Coronado 25
Robin Tiesler
R. F. Tiesler Company
Box 217
Carversville, Pa 18913-0217
Please consider me a happy customer. I have used the Tiller Stay for several months now installed on "Windsong", my Coronado 25 and find it everything you claimed. I never thought the tiller was untamed, but I now seldom use the tiller without it attached. It serves me will single-handed or with crew. At a light tension setting, it dampens small tiller motions with virtually no loss of helm fee. On the heavier settings, I can dart about the boat or make sail trim adjustments without stopping to install the tension lines. Not only am I pleased with its performance, but my wife feels more comfortable knowing my single-handed adventures are more safely executed with this device. When I last wrote you, I wad concerned how the Tiller Stay would work with my tiller extension, As the enclosed photo's show, there is no conflict between the two. In fact, the locking mechanism mounted on the tiller serves very well to hold the extension in place when laid upon the tiller. I have several observations to make concerning the installation on my boat. I was concerned about the Tiller Stay's ability to control the tiller is based on the geometry of the tension spools and the position on the tiller. Since my tiller is fairly long, I wanted the locking mechanism placed far enough out to adequately control the tiller and the tension spools placed far enough apart to afford good control. I mounted the locking mechanism on the tiller 24 inches from the rudder post and the tension spools 22 inches to either side of the post. To date, I have experienced conditions ranging from calm to winds of 15 knots and 2 - 3 foot seas on the Chesapeake Bay. Everything has worked fine. Beating under the heavier conditions, the Tiller Stay keeps the boat's course to within 10 - 15 degrees of a course steered by hand. The boat will luff a bit, fall off and re-power and repeat the cycle. But the course variation is slow, gentle and predictable. I've raced with skippers whose helm control is far worse! My only complaint (with my particular setup) is in my effort to optimize the geometry of the installation, the lines extend above my seat locker lids and they snag the lines when being opened or closed. However, I've no plans to move either the spools inboard or the locking mechanism aft. Once under way, the lids are seldom used anyway. This is a great product, well engineered and constructed with great installation instructions. The pictures of various installation examples are worth a thousand words. Please use my photos or words as you see fit. Thanks again, the best of luck with your venture and I look forward to meeting you one day.
Sincerely,
Kenneth M, Miller