Tiller Or Forward Steering Options

[kkw]

After years of driving boats with forward steering, I have just come to a conclusion regarding tiller steer outboards.
I fitted a 40hp to my 4.2m tinny and it goes really well. I get from one side of Botany Bay to the other, in no time. Went out yesterday and tried a different tilt setting. (it is a manula tilt model) Got some cavitation and got a fair bit of air over chop. No good - went back to the original setting.
The conclusion I have come to, regarding medium sized HP outboards, is that they are for young, strong drivers. :( My neck and shoulders are aching this morning. Also my Gluteous Maximus is bruised. Old farts need soft seats in their tinnies as well.

[STEVE.P]

yes crim as you get older you want it to get easyer , plus you relax and enjoy yourself . last thin you need is batling to get to were you want.

and them soft cushions for your arss would help you KKW espeacially with hemroids

[poly]

Also my Gluteous Maximus is bruised. Old farts need soft seats in their tinnies as well.

that's why i got my self a poly a nice soft ride

[Fed]

I don't think I could drive a tiller boat, I'm sure I'd be turning left instead of right.
I used to use an occie strap on the steering wheel to let me wander around before I got the auto pilot.

[SUMOFISHIN]

Suprising how comfortable it is sitting behind a console, I removed the swivel seat and replaced it with a cushion topped esky, I think that the esky is more comfortable than the boat seat, except that it doesn't have a backrest.
It does give more room and makes it easy to sit or stand.

[Jumpus GooDarus]

that's why i got my self a poly a nice soft ride

poly it has nothing to do with the polycraft being a softer ride & everything to do with you being aft when driving the boat.

The softest ride on any boat is as aft as possible you go put somebody up forward on a poly & ask them how soft the ride is it's no different on any boat.

Further more no matter what boat you are in steering with tiller will subject you to alot more spray if the wind is up than if you had forward controls

[squizzytaylor]

poly it has nothing to do with the polycraft being a softer ride & everything to do with you being aft when driving the boat.

The softest ride on any boat is as aft as possible you go put somebody up forward on a poly & ask them how soft the ride is it's no different on any boat.

Further more no matter what boat you are in steering with tiller will subject you to alot more spray if the wind is up than if you had forward controls

I beg to differ on this point JG, the polys do actually have inherrant flex in the outer hull skin which does "cushion" the ride considerably they also carry a massive reverse chine which all but totally eliminates the "thud" experienced by most boats in similar sizes when hitting a trough and or sizeable wave. I have personally owned over 8 boats from 4metre to 8 metre and my current boat which is a poly 4.55 has by far the softest ride for its size (I say this with caution as in fairness I am not gonna compare the poly to the likes of my old Sharkcat or Flybridge).
Having said that yes the helm position does play a critical factor in ride which is why I chose to get the side console with its extreme rear seating position.
I dont talk poly a lot cos as owners we tend to cop a bit of a flogging, but the ride they offer from my experience is outstanding and directly related to the poly construction of the hull. The first trip I had outside on a poly was on a 4.55 CC and I was stuck up the front, it was balanced like a pig due to the crap the owner had loaded on to it and it blew me away.


Cheers
Geoff

This post has been edited by squizzytaylor: Sep 1 2007, 09:43 PM

[Jumpus GooDarus]

I knew you had a polycraft squizzy !

And I think my comments were very fair as I said all boats not just the poly's, I've owned quite a few boats myself up to 11 meter game boat & all boats thud irrelevant of what people claim.

In poly's case I picked on his comment only cause of his claim & no offence intended I look @ it this way it was a bold claim considering the boat from what I read is underpowered used in estuary's.

Put a decent motor behind it & give me the controls & I'll show you how hard it will bang !

Most of my fishing is done offshore & ask those who fish with me how hard I drive boats ?? to their max & I've never claimed my boats dont bang or have the softest ride BUT I DRIVE THEM I dont pussyfoot around.

I've never ridden in a poly therefore I choose my words carefully when replying to soebody making claims but I have owned glass boats & get sick & tired of peeps raving on how they ride better than a Alloy boat like I said put me behind the wheel & I'll show you how good glass boats bangs.

Each boat has a purpose Alloy boats are a fishing platform not a LaDeDa girly boat most glass boats are multi purpose.

As far as the poly's go ? Well when I'm not throwing jokes @ them & do get serious I saw them @ the show includind one which was cut in 1/2 to show a cross section & having a bit of engineering knowledge in my view the double skin is there for strength not for flex & a softer ride.

Now if a softer ride is also achieved that's a different story as I already stated I've never been in one.

This thread was about tiller steer & my original reply was aimed as such poly knows very well if I wanted to put the polycraft down I'm more than capable of doing so, my main aim was to show that the further aft you ride the smoother the ride will be.

[poly]

J G i thank u for that reply, at least it is an honest one not like a lot of the peeps that just nock polys for the sake of it.
i would love to take u for a run one day so u can see the difference, i don't think i have ever said that they don't bang in a chop they do, it is the amount of shock that is transferred back to the peeps on board that is different, as for spray driven back by the wind it takes a fair breeze to bring it over, with the breeze over 15nts i do get wet but under that it's ok.
i know what squizzy is saying about geting crap throne at us by peeps ho no nothing about them at least u have had a look at the construction of the hull wicth alows u to make an informed coment on that side of the argument i to was luck enogh to get a ride in one before i bought mine i had been looking at alloy boats but the poly was far superior in all aspect's it was much quiter and softer riding than the hornet i was in only 1hr brfore + the wind had got up to about 10nts and still the poly was softer

This post has been edited by poly: Sep 1 2007, 10:45 PM

[squizzytaylor]

No worries JG as I also said I do attribute a percentage of the ride to the reverse chines as well. I had a deposit down on a Bluefin barracuda and withdrew from the sale after what was a chance offer to go fishing in a poly and was impressed enough to forego part of my deposit on the Bluefin to get one. Funnily enough if someone asked me 12 months ago what I thought of Polys I would have replied "nothing" as I honestly had no opinion on them and to some degree thought them to be a bit of an oddity.

Anyway KKW, sorry to hijack the thread mate, and I agree give me a console and a padded seat anyday and definately at the blunt end B)

And JG if youre ever up Newy way, Id be happy to take you for a run.

Cheers
geoff

[Jumpus GooDarus]

Think you should know me by now poly as long as I'm not joking I can be pretty spot on with what I say

I dont go around making out something is the best just because I own it like some do I find that a bit over the top & thats when I Jumpus in with my sly remarks.

As you know I have 4 bangers on my big boat & would never have 2 strokes on a big boat again BUT I recomended a 2 stroke for your little poly cause I thought it was the right way to go cant see you getting the full benefit of a 4 banger on a boat that size.

For example if I had to repower my little tinny I'd go 2 stroke on it again & not a 4 banger

[Jumpus GooDarus]

No worries JG as I also said I do attribute a percentage of the ride to the reverse chines as well. I had a deposit down on a Bluefin barracuda and withdrew from the sale after what was a chance offer to go fishing in a poly and was impressed enough to forego part of my deposit on the Bluefin to get one. Funnily enough if someone asked me 12 months ago what I thought of Polys I would have replied "nothing" as I honestly had no opinion on them and to some degree thought them to be a bit of an oddity.

Anyway KKW, sorry to hijack the thread mate, and I agree give me a console and a padded seat anyday and definately at the blunt end B)

And JG if youre ever up Newy way, Id be happy to take you for a run.

Cheers
geoff

Dont worry about kk

I have a good set of chimes on my big boat they can only protect you so much no probs in that boat cause of the hardtop but where you cop the spray is when you've got one of those bloody cross winds, I get soaked in my little boat in those conditions mind you I drive that boat hard as well which dosen't help @ times

squizzy I always say to people a good boat is one the owner is happy with not the one everybody tells them is the best we all have different idea's what a good boat is.

Personally I think the biggest prob most peeps have is they are clueless how to fit out a boat & thats where alot of them get into trouble with performance, not to mention very few actually know how to drive a boat.

How many times have you watched peeps take off from the boat ramp with motor reving to the shite house & the boats going no where ?

I only have 2 boats now had the big one as well not that long ago but I'll tell you what I'd rather be out in my current 7.3 plate any day on a rough sea day just for shear acceleration & the way it rides like I've said many times B4 I always feel safe in it, recall days in the big boat where I was getting whipped from side to side up in the flybridge.

As I said earlier the skipper plays a big role in how well a boat rides I eat other boats on the way in & out not because my boat is better I just know how to drive it, some will tell you they've owned boats for 30 years I haven't but I've spent alot more hrs behind the controls than most.

Couldn't see myself ever owning a poly I'm strictly Alloy & if you've seen my boat rebuild threads you'll understand why, I did my apprenticeship working on aircraft & alluminium not that I'm a mug with fibreglas pretty good working with it just prefer Alloy boats & I'm sure I'd have no prob working on plastic ones either.

Thanks for the offer I'm pretty sure one day we'll catch up & if SUMO dosen't sink my big tub when he comes down 2morro I'm sure you'll like a ride in it

[Fed]

Having a seat with a back in it would make it a lot better KKW, can you screw one on to the rear thwart?
Even one of those plastic shell type seats, you can get an attachment to allow them to be removable & swivel.

Reverse chines eliminating the bang, how does that work? LOL!

[Jumpus GooDarus]

And you're accusing me off not reading what people write Fed ???

Reverse chines eliminating the bang, how does that work?

We were talking about spray

[Fed]

I beg to differ on this point JG, the polys do actually have inherrant flex in the outer hull skin which does "cushion" the ride considerably they also carry a massive reverse chine which all but totally eliminates the "thud" experienced by most boats in similar sizes when hitting a trough and or sizeable wave.

You're always good for a laugh Jumpy, sooo easy.

[Jumpus GooDarus]

Really Fed ?

That one really deserved the hyena

Tell me why are chimes put on boats ??

Hears a clue they are also called Spray Chimes

poly may be the worsew speller on this site & he may muddle things up from time to time BUT NOT THIS TIME

Had you followed the t6hread you wouldn't have asked your original question simple because previously I'd said

Further more no matter what boat you are in steering with tiller will subject you to alot more spray if the wind is up than if you had forward controls

See poly was replying to 2 of my remarks then squizzy also came in & remarked on the chimes & he also knew what we were on about

ps] Go back & have another read it's not that easy to catch the Jumping one out my name ain't Dave U no

[Fed]

Chimes are used to tell you when the wind is blowing.

Squizzy said...

they also carry a massive reverse chine which all but totally eliminates the "thud" experienced by most boats in similar sizes when hitting a trough and or sizeable wave.

... and I asked how that worked.
It's not about you, but if you can tell me how that works then good.
Not in mumbojumbo from JumpyWorld though.

Go and fix your water leaks they are forcasting rain I think.

[Jumpus GooDarus]

Well then squizzy is telling porkies isn't he

The chine I was rewfering to is that on a Alloy goat seems sqizzy was refering to the shape of the hull stating a reverse chine & I cant see how in hell that would cushion a thud therefore he's telling porkies

Can only assume the reverse chine is trying to copy the way a shark cat cushions the air between the tunnel cant see how it would work on a mono hull to the effect where such a claim can be made.

Dont know how this would also effect the boat on the drift or @ anchor you would have to lose stability.

As for the rain ???

Well what can I say exept that my boats run rain, hail or shine unlike yours


Have you dusted the cobwebs out of your carbies yet Fed ????

Might actually allow some fuel into your cylinders

[Fed]

I'm not sure mate, perhaps he meant the hull shape, they're a bit radical aren't they?
From what I remember of the hulls I think they would be pretty good at rest.
Need a picture of one to refresh my memory but I couldn't be bothered searching.
My boat, don't ask, it's too depressing.

[Jumpus GooDarus]

After going back over all posts I came to the conclusion he was refering to hull shape Fed tghats why I said what I did in my last reply & reasonj why I thought porkies have been told.

Think most should know what I'm like by now & no I'm not a Know it All but do have pretty good knowledge of most things I do'nt exept what others may claim either.

If something dosen't make sense to me I'll Q it I dont give a stuff what manufacturer's claims are they tell the biggest porkies of all & I have good fun taking the piss out of them as well.

squizzy refered to reverse chine had he refered to deadrise I would've jerry'd alot quicker besides all this soft ride is all irellevant in my books simple reason my idea of a good boat is a stable platform which you can fish from.

Here's something for all you soft ride cookoo's to think about !

How much time do you spend getting to & fro from your fishing spots opposed to time spent actually fishing where a soft ride is of no rellevance ????

My view is you have know what you want a boat to do for your needs once you've done that then you can choose the right GOAT

Dont know how you lot drive your boats but I get up off my arse & stand if I'm going to hammer the throatles unless I'm in flat water that way my legs act as shock absorbers