CD 28 SailPlan/Weather Helm

[Brian]

I have a CD 28 with a 130 genny on a roller furler. At winds above 12 knots the boat has some serious weather helm. I need to hold the tiller to weather with both hands and the rudder stalls the boat somewhat. This summer I had the jib recut for roller furling and experimented with using the working jib in winds above 15 knots. I feel that the boat sails better. We actually go faster and sail more upright. The problem now is that the jib used to be on a boom, and I cannot get the genny sheet leads far enough forward to accomodate the jib, so we cant get optimum trim. I am thinking of putting the boom back on or installing another track forward for the jib. I am wondering if the boom would be in the way when I switch sails and if the genny would get bunged up on it while tacking. It would be convienent to have a self tacking jib, but then I think I would be less likley to change sails in light air. Any comments much appreaciated. Brian



BSinskie@aol.com

[chuck yahrling]

I have a CD 28 with a 130 genny on a roller furler. At winds above 12 knots the boat has some serious weather helm. I need to hold the tiller to weather with both hands and the rudder stalls the boat somewhat. This summer I had the jib recut for roller furling and experimented with using the working jib in winds above 15 knots. I feel that the boat sails better. We actually go faster and sail more upright. The problem now is that the jib used to be on a boom, and I cannot get the genny sheet leads far enough forward to accomodate the jib, so we cant get optimum trim. I am thinking of putting the boom back on or installing another track forward for the jib. I am wondering if the boom would be in the way when I switch sails and if the genny would get bunged up on it while tacking. It would be convienent to have a self tacking jib, but then I think I would be less likley to change sails in light air. Any comments much appreaciated. Brian

I'm not sure this is what you're asking for, but adding draft or area to your jib ought to help counteract wx helm. I run a 110 lapper on the genny leads at 16-20 kts and find that I get more power and almost the same point than trying to squeeze it inside the shrouds using the coach roof blocks. At 20 and the main gets a reef; two above 24. However, at 15 knots I would have expected your boat to have less wx helm with the larger jib, not the other way around, unless the boat is way overpowered then; e.g. the rail is under water and the bow is being driven way down, which would push it back to weather.

As you probably know, the classic fix is to flatten the main, move the draft forward and/or reef it. The outhaul, good halyard tension and easing the traveller will help a lot before reefing the main is necessary. Aligning the mast so it is not raked aft at all will also help. I run a 150 with full main on my CD-27 in up to 16 knots with good balance, so I think you should be able to do similarly with your 130, unless your main is pretty bagged out. In that case, you may be able to get it re-conditioned fairly cheap.

In your position I would experiment with the main before adding any tracks or leads; there's nothing wrong with putting in a reef while running the full 130 (as long as the cloth is not too light) if that's what the boat likes. Alberg put a mighty lot of weather helm in our boats, and I believe the best way to compensate for it is by tuning the main.

Once you've done all you can there, you can drill holes and add hardware forward in good conscience.

Hope this helps!



cyahrlin@cisco.com

[Tom Young]

I have a 120 which is on a wire penant about 12" long. This gives me better visability as well as better angle on the blocks for perfect sheeting. You might try it.
I take do everything to depower the main on my 28 to control helm. It loves to sail with the 120 and a reefed main even in 10 to 15.



fish@mint.net

[Ed Haley]

I had the same problem with my CD28 using the 130 on a Harken Roller Furler. Trimming the sails didn't alleviate the problem although easing the main did the trick. However, I checked the rake of the mast and found that the extended main halyard touched the deck about 6 inches aft of the mast. I reduced the rake so that the halyard touched 2 inches aft. It sails much better. When the sails are balanced, the weather helm is greatly reduced especially during puffs.



eghaley@twcny.rr.com

[Mike Thompson]

With 15+ knots of wind I prefer to use the jib rather than the
genoa. The jib came with a jib boom from the previous owner but
I regarded the boom as dangerous when I worked the foredeck so I
removed it. The jib is cut for use with this boom.

However there is a solution which I hit on recently and it works well!
The jib boom had a single line control running through a block
on the end of the boom. After removing the boom, attach this block
directly to the clew of the jib. This control tightens the luff
and also pulls the jib more inboard.
Now tie your regular genoa sheets to the clew also with lines
going inside the shrouids. These tightens the whole sail.

In strong winds this arrangement is great for upwind sailing.
It looks a bit of a mess with 4 lines going to the clew but
it really is effective.
Mike
CD28 HAVEN
stretches

I have a CD 28 with a 130 genny on a roller furler. At winds above 12 knots the boat has some serious weather helm. I need to hold the tiller to weather with both hands and the rudder stalls the boat

tmike@ma.ultranet.com

[Ken Cave]

I also have a CD 28 with a Harken furler and a l30 genoa. And, the same problem until we found a simple solution! Let the sails out, the the problem will go away!

We have been sailing in real snot lately, and my wife runs the tiller while I manage the sails. When she feels undo tension on the tiller-I let out the sails a bit-and she is a happy camper!

Boat also sails better!

Ken Cave



bcave@whidbey.net