A releasable rubber universal joint with a rope core, so the extension stays attached even if the rubber tears.
- For 16 mm tiller extensions
- Rope core prevents complete failure if the rubber tears
- Releasable base, so the extension comes off without tools
- Mounted with an aluminium pin
- Pin retained by heat-shrink tubing
- Mounting hole centres 32 mm
- Optiparts part number 652950
The universal joint is the weak point of any tiller extension, and when it goes it usually goes mid-race. The rope core moulded through the centre of this joint is the answer: if the rubber tears, the core holds the extension to the tiller so the sailor can finish rather than retire. The base is releasable, so the extension can be unclipped from the tiller without tools for storage or transport, which also extends the life of the joint by not leaving it bent for months at a time. Fitting is by a single aluminium pin held in place with heat-shrink tubing; to remove the joint, cut the tubing and push the pin out. Mounting hole centres are 32 mm.
