tophatyachts.com

Has anyone go advice on this for top hats?
is there different techniques for different points of sail?

Rob,

It's all about setting the self steering up.

You can go the autohelm way [easiest], the windvane way [big thing off the back], or use the sails.

John Letcher's book has it all and I think I have down loaded an ebook copy from somewhere, but at the moment I cannot find the link. If I can't find the link I will try and find my ebook copy and I will send it to those who want it by email, I'll give everybody a week to PM me with an email addess and for me to find it!.

NOW HERE ARE SOME LINKS THAT WILL KEEP YOU GOING FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS OR MORE!

http://picasaweb.google.com/vienasvilnietis/VRuotuvasWindwaveSelfSteeringFullSizePhotosOnRequest#
http://sailfar.net/
http://pearsonariel.org/discussion/showthread.php?1115-sheet-to-tiller-self-steeringforum/
http://www.bluemoment.com/steering2/html
http://www.crusingresources.com/shorthanding
http://www.mistervee.com/index.php
http://www.boatdesign.net/forums
http://www.todspages.net/SSa-SelfSteering.html
http://cruisingresources.com/resources.php?pt=1&ss=selfsteering
http://www.jsward.com/steering/index.shtml
http://www.solopublications.com/sailariq.htm
http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Forest/2727/flicka_selfsteering.html
http://www.cruisingresources.com/Full_Sheet-to-Tiller_Steering.asp
http://www.steersman.net/index.htm
http://www.oarclub.org/page22.html

HOPE YOU ALL ENJOY THIS SMALL SAMPLE.

Phillip.

On joylee I could get from on the wind around to just about broad reach by leading the genoa sheet once around it's winch, over to the other winch, around that to the tiller. tie it off on the tiller and if it needed it an ocky strap to hold the tiller down. The trick is balancing the power in the sails first- get her sailing where you think she is perfectly balanced and then crack the main just a touch (I think most people including me oversheet anyway- a lot of dinghy sailing helps here!). it gets tricky once you reef to maintain balance but I have roller reefing on main and headsail so it is easier for me to do that maybe. when motoring to put up the main I could just tie the tiller off against the propwalk and she would let me get things sorted out and back to the cockpit at least. remember that sheet to tiller and windvanes steer you to the wind direction and not the course you are after too- keep a look out for wind changes!! the trick is to experiment with the various methods and see which works for you on you boat- on my little canoe yawl all I need is an ocky strap adjusted to hold the tiller up to the right spot for wind strength- pure and simple!!! so go out with some pieces of string and a couple of lengths of elastic and have a play somewhere open on a calmer day with no waves to start with- it is real good fun to get it going and you will learn things about the handling of your boat for sure!

oh i think that Jamie from Possibilities did a self steering article in cruising helmsman back around the time he got back from his trip away too he had a couple of interesting setups on his t=Tophat if I recall but I don't know which issue it was- anybody?

there

The article by Jamie Mitchell on sheet to tiller steering was published in the December 09 edition of Cruising helmsman. Jamie had a wind vane fitted to Possibilities so the focus of the article was on getting the boat to self steer downwind in very light airs under spinnaker, conditions under which most wind vanes are useless.

Phil,
I would appreciate receiving an e-copy.
Thaks,
Kevin
Wayward Lady
email address: lkevindavis@bigpond.com