Tiller conversion on a Mull F30

Engines, Drive trains, Propellers, Steering, Ground Tackle and other mechanical system
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johncd3141
Posts: 13
Joined: Thu Feb 12, 2009 5:56 pm

Tiller conversion on a Mull F30

Post by johncd3141 »

Anyone out there every remove the wheel and pedestal from a Gary Mull designed Freedom 30 and replaced them with a permanently installed tiller? Any gotchas you learned about in the process? I'm thinking about moving up from an F25 to an F30, but I'm hard wired for a tiller. I imagine I'll need to find a space in my garage rafters for the wheel, pedestal and chains, so they can be reinstalled when I need to sell the boat (in a decade or two)

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mike cunningham
Posts: 489
Joined: Sat Dec 20, 2008 11:21 am
Location: Jacqueline, F30 #3, Discovery Bay, California

Re: Tiller conversion on a Mull F30

Post by mike cunningham »

I'll be interested to hear what the community has to say. Converting to tilller has crossed my mind more than once. I singlehand and the wheel is always in the way albiet it is a good handhold, supports my cp table, etc.

I would think conversion would not be that big a deal technically speaking. There is an appropriate deck penetration and rudder stock access for the emergency tiller.
Mike Cunningham
Freedom 30 (Mull) Hull #3
Build date...June, 1986 . Freedom Yachts USA, sloop, shoal keel
Gun Mount and pole retrofitted (purchased from a Hoyt Freedom 32)
Yanmar 2gm20F , 1600 hrs fixed two blade prop
e-rud and ocean racing equipment

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sailmon
Posts: 237
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2009 6:53 pm

Re: Tiller conversion on a Mull F30

Post by sailmon »

Physically I would think very doable - as noted earlier. Just need to install permanent tiller using emergency tiller fitting at rudder shaft head, and find a way to seal the area so that water doesn't run down into the mechanical space at the stern of the boat.
That said, devil is in the (engineering) details. There can be quite a bit of force on the steering system under certain sailing conditions, and you might need a very long tiller to get the needed amount of leverage.
Sailmon (Captain Bob Allenick)
S/V Her Diamond
1991 Freedom 38
Cleveland, OH

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rvivian
Posts: 210
Joined: Sun Feb 21, 2010 2:08 pm

Re: Tiller conversion on a Mull F30

Post by rvivian »

I had a 5-foot tiller on my 8500 lb Ericson 29. It worked fine.

However the rudder post terminated at a sealed fitting on the thickened cockpit deck. The combing on the top of our Freedom 30s is just 1/4" thick.

I think the combing at the top of the stern will need to be reinforced to support the new permanent loads, a gland will be required to seal for leakage and some new arrangement for emergency steering provided.
Heart's Desire
Freedom 30
Shelton, WA

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