“I have the TillerClutch on my 24 foot Hunter and LOVE it. It’s a godsend when I need to go forward or do
something else away from the tiller when I’m by myself.”
Janelle Henderson | USA
“Four years out, the tiller clutch has moved onto an 18-footer, always works brilliantly!”
Gunnar Flugstrud | Oslo, Norway
“I’ve tried all kinds of tiller-steering devices, and the TillerClutch™ is the gold standard.”
Steve Haines | Panama City, Florida
“I have installed the TillerClutch™ on my Spirit 6.5. In my 28 years of sailing, I have never experienced a simple mechanical device that makes sailing so comfortable. The simplicity and yet the performance of the device really exceeded my expectations. I can say you are honestly selling what you are advertising. Thank you for making sailing more enjoyable for 60+ sailors like me. Now I can set course in a jiff and not lose it, turning knobs to lock the tiller.”
Jaime P. | Miami, FL
“I fitted the TillerClutch in about 10 minutes this morning – looks exactly like what I wanted. Took the wee boat out yesterday in a force 3-4 with a (to me) heavy swell running around 8 – 10 feet. Tried your TillerClutch™ out first on a beam reach, wondering how many seconds it would give me as I was bouncing around like a cork in a washing machine – after around 4 minutes I had to take over as I was running out of sea! Equally stable on a couple of hard windward beats, and a broad reach. Absolutely brilliant bit of kit. I wouldn’t hesitate in re-ordering. I wish you every success with this piece of gear – it’ll transform my sailing experience here in Scotland. Well done.”
Rick | Northern Scotland, UK
“I had a weekend on the boat. I cannot believe how much your TillerClutch™ has transformed my enjoyment of the boat. Quite simply it is brilliant, and I used it constantly not only for holding a course but more particularly to take some of the strain when sailing heeled over. First time I have ever written to a producer of goods but thought you might like to know. My very best wishes and every success with your company.”
Malcolm Ayres | North Wales, UK
“I’ve used a TillerClutch on the 19’ Devlin Winter Wren that I built and launched seven years ago. It has worked flawlessly all this time, and the only “maintenance” it has required is replacement of the control line a couple of times. I occasionally singlehand and frequently take friends out who aren’t sailors and can’t be trusted to hold a course without close monitoring, so I frequently use your product to leave the helm to raise sails or attend to problems. It’s not only a convenience; it’s a valuable safety aid for a small sailboat.
I have just built a slightly larger boat, a 21’ Devlin Song Wren, and I just ordered a new TillerClutch to install on it. — As I expected, your TillerClutch works perfectly. Thank you for a well-designed, dependable product.”
Larry Cheek | Whidbey Island, Washington
“During my 11-mile ocean delivery from Mission Bay to the start line of the ‘Around the Coronados’ race, I used the TillerClutch™ extensively. What I found was, rather than sitting and steering the whole way home, I would slightly adjust the tiller every few minutes. This allowed me to clean up the boat, eat lunch, shake out the reef, look around and relax all while steering a reasonable course.”
James Baumgart | CA
“I have a 19-foot Bristol Corinthian that I sail out of Portsmouth NH.
The tidal river creates areas where the current can run as fast as 5 knots. With the fast current, rocks and commercial fishermen, a secure way to tying off the tiller to set and furl sails is very important. I sail single-handed at least three times a week during the season. I installed the TillerClutch at the beginning of the 2010 season after trying several other methods of tying off the tiller. The TillerClutch was simple to install and set up. It works exactly as promised. The control line is out of the way, and I can remove or reinstall it quickly when guests are on board. The action of the lever is smooth and positive. The TillerClutch has perfectly weighted springs. The finish on the lever is smooth and the edges are rounded just right. So many new items available today have really neat electronic features, but the ergonomics and mechanical interface are cheap and poorly executed. I have recommended the TillerClutch to all of my sailing friends.”
Peter Stockless | York, Maine
TEST REVIEW
IN-DEPTH REVIEW FROM AN INDEPENDENT SAILOR
The following test and review was voluntary and the users have no connections with WaveFront Marine or its owners.
Test Review by James Baumgart | Around the Coronados Race
During my 11-mile ocean delivery from Mission Bay to the start line of the ‘Around the Coronados’ race, I used the TillerClutch™ extensively. This was an early morning motor sail in calm winds and fairly large seas on the aft quarter (5 feet). The device worked very well. It is so easy to flick on and off. The boat is hypersensitive to even a 1/8 inch move of the tiller. The trick is to carefully set the boat on course. Get the tiller very stable in your hand. Then click the lever. In many cases, the boat would hold a good course for 5 to 10 minutes. A simple squeeze of the lever allows a minute tiller adjustment. Once inside San Diego harbor, the device worked even better. I did not use the autopilot at all on the delivery, nor did I ever feel a need to do so.
During the race, we were quite busy and very competitive. For the 15-mile run out to the island we did not have the [TillerClutch™ control] line even hooked up. I like how quick and easy it is to disconnect and put away, and how quick and easy it is to set up when you want it. I was trimming and doing foredeck and my friend was at the helm most of the way over.
After rounding the island, we were in very rough seas and complex, shifting winds coming off the lee of the island. Shortly after we blew out of the lee, we went up with my reaching spinnaker. After the hoist, I took the helm. I quickly ran the control line and hooked up the TillerClutch™. This would be about the toughest conditions you could test in. Rough seas on the beam, winds about 10 knots on the beam, spinnaker up, in a competitive race. My crew was hiking out so I was helming and trimming.
Now there is no way the autopilot could have steered in these conditions and kept the spinnaker full. Locking the tiller did not steer the boat to a competitive race level, either.
I found I could lock the tiller for a few seconds while trimming without a serious course change. This gave me a way to let go, just for a couple of seconds, and attend to a task like trimming the guy. I definitely liked having the device hooked up when short handed in the cockpit.
After the race, the next day I headed home 11 miles upwind. Once again motor sailing, this time in winds about 15 knots, right on the nose, with seas about 3 feet on the port nose (about 11 o’clock). I had the main reefed. I did not use the autopilot at all on the way home. It was easy to hook up the TillerClutch™ and easy to steer with it disengaged. The TillerClutch™ when disengaged adds a slight friction to the tiller, nothing too noticeable. In these conditions, it was hard for the boat to hold a course for long with the TillerClutch™ engaged. Every minute or so a wave would knock the bow to leeward and the wind would take the boat down. I adjusted the tiller for a slight curving course to windward, and the boat would hold course for a couple of minutes.
What I found was, rather than sitting and steering the whole way home, I would slightly adjust the tiller every few minutes. This allowed me to clean up the boat, eat lunch, shake out the reef, look around and relax all while steering a reasonable course.
I took some photos of my installation. Even though I complained last week about the need to re-tension the line when the tiller is hard over, in practice I never needed to re-tension the line. I never tried to heave the boat to.
I’ll publish the photos so you can look at what I did. I showed the device to several fellow sailors. I’ll do some more testing under full sail and also try heaving to. It is so simple. I really like how easy it is to set up, use, and put away. After I put the line away for the day, when motoring back into my slip I found myself clicking the lever on the (now empty) TillerClutch™.
I did not use the autopilot the entire weekend except when flaking the main single-handed while motoring back to the slip in the crowded harbor. And I mainly did this to make sure the autopilot would not get tangled up on the clutch line.
