Why do some boats have tillers and others have wheels?

Question

And does a wheel work in the same way as a tiller with regard to you steer the opposite way to your intended direction or is it more like driving a car?

Thanks!

Answer 1

the tillar, oh yhis is just memories for me because i used to be a passenger boat skipper on the river thames in oxford,,,,oh them days, anyway the tillar as you know represents the opposite effect to your vessel. ie,,,turn right to turn left and so on. now the wheel is the clever one because all they did to the wheel to get opposite effect is to cross the chains coming off of the wheel to maximise the same effect. are you still with this,,,,,,,,well thats it anyway......./

Answer 2

A wheel can be rigged in the same basic principle as a tiller. However, a tiller can be a better solution because of space requirements. Tiller type setups are usually found on smaller boats, while wheels can be found on larger boats. And in a boat if you have a steering wheel, It works the same way as in a car.

Answer 3

With a tiller you stand at the stern of the boat and push the tiller in the direction you want the stern to go as a craft pivots about the bow or at least a point forward of the centre.

A wheel can be mounted anywhere and is used like a car to steer but still remembering that the stern will swing out not the front move in the direction you wish to go.

Answer 4

Also worth noting that until the 1960s bridge navigation commands were given as tiller commands. For those who dont know Port is left, Starboard is right.

For example, Hard to starboard would mean turning the boat to port ie if the shop had a tiller the pilot would push the tiller to the right. Hence in the movie Titanic, after the iceberg is spotted and the order "hard to starboard" was given the pilot steered to port, if he had a tiller he would have pushed the tiller starboard (turning the boat to port)

Also on the Titanic, I want to know why didnt anyone think of reversing the ship up after it hit, and dumping all the passengers and crew on the iceberg ? Even if the water was freezing the passengers would have survived a short swim to the iceberg.

Answer 5

A wheel is like steering a car only the 'wheels' are at the back of the boat so its a bit like driving a car in reverse. Tend to be on bigger boats.

Tillers are simpler and you get much more of a feel for the boat with a tiller in my opinion.

Answer 6

The tiller is pushed in the opposite direction of desired travel. I prefer a tiller for economy , simplicity & versatility. With a tiller on smaller boats skipper can steer from anywhere in the cockpit to allow for vison of seaway & also sails if sailing off wind. Up wind the skipper can better position his weight for good balance/performance. A tiller is more like driving a sportscar vs wheel more like general aiming of land yacht. You get a good feedback in the tiller to better balance helm for efficient sailing.ie: When you have to pull hard on tiller you know that something is amiss & needs adjustment. The mechanical advantage of the wheel takes away the fine tuned feel.

Answer 7

with a wheel, you turn right and the boat goes right.

tillers work opposite as you know.

Tillers are used on boats that are long and thin because you need to be right at the back to see the direction and steer it properly.

I find a tiller instinctive. a wheel feels isolated from the boat to me. i guess its to do with a tiller being directly connected to the rudder so you can feel the prop wash.

also, its better to sit on the back of the roof of your narrow boat with one foot on the tiller. that allows you to eat and drink at the same time as steer !

Answer 8

The wheel does not work the same as the tiller. You turn it the same way you want to go.It is like driving a very large bus from the back. In general larger boats have wheels and smaller have tillers.

The big question is size. With a wheel you have more mechanical advantage.

Answer 9

Its a matter of preference. the tiller goes opposite and the wheel is like driving a car.

Answer 10

Some motors have tiller for the perpose of steering, throttle and gearshift where as some only use it for steering and throttle. If it has a steering wheel it works the same as driving a car.

Answer 11

With a wheel, you can steer from the front of the vessel. I have two wheels on mine mounted on the starboard side. One in the fore compartment and one aft and both sharing the same cable to the rudder box. I've heard it referred to as an islander set-up, named after a sail boat system. The wheel pushed forward turns the boat to port and back to starboard. So you are not facing your wheels, they are at your side about hip level.
The boat is an antique lapstrake fishing guide boat.