Two tillers?

[Janet S]

Just found this photo from our epic 2010 cruise.

 

Can anyone explain why this boat has two tillers?

 

 

 

Edited to add - I may have asked about it at the time, but can't find the thread!

Edited January 20, 2014 by Janet S

[Timleech]

His & Hers?

[fudd]

His & Hers?

Or his and his

[Guest]

... and it must have two props too for that to be effective. I take it the rudders were joined so one moves both in unison.

 

The his 'n' hers might not be so daft a suggestion.

 

Maybe they can't agree on who can handle the boat the best so they do it in tandem???

 

ed. though the fitment of only one (folding) tiller handle would imply only one is used at a time.

Edited January 20, 2014 by The Dog House

[kevinl]

One of the owners is left handed and the other right handed possibly?

K

[Janet S]

The boat was moored at the time, so I didn't see how they operated.

 

I see only one tiller handle though?

 

Janet

[Athy]

Yes, one tiller bar is jacked up (posh people eh?), the other appears to have been removed.

My inference is that the boat is twin-engined

[Barry]

No linkage between the two tillers as far as can see.

 

I can't see this working without the rudders being linked together so maybe they are linked underneath the boat.

 

Is it a narrowish widebeam? If not I can't see how two engines can be side by side. The swim arrangement could be intriguing too

[Mike Tee]

I'm not 100%, but I think it may be one that 'shuffles' around MK and does have 2 engines. Never seen it in operation and don't know the owner.

[DaveC]

Or it could be twin hydraulic drives from one engine.

 

Dave

[matty40s]

Probably makes it easier to guide it through tight bridge holes and locks. Being able to see the side to guide it in will be easier with this arrangment.

 

Either that or one controls direction, the other aligns Joddrell Bank on the roof.

Edited January 20, 2014 by matty40s

[Janet S]

I'm not 100%, but I think it may be one that 'shuffles' around MK and does have 2 engines. Never seen it in operation and don't know the owner.

 

Yes, I'm pretty sure the photo was taken in the MK area.

 

Janet

[WJM]

My guess is - two contra-rotating props to cure prop-walk. The rudders are then linked together under the water. Though two swan-necks seems a bit pointless, but probably easier to engineer that something to move a single tiller into the centre.

Edited January 20, 2014 by WJM

[peterboat]

I could have done with those on my 12 foot widebeam!! Its very difficult to moor so that system would make it easy but cant believe it would have 2 engines?

 

Peter

[pquinn]

the tillers or the rudder do not seem to be at the same angle which makes them look independent of each other.but maybe its just the photo angle

[Barry]

Sloppy linkage connections?

Edited January 20, 2014 by Bazza2

[eightpot]

I'm not 100%, but I think it may be one that 'shuffles' around MK and does have 2 engines. Never seen it in operation and don't know the owner.

Was in MK a couple of years ago when it went past. The engineer we had on at the time mentioned it does indeed have two engines, but at the time of cruising past us, only one was in use.

[Ray T]

I would have thought the rudders would need to be connected?

 

When David Schweizer and I went to the Buckby Banter last year we were both single handed so lashed the boats together through the Braunston Flight.

I found, using only one boat powered, if the un powered boats rudder was not lashed amidships that the rudder swung all over the place causing steering difficulties.

 

I would assume that, in the boat pictured, if the rudders were independant of each other, similar problems would arise?

 

Could some of the learned folks on this forum tell me what a working motor and butty would do if lashed together when working between wide locks?

 

Thank you.

Edited January 20, 2014 by Ray T

[Theo]

I would guess that the owner liKes to look down the side of the boat when steering. This gives the option without having to grow longer arms than is usual.

 

N

Edited January 20, 2014 by Theo

[DeanS]

It's a learning boat. The teacher holds one, and the student the other.?

[Scholar Gypsy]

When the sail is in use (it's been removed in this photo, due to limited air draught) then in gale force winds the boat heels to leeward, so only one of the rudders will bite ...

[mango]

It's a learning boat. The teacher holds one, and the student the other.?

Like a duel-control learner's car? You fight over who is steering.

[Athy]

Brilliant! Greeno for Deano.

[FadeToScarlet]

I would guess that the owner liles to look down the side of the boat when steering. This gives the option without having to grow longer arms than is usual.N

I reckon it's this.

[Paul G2]

Look closely at the tiller on the left. There is a hinged chrome bar at the end of that tiller.

 

Methinks that's a crossbar that links the two tillers together. You can see a wooden "handle" at the top of the photo, which would be about the middle of the connecting rod. You can also see a pin in the handle of the right handle rudder. That pin would be used to lock the connecting rod onto that tiller.

 

It looks like the connecting rod is movable to make way for parking the bicycle while moored. Pretty clever!

Edited January 20, 2014 by Paul G.