Doug, Did you get my off-list reply to your post below? Thanks, Craig, chonshell@ia4u.net ----- Original Message ----- From: "Doug Kelch" <doug_kelch@yahoo.com> To: "For and about Montgomery Sailboats" <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Tuesday, August 24, 2004 2:46 PM Subject: Doug's remote steering rig Larry, I have video's from most of the Chesapeak Bay Cruises for the last several years. I don't know how to post clips to a web site and I do not have my own site. I offer anyone a copy of the video(s) at cost - about $3. Thanks Doug --- "Hughston, Larry" <Larry.Hughston@dgs.ca.gov> wrote: Doug, where is the video clip of the M-17? -----#189 -----Original Message----- From: Doug Kelch [mailto:doug_kelch@yahoo.com] Sent: Wednesday, August 18, 2004 7:26 PM To: For and about Montgomery Sailboats Subject: Doug's remote steering rig Don, I have installed two horn cleats on the outside coaming on both sides of the cockpit. They are located on a line perpendicular to the tiller near the end of the tiller.( short tiller and long tiller). I also have a few bullet blocks with rope tails for rigging remote steering and sheet to tiller steering (or even complicated anchorage retrieval systems:)) The remote steering is merely a line through at least 3 bullet blocks and tied to the tiller with a pair of adjustable knots. Taughtline hitches work well here. Two of the bullet blocks go on the horn cleats on the coamings and the location of the third block depends on where you want to steer from. If you want to stand in the cabin which is very comfortable and fast I tie the third one to the mast. If you want to lay on the foredeck with your feet on the bow pulpit you route the steering line up to the bow through a block tied to the bow pulpit. You want to use the largest line you can fit through the blocks to make it easier to hold but you also want minimum stretch. It takes some getting used to. Mentally it is like the difference between wheel steering and tiller steering. I have flown a spinnaker while single handed my old AMF 2100 while steering from the fore deck and handling the pole. ( You have to be quick and stand on the steering line to hold the course. I wouldn't recommend it for the faint of heart :) I remember one beautiful downwind sail approaching the Wye river with John Edward (M17 MissT) in the lead using his autopilot while he was laying on the bow. He was pulling away so I rigged my remote steering up to the bow laid down on the deck and my speed picked up enough to stay with him.
From this trip I have some short video of what looks like an M17 sailing along with no skipper!
Try it you will like it!. Doug Kelch "Seas the Day" --- LUDLOWD2@aol.com wrote: Doug Someone posted a shot of Seas close-hauled on the TSBB which showed some kind of self steering rig, lines and pulleys, so the boat can be steered from the companionway. How about a comment on what you did and how it works. Don _______________________________________________