Overcoming weather helm

[Jack Carr]

My CD22D has a weather helm problem. I am forever having to pull the tiller to my chest to keep the bow from pointing into the wind. What do I need to adjust to allow for less pressure on the rudder and the helmsman?

[Stan W.]

What wind speeds are we talking about? What sails are you flying? What is the condition of your sails? How much is the boat heeling?

You may just be overtrimming the mainsail, but we could give much more detailed advice if you could fill in those blanks.

[Oswego John]

Hi Jack,

Compare the present condition of your CD to a weather vane, large tail feathers and a much smaller arrow point. With that setup, the arrow point (your bow) wants to point toward the direction from where the wind is coming from.

To reduce weather helm, bow pointing into the wind, reduce the area of the feathers (main sail) and increase the area of the arrow point (jib).

They call this balance. Center of effort equal to center of lateral resistance.

O J

[Jack Carr]

Wind speeds 12 kts+, flying a main and 150 genie, sails are getting old, boat has a moderate heel. I soon will be launching for the season and this problem has been presistent. I tune my own rigging according to the CD manual with minimum rake to the mast.

[Stan W.]

Wind speeds 12 kts+, flying a main and 150 genie, sails are getting old, boat has a moderate heel. I soon will be launching for the season and this problem has been presistent. I tune my own rigging according to the CD manual with minimum rake to the mast.

O.K. At 12+ knots you are approaching the upper limits for full main and 150 genny. Around 15 knots you will start to be over-canvassed unless you either go to your working jib (or furl down your genny) or put one reef in the main. Reducing sail area will reduce heel which will reduce weather helm.

If you are getting excessive weather helm in the 10 - 14 knot range you are probably overtrimming your mainsail. If you do not already have them, put some tell-tales on the mainsail leech and trim so they stream straight back as much as possible. Don't be surprised if this creates the appearance of luffing near the mast on a close reach. That is the genny backwinding the main and a little of that is nothing to be concerned about. There is a direct relationship between mainsail trim and the feel of the tiller. As you let the mainsheet out, you will actually be able to feel the pressure coming off the tiller.

Finally, the age of the sails does contribute. As wind speeds increase, try to get the mainsail as flat as possible by tightening up the Cunningham (or main halyard if you don't have one) and the outhaul.

[tartansailor]

Loosen the backstay to its maximum safe thread limit.
Loosen the rear shrouds likewise.
Tighten forestay to 75% of load limit.

Under Sail,
As wind increases that will force draft aft causing weather helm. Therefore as wind picks up trim your main to move draft forward. (Increase luff tension and Cunningham)

If that does not work, then identify the design specification lengths of your boat's stays, and compare.

If that still does not work do the same for your sails.

You might have a jib for a smaller boat, and a main for a bigger boat then yours.

Dick

[Cap'n Mike]

I fly Adoryble with all sails (full main and 125 genoa) up to winds of 10 knots. Between 10 - 15 knots, I am reefed in the main with the full genoa. After 15 knots, I am only flying the genoa. At 20 knots+, I am flying the genoa reefed between 60 and 100. All these settings keep us over 5 knots.

I can only imagine the helm with a 150 genoa!

Most people sail with too much sail and the boat is over-powered. In Adoryble, if we are over 5 knots, then we are smiling and clinking the beers together toasting our great speed!

Also, I have found that weather helm seems to come from heel angle, not sail setting.

Saucy Cindy and I did a test once. In 10-knots of wind, we hoisted all the sails and close hauled. With both of us sitting on the windward side, the boat tracked almost by herself in a fisherman's reef. No weather helm. Then, we trimmed the main correctly along with the genoa, so the heel increased a little with us still on the windward side. A perfect weather helm (2 - 5 degrees) ensued. However, when I went to the lee side, weather helm increased. When we both we on the lee side, the weather helm became excessive.

I think with small tender and cranky boats, weather helm seems to be more predominant due to heel, not sail setting.

This is not personal knowledge, but personal experience through testing and experimenting with Adoryble, our CD22.