could I add a steering wheel and still keep my tiller??

[IH8JEEP]

I have a 1648 double wide jon with a 1999 merc.25 hp tiller. I want to keep my tiller and add a side steering wheel for crabbing. I still want to keep the tiller steering/throtle. I still want to use the tiller to steer all so. I want to set my throtle to idle then use the steering wheel up by the middle seat for crab trot line. Do you think there would be to much residence turning the tiller with a steering cable and wheel hooked up? I all ready have the console,wheel,and cable from another boat would only have to rig the motor. The console will be closer to the middle seat if mounted.

 

[Lyle29464]

Re: could I add a steering wheel and still keep my tiller??

Too much feed back, plus a safety factor in not having all controls at the wheel.

 

[IH8JEEP]

Re: could I add a steering wheel and still keep my tiller??

Too much feed back, plus a safety factor in not having all controls at the wheel.

The saftey part I'm not worried about. I will be right off idle as slow as posibly and wearing a kill switch. I see alot of people up hear using a tiller with a home made stick steer with ropes & pullies. I wanted something a little more industrial. Maybe I ansewed my own question. I will just use the console steering only for crabbing with some kind of homemade bracket I can put on/remove as needed.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: could I add a steering wheel and still keep my tiller??

I have cable/pulley steering on my 13' whaler. the tiller stays up, but you can turn the motor with it just fine when it's down. The controls from the motor are too stiff when the cables are hooked up, though.
I really can't understand your question, but see if this is what you are asking: you want to be able to run at idle speed, using either the tiller or wheel to steer? No problem on cable/pulley. Might be too stiff on a hard cable, so consider a quick disconnect bolt for the steering. You can easily control the speed from the console while operating the tiller, at low speeds. Shifting may be hard, but on a 16' boat, it's a short reach.
Or are you saying you prefer to use the tiller at high speeds, and the steering console only for low? that is backwards to the reason most people have a wheel in the first place. Once you get your wheel hooked up you won;t want to use the tiller. If space is a problem, consider a pedastal console, even set to the side. Sit-down steering consoles can be a pain for active boating, like running traps.

 

[JimS123]

Re: could I add a steering wheel and still keep my tiller??

One or the other but not both. If you set up controls at the wheel, the controls on the motor will almost be useless. You will still be able to steer with the tiller, but it'll be very tight. They are all QD fittings, but if you're at the tiller and need to get them off, you'll probably run into something before you do.

 

[Outsider]

Re: could I add a steering wheel and still keep my tiller??

You might be able to do what you want with a cable and pulley system (real old technology), but probably not easily with a single cable.

You could probably install a single cable system, but not hook up the cross link until ready to work, using a washer and cotter pin for ease of connection/disconnection. I wouldn't, under any circumstances, use the wheel at speed without the correct nylock not installed ...

 

[IH8JEEP]

Re: could I add a steering wheel and still keep my tiller??

You might be able to do what you want with a cable and pulley system (real old technology), but probably not easily with a single cable.

You could probably install a single cable system, but not hook up the cross link until ready to work, using a washer and cotter pin for ease of connection/disconnection. I wouldn't, under any circumstances, use the wheel at speed without the correct nylock not installed ...

I think you are the only one close to know what I want to do. I just want to use a console and steering wheel with homemade rigged connection at the tiller. I want to tie steering cable slide into tiller. I don't want to remove any tiller controls. Here are some pictures of homemade stic steer half way thru the thread
http://www.bluecrab.info/forum/index.php?topic=6083.25

Old school yes, but slick as sh#t yes all so. I will provably try to do this but my boats seat go all the way the floor.

 

[JimS123]

Re: could I add a steering wheel and still keep my tiller??

I think you are the only one close to know what I want to do. I just want to use a console and steering wheel with homemade rigged connection at the tiller. I want to tie steering cable slide into tiller. I don't want to remove any tiller controls. Here are some pictures of homemade stic steer half way thru the thread
http://www.bluecrab.info/forum/index.php?topic=6083.25

Old school yes, but slick as sh#t yes all so. I will provably try to do this but my boats seat go all the way the floor.

I understand exactly what you want to do. In fact, MY boat is set up like that too. Old school...for sure. Cable and pulley.

When the steering is connected to the motor, its sticky as heck, not slick as crap. And when I am at the helm, the controls are out of reach.

Can't have it both ways, unless you don't care about safety.

 

[IH8JEEP]

Re: could I add a steering wheel and still keep my tiller??

I understand exactly what you want to do. In fact, MY boat is set up like that too. Old school...for sure. Cable and pulley.

When the steering is connected to the motor, its sticky as heck, not slick as crap. And when I am at the helm, the controls are out of reach.

Can't have it both ways, unless you don't care about safety.

Got any pictures of your boat cause you say your boat is rigged with cables and pullies and guess some type of steering away from a tiller and then you say not to do its unsafe. If your boat is rigged this way are you boating unsafely? Why would it be unsafe idling at a couple knots. I would still be steering the boat with a kill switch on me I just would not have hand on throtle. If I needed to stop quickly for some reason pull the kill thats connected to me. How many thousands of tiller extensions are out there on boats. This is not much different and I see these at high speed being used? Some motors you have shift into gear from the side of the motor. What nobody ever let go of there controls while trolling to set hook or bait a rod at least I will have a hand on the wheel at all times. Front steer away from tiller will NEVER be used except slowest speed motor will run at. I have seen more than one of these boats set up like this http://www.bluecrab.info/forum/index.php?topic=6083.25 and set up properly they work well for the little bit of money into it. Can you rig a stick steer like this and fly across the river I don't think so.That is why you unhook the stick steer.

 

[Lyle29464]

Re: could I add a steering wheel and still keep my tiller??

Let me try this one last time.

The mechanics of a rack and pinion and gear steering head are much different than a cable and pully setup. If you have ever greased the end of a cable and then turned the engine by hand to work in the grease you have found that the stearing head is designed to absorb a lot of the feedback. After you have forced it a few inches it picks up a little speed and the wheel moves faster and faster. But that is not how you drive the boat. You are moving the engine an inch or so at a time. It would be a fight. If you jurry rig a quick disconect you will be playing with fire. If it comes undone while your at cruse speed the boat will make a 90 deg turn in 1/3 of a second. Dead people all over. I am done.

 

[IH8JEEP]

Re: could I add a steering wheel and still keep my tiller??

Let me try this one last time.

The mechanics of a rack and pinion and gear steering head are much different than a cable and pully setup. If you have ever greased the end of a cable and then turned the engine by hand to work in the grease you have found that the stearing head is designed to absorb a lot of the feedback. After you have forced it a few inches it picks up a little speed and the wheel moves faster and faster. But that is not how you drive the boat. You are moving the engine an inch or so at a time. It would be a fight. If you jurry rig a quick disconect you will be playing with fire. If it comes undone while your at cruse speed the boat will make a 90 deg turn in 1/3 of a second. Dead people all over. I am done.

I have a 1648 double wide jon with a 1999 merc.25 hp tiller. I want to keep my tiller and add a side steering wheel for crabbing. I still want to keep the tiller steering/throtle. I still want to use the tiller to steer all so. I want to set my throtle to idle then use the steering wheel up by the middle seat for crab trot line. Do you think there would be to much residence turning the tiller with a steering cable and wheel hooked up? I all ready have the console,wheel,and cable from another boat would only have to rig the motor. The console will be closer to the middle seat if mounted.

That was my only queston.....I agree that I don't think I can use the tiller at the stern with the steering wheel hooked up but I wasn't sure thats what I asked.
I do know 100% that I can drive the boat mid ship with the steering wheel at idle with no body at the tiller.
Why am I getting posts about
1.safety
2.cruzing at speed=dead people
3.no it can't be done
4. things coming apart
5. my favorite..One or the other but not both. If you set up controls at the wheel, the controls on the motor will almost be useless
There are hundreds maybe thousands of boats in Md running setups like this one
http://www.bluecrab.info/forum/index.php/topic,6083.0.html
Non crabbers posting on this thread that don't understand.. These setups are used at idle,idle,idle,idle,idle.............
DONE

 

[JimS123]

Re: could I add a steering wheel and still keep my tiller??

. Do you think there would be to much residence turning the tiller with a steering cable and wheel hooked up? .............
DONE

We heard you the first time.....LOL. And the answer is still yes.

 

[JimS123]

Re: could I add a steering wheel and still keep my tiller??

then you say not to do its unsafe. If your boat is rigged this way are you boating unsafely? .

I said it was rigged that way. I didn't say I USED it that way. I could remove the tiller handle if I wanted to - I left it on merely to preserve the historical integrity of it. When the boat is running, the handle is in the up position, which disconnects the cam from the throttle cable.

Trying to steer with the tiller is realatively hard. It has a quick disconnect but if you need to do it you might not have enough time. I CAN shift from the motor if I wanted to, but the twist grip throttle is almost impossible to turn by hand unless you disconnect the cable.

If you are in the middle of the ocean with no one around it probably doesn't matter. But if you are out in a channel, or out with other boats, its not safe. You asked for an opinion and that's it. If you don't have immediate response from your engine controls its not safe.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: could I add a steering wheel and still keep my tiller??

dude. Your first post was grammatically unintelligible. Your question, as best as it could be discerned, was answered by experienced boaters. They also added additional information about the topic you presented, both to help you, and other readers who may have similar concerns. This is how forums work. Your attempts to clarify were unsuccessful, and in your frustration, you started yelling, and arguing against the opinions given. Look, it's a 16' jon with an outboard. It's not rocket surgery. You can probably reach the tiller with one hand and the wheel with the other.
At this point, we can only say, do what you think is best, and good luck.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: could I add a steering wheel and still keep my tiller??

JimS that is one beautiful rig. Looks like it came right out of a magazine ad from 1958.

 

[JimS123]

Re: could I add a steering wheel and still keep my tiller??

JimS that is one beautiful rig. Looks like it came right out of a magazine ad from 1958.

Thank you. 1952 to be exact. She's "preserved", not "restored". All the wood is original. That's why a garage kept boat is the only option!

 

[hungupthespikes]

Re: could I add a steering wheel and still keep my tiller??

JimS WOW