Sol Cat 18 Tiller Linkage at the cross arm

Yacolt wrote: I am new to catamaran sailing and need some help. Please bear with me on the terminology.

At the connection point of the tiller arm and the cross arm I am missing the insert pieces. The way it is jimmy rigged right now it is scaring the tubing and binds not giving the tiller full range of motion.

When I got my Sol Cat, both the the tiller crossbar and both tillers were scarred at the connection point. The previous owner had connected the crossbar upsidedown. Once I turned the crossbar so that the flats on the crossbar inserts were facing up, everything was fine. I don't have special inserts or ends for the tiller arms, but I don't seem to need them.

Post a pic, so we can see exactly what's going on.

Here's a pic of the wrong way to do things:
http://picasaweb.google.com/danlocks/SolCat/photo#5148708049778351410

Here's the right way:
http://picasaweb.google.com/danlocks/SolCat/photo#5148708049778351426

I don't even use the spacers in that photo anymore. Don't need 'em.

Great pictures, will be a big help to Sol Cat owners. Would you mind putting these and any other Sol Cat technical pictures you have in a "Sol Cat Tips" album in the Technical Help Gallery?

Pictures of your boat and it's rigging would be great for the Sol Cat album in the "Beachcats Identification" section.

Thanks,

Dan

Thank you for the response. Your pics are very helpful. I did manage to come across the assembly instructions for the SOl CAt and it does show an end piece. I like your idea for a spacer though..

Scott

Scott

I also have a solcat and have a few pic's of the tiller cross bar connection and other pic's that may be of help. Send me an E-mail address and I will send them.

Jeff O

damonAdmin wrote: Great pictures, will be a big help to Sol Cat owners. Would you mind putting these and any other Sol Cat technical pictures you have in a "Sol Cat Tips" album in the Technical Help Gallery?

Pictures of your boat and it's rigging would be great for the Sol Cat album in the "Beachcats Identification" section.

Thanks,

Ok! ok! I created an album: Sol Cat Tips

Thanks danlocks, good job! Will be a great reference for the next Sol Cat owner to show up.

I also have a solcat, and can attest that the way shown in the pictures is definitely the correct way to connect them, with the standard equipment.

I am contemplating shortening my tiller arms by about a foot. Doing that would put the crossbar on the backside of the trampoline, instead of "on" it. Very similar to how a Hobie 16 is setup, with the tiller arms to the stern of your mainsheet block.

Has any of the Solcat owners done this?

Breakwater wrote:
I am contemplating shortening my tiller arms by about a foot. Doing that would put the crossbar on the backside of the trampoline, instead of "on" it. Very similar to how a Hobie 16 is setup, with the tiller arms to the stern of your mainsheet block.

Has any of the Solcat owners done this?

Post pics if you do. I can think of one problem, and a couple hassles: 1. Shortening the tiller arms will reduce your the lever you have for steering. If your helm is already relatively heavy, like mine is, losing more mechanical advantage is going to make steering a chore. You could probably test this by drilling a couple holes and moving the crossbar before you actually cut the arms. but then you're drilling holes in your tiller arms 🙁

2. You're also going to have to relocate the rudder kick up mechanisms, and shorten the bungees that lift the rudders. Not a problem per se, but definitely a hassle.

3. Rolling the boat up and down the beach from behind is going to become rather hard. Hobie crossbars lift up out of the way. Sol cat crossbars do not, so you might also have to get a quick release mech a-la the hobie 18 if you push from behind like I do.

danlocks wrote: Shortening the tiller arms will reduce your the lever you have for steering.

Luckily, my helm is near-perfectly balanced. The boat has very slight weather helm. I Know exactly what you mean though, My Hobie 16 has horrible pressure from weather helm.

danlocks wrote: You could probably test this by drilling a couple holes and moving the crossbar before you actually cut the arms. but then you're drilling holes in your tiller arms 🙁

Great Idea. I have a spare tiller arm from another boat, I might "tape" it on (or something similar) in the test position for a day, and leave the real one on as "backup" before cutting or drilling the tiller arms.

danlocks wrote: Rolling the boat up and down the beach from behind is going to become rather hard.

I also hear you there, but I actually have the Cat Trax, and a come-along system on the beach that works the nuts. I attach one end to the dinghy racks, and the other to the boat and it glides right up the sand. I dont know what it is, but something like a 4:1

If the mod goes down, I'll document it.

And by the way, I'd be happy to measure the length of my shrouds, being that my boat is balanced. Maybe it will give you a starting point for mast rake to alleviate some of that tiller pressure.

edited by: Breakwater, Jul 18, 2008 - 03:17 PM