Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I use the Tillermate when I have my automatic pilot engaged?
Can I use the Tillermate for course guidance using way-points?
What size tiller will Tillermate work with?
Is the Tillermate dependent on boat length?
Can course corrections be made once Tillermate has been set?
Can I fit a Tillermate to the bottom of a tiller?
Can I fit a Tillermate to a tubular tiller?
What does the Leading Block do?
Can I use the tiller extension and the Tillermate at the same time?
Can I use the Tillermate when I have my automatic pilot engaged?
There is no need to have Tillermate in use at the same time as your automatic pilot is engaged. It is not recommended to use both together as the automatic pilot will hold a course and as it attempts to adjust course the Tillermate will try to stop it doing so. The result is possible damage to the automatic pilot.
Before switching on the automatic pilot, free-off the Tillermate so that its lashing line runs freely and is not clamped in any way.
Can I use the Tillermate for course guidance using way-points?
The Tillermate has no automatic features of any kind and will only hold the tiller in the position that you set. It is therefore not suitable for course guidance in the way that an expensive electronic unit is. Tillermate is not able to hold a set course or a compass bearing. It is not an auto-pilot. What it will do is hold the tiller in a set position for you while you consult the chart or plot your position and decide on your new heading.
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What size tiller will Tillermate work with?
Tillermate will work with lashing line up to 6mm diameter, so it will work with tillers which can be safely controlled with a line of that diameter.
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Is the Tillermate dependent on boat length?
The longer the boat, the bigger the rudder and the heavier the tiller, so if the tiller can be controlled with an 6 mm lashing line then Tillermate is suitable.
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Can course corrections be made once Tillermate has been set?
Yes. If locked into a set position, then slacken off the knob; adjust the course and retighten. Alternatively, if regular course corrections are to be made, then use the Tillermate in part-tightened mode to exert pressure on the lashing line so that the tiller will move if the skipper wants it to, but will be resistant to random changes caused by forces acting on the rudder.
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Can I fit a Tillermate to the bottom of a tiller?
Yes, follow exactly the same procedures for fitting as for on the top, but we recommend using a Leading Block (Part No 528 LB) if you intend to fit to the lower face.
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Can I fit Tillermate to a tubular tiller?
Yes, use the Adaptor Bracket (Part No. 528 AB) which is available from the online shop. It allows a Tillermate to be firmly fixed to tubular tillers of 38 mm (1.5") to 50 mm (2") diameter.
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What does the Leading Block do?
In some circumstances, Tillermate can be sensitive to the vertical angle that the line makes up from the fixings to the tiller. This is particularly noticed with classic long-keel boats where the angle of the rudder and therefore the rudder stock is anything other than vertical. The Leading Block removes any worries about that vertical angle and feeds the line into the Tillermate correctly.
The other use is when the Tillermate is to be fitted to the bottom of the tiller. Experience has shown that helmsmen tend to undo the screw knob more than is necessary and the rope drops out. The Leading Block stops that happening.
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Can I use the tiller extension and the Tillermate at the same time?
Yes, particularly in the free or part-tightened modes.
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Badbury Tillermate Ltd, 80 Higher Street, Okeford Fitzpaine, Blandford, Dorset DT11 0RQ.
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