why tiller OB's designed for left handed use?

[BF]

Just curious as to why/when it started... anyone care to give me a history lesson?<br /><br />What made me think about it was shifting around and switching to use my right hand to operate my 6 hp 'rude while trolling last weekend. Felt very weird after years and years of left hand motor operating (throttle twist is back a$$wards, gearshift is on the wrong side etc). Even just sitting the other way in the boat feels wrong to me! I thought that must be sort of what it feels like when a newbie starts driving a tiller outboard for the first time. <br /><br />Maybe it's just so your right hand (the good one) is kept free to do other stuff ?

 

[CATransplant]

Re: why tiller OB's designed for left handed use?

I think it's because you're holding the fishing pole in your right hand. Seriously. Outboards really started as power for fishermen, I'm pretty sure.<br /><br />Until recently, I think most reels were designed to be cranked with the left hand, so you held the pole in your right. It doesn't matter any more, since you can switch sides on a lot of reels, but that's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

 

[Nos4r2]

Re: why tiller OB's designed for left handed use?

That or quite possibly from the military? The old Indian bikes had a lefthand throttle so you could use your right hand to aim and fire a mounted machinegun.<br /><br />Just a thought, but probably wrong!

 

[McGR]

Re: why tiller OB's designed for left handed use?

Certainly in the early days outboards were just small put-puts designed to be hung on rowboats and used primarily by fishermen. Real power boaters used inboards in back then. I think it stands to reason that the intention was that a fisherman could troll with the rod & reel in the right hand while controlling the motor with the left.

 

[steelespike]

Re: why tiller OB's designed for left handed use?

They put you on the starboard side to counter act the propeller torque.I drove with my right hand until I was about 16 about 10 years.Overnight I changed sides because I accidently stuck my elbow in the teeth of the flywheel.Left a scar but no serious damage.I also decided to run with the cover in place.

 

[dajohnson53]

Re: why tiller OB's designed for left handed use?

All reasonable reasons, but my opinion is that it is to allow pull starting by the right arm - the dominant hand of most people (sorry lefties!). I like that and the propeller torque reason as being the most likely reasons.

 

[reka12]

Re: why tiller OB's designed for left handed use?

Gotta keep the right hand available to steady the cold 12 ounces. IMHO of course.

 

[Jack Shellac]

Re: why tiller OB's designed for left handed use?

I believe steelspike is right. The prop torque tends to lift the right side of the boat and the driver weight is put on the right side just like in most steering wheel type boats. Even though it may be no longer necessary in many cases, it's become a custom. You know how we all hate change.

 

[roscoe]

Re: why tiller OB's designed for left handed use?

Sorry CAT, but outboards started for ice cream.<br />Ole needed a way to get the ice cream back across the lake to give to his sweetie, before it melted. So he invented the outboard motor.<br /><br />Oh, and those 1915 outboards had sooo much propeller torque.<br /><br />I pull start my motors with either the right or left hand, and never touch the tiller while doing so. ??<br /><br />The reason is.....<br /><br />because....<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />.<br />just because.<br /><br />Why is the cold water faucet on the right?

 

[Mark42]

Re: why tiller OB's designed for left handed use?

I think it goes back to England where they drive on the left because they jousted on the left. The fact is that the first outboards were created by the English for use on horses so it was easier to get a fully loaded horse with a knight in armor across rivers.

 

[Chinewalker]

Re: why tiller OB's designed for left handed use?

I think the starting issue is the most reasonable "reason". Most people are right handed and will start the motor with their right hand. The tillers being set up for righties goes back a long ways, but not all the way back. The earliest motors had the tiller centered, and there are still motors being made with tillers that are centered. Some of the old ELTO knucklebuster motors had the offset tiller, but did not require a rope to start them (Starts with a Quarter Turn!). Some of those motors did have a fair amount of torque to deal with, so that may have also had a hand in it. The older knob-start Evinrudes (and their many clones) were centered - which placed your hand directly under the spark plug! Maybe that was a contributor to moving them off-center??<br /><br />Bottom line is that there probably isn't any single reason. I do know that when I've tried driving from the opposite side, it just feels wrong. Very wrong....<br /><br />- Scott

 

[CATransplant]

Re: why tiller OB's designed for left handed use?

Roscoe,<br /><br />I like the ice cream reason. Was Ole's sweetie named Lena?<br /><br />I remember that car radios all had the volume control on the left and the tuner knob on the right. When Japanese radios started coming to this country, the positions were reversed. Drove me nuts.<br /><br />Of course, now...car radios don't have twistable knobs much anymore, so it's a moot point. I still miss them though. It was a heckuva lot easier to twist a volume knob than it is to locate a couple of tiny buttons while you're driving.

 

[Navigator]

Re: why tiller OB's designed for left handed use?

I guess Honda asked their engineers the same question a year or so ago. That's why Honda now has "center" mounted tillers instead of off to the side. You can steer with your Left or Right...you choose <br /><br />Nav

 

[roscoe]

Re: why tiller OB's designed for left handed use?

CA T , true story, her name was Bess.<br />The manager of Evinrude's modest office was a young neighbor, Bess Cary. In 1906, he and she were engaged. During a picnic on an island that summer, Evinrude made a 5-mile roundtrip by rowboat in 90-degree heat, to fetch his beloved some ice cream. Though he was a powerful man, and far from lazy, Evinrude realized en route that an automobile was not the only vehicle that could benefit from a gasoline engine.<br /><br />Read the story here:<br /><br /> http://web.mit.edu/invent/iow/evinrude.html

 

[pwiseman]

Re: why tiller OB's designed for left handed use?

Originally posted by Navigator:<br /> I guess Honda asked their engineers the same question a year or so ago. That's why Honda now has "center" mounted tillers instead of off to the side. You can steer with your Left or Right...you choose <br /><br />Nav

I just bought a 2005 Honda tiller. Tilt and trim switch is right behind the thottle handle. Not sure what they were thinking. There is no way to adjust it when operating left handed as most people prefer.