SmallCraftAdvisor.com

Anyone have any ideas on rigging self steering on a Com-Pac 16? Looking for a non-electric solution.

Thanks!

do an Internet search for 'sheet to tiller steering'.

i have good success using a TillerClutch when sailing -

http://smallcraftadvisor.com/store/prod ... ductid=299


last week i sailed, to weather, for close to an hour across Port Townsend Bay in about 8-knots with a TillerClutch. have a video showing me on the bow for over 15 minutes with boat sailing herself. don't know if the Compac will do this. trick is to get the boat well trimmed.

Please show us this video!

here is an older video i made back from the Sage 17 shakedown cruise in June 2011 -




i am now much better at sailing the Sage 17 so i can balance the boat quickly, and under a specific angle of sail, and set the TillerClutch to 'take control'.

i'll be putting together a video over the next couple of weeks about last week's Puget Sound trip. i'll share when it is complete.

Thanks Dave! Great video!

I try that from time to time and it works on my boat but the wind is shifting all the times where I sail! I have to do whatever business I have to do quickly in the cabin!

Looking forward to your next video.

Michel wrote:I try that from time to time and it works on my boat but the wind is shifting all the times where I sail!

a sudden shift the boat can't 'keep up with'. a gradual change is not a problem ... the boat will follow a 'lift' or if 'headed'.

on Lake Dillon, here in Colorado, the wind is constantly shifting, sudden 90 degree changes and i've even done 360's. mountain sailing is a challenge!

i found sailing in Puget Sound last week 'easy' as the wind doesn't shift much.

I know what you mean! Terrain effects must be part of our karmas! There are only a few place in my sailing region that I can trust for a bit of steady wind. But as someone said: "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger"

video of my overnight cruise this past July in Puget Sound -




the part showing the boat self steering begins 12 minutes into the video.

That was a great video Dave!

Here is my small contribution to self steering (About 1:45 in the video)

http://youtu.be/esIC-bMX8mg

It is all about balance. Proper sail set is key. I did pick up a 'tiller clutch' beats trying to tie a tiller with a couple of half hitches while trying to dash to the bow to set a sail on my Montgomery 15. I get the work done then try to reach the tiller before I broached or something worse. Always frantically tring to untie the half hitches. The tiler clutch is such an elegant solution. In a pinch I can just push the tiller and override the breaking mechinisim.