A simple tiller-to-steering yoke line connection method

Hugh Horton, Contributing Editor, Harrison Township, Michigan

Many folks are interested in easy tiller connections that use lines without the looseness or hassle many of us find when trying tie-on connections. Hugh Horton shows us how he and Meade and Jan Gougeon make theirs easy and tight. Ed.

 
Spirit (Jan Gougeon's Serendipity sister) with rods above. Line attachment can be seen with teamster hitch to add purchase.

Two lines attach steering rods, one to each rod. A buntline hitch secures the line to a groove in the rod. The free end is then passed through a hole in the outer end of the yoke. One line then gets a bowline loop in it. The free end of the other line passes through the bowline loop to a teamster hitch, & then knotted with a pair of half hitches. This can & should be snugged tightly.

We've never seen a wear problem with any of the components in either position.

Bufflehead with yoke & rods as they are now w/ steering rods above. This was done to better clear the deck. Above or below, there's just about no wear on the rods, which are soft (sugar pine here), uncoated wood. The yoke is the harder of the 2 surfaces, so gets no wear.

Bufflehead in foreground, Aku in back. Bufflehead's steering rods still beneath the yoke in this photo.

Walela showing the yellow lines attaching the steering rods to the yoke.

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