DIY Building a Handmade Tiller for our Abandoned Sailboat

Deciding how to steer our boat was a major milestone in our sailboat restoration journey, which didn't exactly start off on the right foot. We initially thought a wheel would be perfect, so we swapped out the original tiller for a second-hand wheel we found. But once we moved down south, we realized that even though the wheel was small, it took up way too much space in the cockpit and machine room. Plus, the folks who installed the quadrant made some big mistakes, causing the wire to keep falling off. After realizing it wasn't worth pouring more time and money into fixing it, we decided to go back to basics and stick with a tiller. It just made more sense for our liveaboard boat, and it'll be way easier to maintain in the long run. So now, we're diving into crafting our own custom tiller and extension arm, which we believe is one of the most crucial parts of our boat.

We're documenting the whole process of making our DIY tiller, using teak hardwood and showing you every step along the way. And let me tell you, we're absolutely loving the results!

If you're interested in trying something similar, we've put together a detailed blog post, How to make a DIY Tiller, with step-by-step directions to help you create your own custom tiller. Head over to our blog to learn more about this rewarding DIY project and get ready to bring your own creativity to the seas!