New Mechanical Device Uses Simple Lever to Provide Moments of Hands-Free Steering
Pittsboro, N.C., Oct. 4, 2010 – The WaveFront TillerClutch™, a new mechanical tiller-control device that uses a simple on/off lever to provide moments of hands-free steering, will debut Oct. 7-11 at the U.S. Sailboat Show in Annapolis, Md., the largest in-water sailboat show in the world.
Developed and manufactured in North Carolina, the sailboat accessory will be sold at a 15% discount in Booth YB9, with drawings to win a TillerClutch and iPod nano.
“Premiering the TillerClutch at such a prestigious sailboat show will give us a chance to show more sailors why this product is the best solution for the age-old problem of restraining your tiller,” said Pete Crawford, WaveFront president and TillerClutch inventor.
Crawford will use a demo dinghy to let visitors see and feel how the device works.
WaveFront will also unveil its new corporate look and feel, designed to highlight its commitment to bringing innovative, high-quality sailing accessories to market for the enjoyment of sailors.
The 41st annual boat show will feature several topics that apply to the patent-pending TillerClutch, specifically “Smaller Boats from One Designs & Trailerables to Sailing Dinghies & Inflatables” and “Sailing Equipment, Rigging & Accessories.”
Since the TillerClutch is a sailboat accessory designed for smaller boats and dinghies that use tillers, people interested in these topics should find the TillerClutch very appealing, Crawford said.
Built of marine-quality metals in the USA, the TillerClutch is a compact clutching mechanism designed to make it easier, quicker and more intuitive to adjust and secure the tiller in any fixed position with the simple click of an on/off lever. The device mounts neatly under the tiller, about 6 inches from the front, so that the control lever is at the fingertips of the steering hand. A flick of the lever releases or engages a control line that securely holds the helm for short or extended periods of time without slipping or masking the feel of the tiller with friction. Designed to fit any type of tiller, the TillerClutch can be traded off with a tiller pilot to save battery power and can be overridden if necessary.
“Based on years of sailing in North Carolina and parts of Virginia, I invented the TillerClutch because I wanted something solid, quick and reliable to hold the tiller when I needed to reef the sails, tack, anchor, dock, or just grab a drink and rest,” Crawford said. “I did not want to mess with a stretchy bungee cord around the tiller, or fight a friction knob that made it hard to feel the water on the rudder. I also did not want anything that would jam, slip or break when the wind was up. I wanted something that would last, be reliable and not take up a lot of cockpit space. The rock-solid TillerClutch is the result of five years of research and development to meet these stringent requirements.”
