CD30 Cutter: Excessive weather helm

[Marvin Dukes]

Any thoughts/advice on trimming and/or adjusting to reduce weather helm? My CD30 Cutter requires constant pressure on the tiller (on either tack) because of excessive weather helm. Thanks, Marvin



mdukes3@islc.net

[Warren Moore]

Your backstay maybe too tight. I had same problem on my CD 28 loosening the backstay seemed to help. Boat speed also improved.

Warren Moore
CD 28 Crisscross



Any thoughts/advice on trimming and/or adjusting to reduce weather helm? My CD30 Cutter requires constant pressure on the tiller (on either tack) because of excessive weather helm. Thanks, Marvin



wmoore@peconic.net

[Patrick Turner]

Generally speaking.....I believe the CD's (at least the cutters) tend to prefer a little more headsail to mainsail ratio. Also....generally speaking....when you do experience wheather helm it will most likely occur off the wind (beam to broad) with little problem going to weather.
When reefing start by reefing the main first, then the Yakee then both Yankee and main. Here's what I do in the San Franciso Bay where the winds are typically 20-25 (or higher) knots in the Summer afternoons.

Depending on the condition of the seas........at

- 15 knots I put a single reef in the main..
- 18-22 knots also roll up the Yankee to about 80%
- 23-25 add a 2nd reef to the main and roll up the Yankee all the way.
- above 25...3rd reef

As the wind picks up I tend to ease the traveler to the leeward side and pull that mainsheet in tight. Flattening the sail to depower it a little
So far this combinataion has proven effective.

Also make sure you are not overtrimming your sails (specially the main). It's real easy to do and is a major contributor to weather helm. Learning the right sail combinations is a long process (still learning) but one hell of a lot of fun.

Try the search function "weather helm" or "sail trim". There has been discussions in the past.

Have fun!

Patrick
CD30 "Sasha Oren" cutter
San Francisco Bay



patturner@earthlink.net

[Don Carr]

Any thoughts/advice on trimming and/or adjusting to reduce weather helm? My CD30 Cutter requires constant pressure on the tiller (on either tack) because of excessive weather helm. Thanks, Marvin

Weather helm is a direct result of the Center of force of the sails being aft of the keel center of force. The simple answer is to move the center of force of the sails forward, since the keel isn't going anywhere. I have found on my CD25 the mainsail becomes over powered. If you have a boom vang crank in a little to move the draft to the forward part of the mainsail, also a cunningham works well. As mentioned in previous posts, reefing would be a good thing. Also try powering up your foresails by moving the genoa lead forward on the tracks and by all means check your foresail trim for max power. I find telltales on the foresails to be excellant for trim monitoring. If your mainsail is "old" the only way to flatten them is with a cunningham or a combination cunningham/leech lines.



carrd@erols.com

[Jerry]

Any thoughts/advice on trimming and/or adjusting to reduce weather helm? My CD30 Cutter requires constant pressure on the tiller (on either tack) because of excessive weather helm. Thanks, Marvin

You can also move the sail effort foward by raking the mast foward . If it is deck stepped then it is a matter of adjusting the shrouds. If it is keel stepped the the cup that the mast sits on will be slotted so that you can move it then adjust the shrouds. There is no reason for a Cape Dory to have excessive weather helm. It is only a matter of getting the sail effort foward. Move the mast



jlecocq@milehigh.net

[John]

My advice is to ease off on the backstay tension. If you sight up your stick you will probably note your rig is overly raked aft. Our CD30 has never had a weatherhelm problem. She flies a 150, a staysail and a roller furling main.

[john churchill]

Any thoughts/advice on trimming and/or adjusting to reduce weather helm? My CD30 Cutter requires constant pressure on the tiller (on either tack) because of excessive weather helm. Thanks, Marvin

reef early and reef often. my boat develops weather helm in anything over about 12 kts when going to windward. i reef earlier than anyone else out there but boat speed improves, motion is better and she points higher. the other thing is that i noticed a big improvement after i replaced my original 13 yr old bagged out main with a new airfoil shaped sail.

[Bob Bundy]

Marvin,
I believe that I saw your new boat the other day. We were returning from Savannah and saw a CD 30 just south of the Beafort marina area on the same side of the waterway. Looks like you stumbled upon a good deal.
I agree with the more headsail part. I used to reef the main one reef and leave the headsail alone. Then trim down from genoa to yankee and then storm jib.
Good luck with it and look forward to seeing you on the water.

Bob

Any thoughts/advice on trimming and/or adjusting to reduce weather helm? My CD30 Cutter requires constant pressure on the tiller (on either tack) because of excessive weather helm. Thanks, Marvin

bundyR@AOL.com

[Marvin Dukes]

Thanks for all of the advice...I plan on trying the various methods (except the new main, which will have to wait) next week, Marvin



mdukes3@islc.net

[Richard]

I noticed a great reduction in weather helm when I got a new main. I also switched to a 125% genoa from the cutter rig. I reef early too, but probably at more like 16-18 knots. Sail her flat and you'll get more speed and a more comfortable ride.

Any thoughts/advice on trimming and/or adjusting to reduce weather helm? My CD30 Cutter requires constant pressure on the tiller (on either tack) because of excessive weather helm. Thanks, Marvin

reef early and reef often. my boat develops weather helm in anything over about 12 kts when going to windward. i reef earlier than anyone else out there but boat speed improves, motion is better and she points higher. the other thing is that i noticed a big improvement after i replaced my original 13 yr old bagged out main with a new airfoil shaped sail.

rich@mathworks.com