototypes that I built using inexpensive suppliers costing only a few dollar at Home Depot.



Advantages:

• Additonal length provides more leverage for steering
• Looks and feels like a tiller.
• No longer limited the the strength of the fingers. Entire hand can grasp the tiller now.

Disadvantages

• Now that they have more leverage, the could accidentally rip the handle off the boat.
• A new protrusion to get caught on when entering/existing the boat

We will test PVC pipe vs. wooden dowel to see which tiller they prefer. Wish me luck this weekend.

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Marc K
2010 Hobie Tandem Island
Boynton Beach, FL

Your little tiller mod looks nice, I hope your young sailors enjoy themselves.

Have you reversed the lines going to the rudder so they will be "true" tillers [point the front end right to turn left]?

How do you reverse them? My TI still uses the twist n stow rudder.

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Marc K
2010 Hobie Tandem Island
Boynton Beach, FL

If you have the new rudder installed, you can access the knots that connect the rudder lines coming out of the tubes at the stern with the pre-existing lines that lead forward to the steering controls. Just undo them, swap them, take up any slack at the rudder attachment points, and you're set. If, as you say, you still have the twist & stow - this would be a good excuse to install the upgrade.

I know because when I installed the new rudder back in June, either I or my assistant got the rudder lines mixed up, and on our next outing I suddenly had a pair of little tillers I was tempted to leave them that way, but decided it would be better for all users if they were set up correctly, so I just untied them and swapped them.

Mark, do you remember seeing this mod on my boat:
http://s190.photobucket.com/albums/z211 ... der%20Mod/

It has worked out very well. Not only does it give you a whole hand grip, It doesn't require you to lean as far forward. The combination of those two things makes sailing the boat more comfortable. It also make a nice attachment point for a tiller extension.

Ted

Hi Ted.

I remember your handle mod very well. It was the inspiration for my "tiller".

I discovered a possible cause for the excessive friction and difficulty in steering.

The steering handle sit on top of a steering pin.

Below is a screenshot of a normal steering pin.


Below is a screenshot of my boat's steering pin.


Ouch! The pin is scratching the plastic boat. Hobie, any suggestions how we can resolve this issue?

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Marc K
2010 Hobie Tandem Island
Boynton Beach, FL

Marc,

It looks like someone has messed up that handle fitting--they have lost the black washer & replaced the stainless steel pin with a brass pin. It looks like you need to get a new washer & SS pin. Once that brass pin is removed the fitting will probably fall through into the hull with the associated parts being scattered about in the hull --to avoid that you need to brace it up from underneath with something fairly solid. I believe on the AI, the assembly is spring loaded from underneath. To remove that pin, when you brace it up, put enough upward pressure on it (on the internal spring) to lift the brass pin up & off the hull where it is rubbing.

It looks like some shoddy factory assembly--maybe your dealer will see fit to do it correctly. I would put in a warrenty claim if necessary.

Keith

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I sail: S FL, Key Largo, Everglades to Cape Romano, Ft Desoto, Cedar Key

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex ... It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." A. Einstein

Yeah, that sure looks like an assembly boo boo, Mark.

Ted

Don't think we ever used a brass roll pin there.

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Matt Miller
Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Hobie Cat USA

It's hard to tell from the pic. It could just be surface rust on the SS pin.

Looking again. The pin does not appear to be rubbing. The scratches are more like the handle dimension / diameter. Once the screw holding the handle on is installed... that likely lifts the roll pin. We have changed the handle and added a washer at some point, so changing to a new handle and washer if still needed would reduce the wear.

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Matt Miller
Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Hobie Cat USA

That sure looks like a brass pin (or some variation) to me. If it were rust on tne pin, why doesn't the vertical SS pin holder also show similar surface rust?

Matt's comments regarding the abrasion seem to be reasonable.

Keith

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I sail: S FL, Key Largo, Everglades to Cape Romano, Ft Desoto, Cedar Key

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex ... It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." A. Einstein