Anyone added a bowsprit on a CD27?

[keesprins]

I have a CD27 and enjoy the boat a lot. The weatherhelm however is something I'd like to deal with. On this forum I've read many ways to help mitigate it (flattening and/or reefing the main, furling the genoa some etc. ). I'm considering having the roach and battens removed and a negative roach cut into the main. Another option I'm thinking of is adding a short bowsprit like a CD28 to move the CE forward. I figured if I move the forestay 18" forward; the CE of the genoa moves about 12" forward and the total CE (including the main) about 9".
Has this been tried before? Can I expect significant change in weatherhelm?

In 2003 John Vigor wrote: "Many boats from eminent designers have suffered from excessive weather helm in normal sailing conditions. The usual answer is to tack on an afterthought of a bowsprit to move the CE of the whole sail area forward. That is the most effective method, short of moving the mast forward, which usually involves too much work and expense."

[Walter Hobbs]

I have CD 27 hull #35. Weather helm comes early and I put in the 1st reef. Reduces heel and doesn't seem to affect speed. Sometimes put in the reef before I leave the mooring. It's always easy to shake out .
There are a few 27s that have a bowsprit from the factory, only seen pictures of them. Seems it would be difficult to build one without losing the bow chocks.
Not enough of a naval architect to know if it would affect weather helm.

[John Stone]

I have a CD27 and enjoy the boat a lot. The weatherhelm however is something I'd like to deal with. On this forum I've read many ways to help mitigate it (flattening and/or reefing the main, furling the genoa some etc. ). I'm considering having the roach and battens removed and a negative roach cut into the main. Another option I'm thinking of is adding a short bowsprit like a CD28 to move the CE forward. I figured if I move the forestay 18" forward; the CE of the genoa moves about 12" forward and the total CE (including the main) about 9".
Has this been tried before? Can I expect significant change in weatherhelm?

In 2003 John Vigor wrote: "Many boats from eminent designers have suffered from excessive weather helm in normal sailing conditions. The usual answer is to tack on an afterthought of a bowsprit to move the CE of the whole sail area forward. That is the most effective method, short of moving the mast forward, which usually involves too much work and expense."

I don't have a 27. But, I built a new bowsprit to my 36 and I added 24" to to the J. The helm on my boat is almost neutral. http://www.farreachvoyages.com/blank-17/



If going that way and you have ruled out all other contributing factors I would probably go with 24". But wx helm can be caused by lots of things and you need to eliminate those possibilities before you increase the J.

Old sails, especially the mains'l contribute to wx helm. Mast rake. Fore and aft trim. Sail trim. Failure to reef the main first, Etc.

I'd also reach out to Fred Meuller the CD NE fleet captain?, who has a very nice 27 and get some input from him then decide if adding a longer sprit is the best way to go forward.

[keesprins]

Thanks John and Walter for your reply.

[jfischgrund]

I would be hesitant to add the bowsprit for aesthetic reasons -- I think our 27's were designed to look as they are. Maybe I just can't envision what it might look like. I have a bit of a weather helm too, but not too bad. I think one reason for that is that my main is, I believe, slightly smaller than the original sail plan, and maybe that's what makes a difference.