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Rule: If you're using a tiller, move the tiller towards the flapping telltale.

Forum - Sails and Sail Trim - Rule: If you're using a tiller, move the tiller towards the flapping telltale.
Module Content - Sea Talks1
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Student
Jane Whild
Stoke Goldington, United Kingdom
Crew Level 0
Status: Sailor
Qualified days: 2
Rule: If you're using a tiller, move the tiller towards the flapping telltale.
Posted 2016, Mar 16 12:45
The first example on the page conforms to the rule: " Imagine you're sailing along on port and the red (inside) telltale is flapping. Pull the tiller to port (red)" however, the second example does not turn towards the flapping telltale: the boat is on starboard, the red is flapping, You'd turn to starboard. surely that is turning towards the green telltale? Can someone help explain what it is in this rule of thumb that I am missing?
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Administrator
Grant Headifen
Reply 2016, Mar 26 21:08
It's because of the tiller and the wheel work opposite.
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Student
Jose Casals
Melbourne, FL, USA
Skipper (small keelboat) Level I
Status: Sailor
Qualified days: 20
Reply 2016, Sep 17 18:17
I ran into the same confusion. My approach is to remember "Tiller Towards Trouble", in this case, towards the flapping telltale, or with a wheel, then the opposite, turn the wheel away ftom the flapping telltale. It will become second nature with practice, but just like Jane, the wording on the example confused me. Thank you.
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Student
Tara Terins
Vancouver, Canada
Crew Level 0
Status: Sailor
Qualified days: 0
Reply 2017, Mar 12 21:47
I agree this section is confusing. I think this is because I am new at this sailing so a lot of assumed knowledge is not there. It would be super helpful to add additional clarifying wording for us newbies. It would be helpful as well to refer to "tiller" actions as well as " wheel" actions. I think it would be useful information to have both explained.
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Student
Oleksandr Lytvynenko
Dnipro, Ukraine
Crew Level 0
Status: Sailor
Qualified days: 0
Reply 2017, Aug 10 12:16
probably it would be better to refer to rudder (far aft edge) direction to eliminate wheel-tiller confusions
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Student
Marty Lewis
Battle Ground, WA, USA
Crew Level I
Status: Sailor
Qualified days: 15
Reply 2018, Feb 11 06:10
I see this is old discussion; I am not grasping the "tiller towards trouble". Port or red is flapping, therefore shouldn't I be putting the tiller towards port?
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Administrator
Grant Headifen
Reply 2018, Feb 11 14:15
Not sure where the confusion lies. The question says which way do you turn the boat. Open to rewording but seems pretty clear.
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Student
James Girling
IPSWICH, Suffolk, United Kingdom
Crew Level II
Status: Sailor
Qualified days: 46
Reply 2018, May 30 06:32
I can see where the confusion lies , People are mistaking which direction to turn the entire boat as apposed to the example which discusses which way to turn the tiller, that being said some novices may have not used a tiller (and vice versa a wheel) and are not used to the idea that a tiller is moved in the opposite direction you want the boat to turn. I would perhaps drop the analogy about the tiller until after you've described that the 'whole boat turns towards the flapping telltale' and perhaps explain after that depending on your steerage system this could be different for each boat.
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Student
Erik Utterback
North Liberty, IA, USA
Crew Level 0
Status: Sailor
Qualified days: 1
Reply 2023, Nov 14 10:44
Think of it like this. Your boat is moving from the left of the screen to the right. The wind is blowing from you toward the screen, like on a beam reach. The sail is, somewhat, blocking the wind from the red wolly, so in order to add more wind to the port side of the sail you will have to move the tiller to port which will, in turn, move the rear of the boat to port and the front of the boat more to starboard. Going back to the screen analogy, the boat will then turn more toward you and allowing the wind to move more efficiently around the sail.
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Student
Kenneth Sherwood
Indiana, PA, USA
Crew Level II
Status: Sailor
Qualified days: 31
Reply 2024, Feb 15 04:35
The example works but the language makes it conceptually challening for someone who is not already accustomed to using a tiller to steer a boat. As far as teaching it on the water -- (on a tiller-steered boat) -- these mnemonics might be helpful: 1) "Trim towards the tattling telltale" or 2) "Tiller towards the tattling telltale" (which, of course, steers the boat away from that -- if the port tell tale is tattling/stalled, you're steering the boat to starboard by pushing tiller to port).
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Administrator
Grant Headifen
Reply 2024, Feb 15 13:29
Difference between a tiller and a wheel
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