Whenever the discussion is about windvane self-steering gear it often morphs over to sheet to tiller because of its cheapness and simplicity...
For the record, I'd never cross another ocean without the components and some means of sheet to tiller steering sorted out as a fallback in case something were to happen to our vane system. That said, I doubt I'd ever consider sheet to tiller as a primary system of choice.
Vanes are simple (and if you don't think so you do not know how they work) so jumping between self-steering and hand steering is easy and they steer a better course then most of us are capable of. Sheet to tiller systems are not quite as easy and while they can steer a good course they are not quite as adaptable (at least with out tweaking) and somewhat more fiddly than most cruisers I know are willing to put up with.
For me, I really like that I don't have to steer when sailing 99% of the time and all I have to do is engage the gear and kick back, pull out the fishing gear, read a book, or simply watch the scenery go by while not being glued to the tiller.
That said, I might have a very different view if I were sailing a long keeled schooner and not an old plastic fin-keeled sailboat of lightish displacement prone to surfing... The point being it has a lot to do with the characteristics of the boat you have and if it pretty much steers itself on all points of sail sheet to tiller makes all kinds of sense.
For those who would like a very good description of a sheet to tiller set up that will work for a primary or backup system you can find all you need here.
Now for something completely different...
I'm sure that a lot of Boat Bits readers are well aware that on this day (Jan. 24) back in 1935 the first can of beer was sold! I, for one, plan to take a six-pack up to the foredeck and pay some serious homage to those brave brewers who pushed the envelope! I'm sure all like minded Boat Bits Readers will be doing the same...
Listening to Reel Big Fish...
So it goes
