heeling does NOT mean speed. when you need to pull the tiller that much, you either have bad sail setting or simply too much sail area (tough I agree it can be funny)
from your pictures...
-having your jib 2 feet over the deck is a bad idea regarding performance. you are rising the center of effort of the sails, so the boat heel more for the same force applied to the sail. (in oposition: in light wind, it is good to have the sail area high to catch faster wind than at sea level... but then it is even better to have more sail area)
-you do not seem to have enough tension on the luff and foot of the sails
-be sure to leave enough free rope on the windward jib sheet, otherwise you will alter the sail shape
-in strong wind it may very well be a good thing to let the boomvang go so the boom get some altitude, releasing some air pressure on the upper part of the sail. this way you lower the center of effort and can carry maximum power for minimum heeling. Same logic when reefing, tough this is more "permanent"
But it is not a subject that is easy to understand by words, there are some nice book with simple illustration that are of great help to understand sail shaping
Sailing technique question here?
Sailing technique question here?
It's a good life on the
Honu, 1976 C-22
My Chrysler Sailing Photos: http://s1297.beta.photobucket.com/user/ ... ry/Sailing
Honu, 1976 C-22
My Chrysler Sailing Photos: http://s1297.beta.photobucket.com/user/ ... ry/Sailing
-
Chrysler20%26
- Posts: 836
- Joined: Mon May 01, 2006 10:28 pm
- Location: Pinconning Michigan
- Contact:
AHHHH Weather Helm!
Cruisers hate it and racers don't get it, why?
Weather helm indicates that the forces acting on the sail are out of balance with the center of lateral resistance. Most of the time weather helm is referred to as a problem and the aim is to reduce the amount of effort required to steer the boat. A little weather helm, or the tendency for the boat to turn into the wind, is good in limited amounts since it gives the helm a positive feel when steering and allows the skipper to monitor how the boat reacts to changing wind conditions.
However, any time you're using both arms to fight the helm and the rudder is cranked over all the way to one side just to keep the boat going straight, not only are you exerting energy that may be needed later, but you are also slowing the boat down. Some skippers like the feel of a little weather helm because it can also indicate when to follow advantageous windshifts, or lifts, when heading upwind. To control excessive weather helm, first make sure that your sails are trimmed relatively tightly. Then start easing the traveler to leeward (if you have an adjustable traveler), or tighten the vang and ease the mainsheet. Angling the rudder a bit off center adds a little lift to the hull.
Water flowing past the hull, keel, and rudder of a sailboat is subject to the same basic rules as air flowing past the sails. The only difference between the sails and underwater appendages is that the latter are symmetrical while the former are asymmetrical. But the angle of attack (which we call "angle of incidence" for wind hitting the sails and "yaw angle" for water hitting the keel) solves the problem of getting "lift" from the keel.
Check out Colgate's thoughts:http://www.sailnet.com/forums/buying-bo ... sails.html
I new being in fluidynamics engineering would finally pay-off!
Cruisers hate it and racers don't get it, why?
Weather helm indicates that the forces acting on the sail are out of balance with the center of lateral resistance. Most of the time weather helm is referred to as a problem and the aim is to reduce the amount of effort required to steer the boat. A little weather helm, or the tendency for the boat to turn into the wind, is good in limited amounts since it gives the helm a positive feel when steering and allows the skipper to monitor how the boat reacts to changing wind conditions.
However, any time you're using both arms to fight the helm and the rudder is cranked over all the way to one side just to keep the boat going straight, not only are you exerting energy that may be needed later, but you are also slowing the boat down. Some skippers like the feel of a little weather helm because it can also indicate when to follow advantageous windshifts, or lifts, when heading upwind. To control excessive weather helm, first make sure that your sails are trimmed relatively tightly. Then start easing the traveler to leeward (if you have an adjustable traveler), or tighten the vang and ease the mainsheet. Angling the rudder a bit off center adds a little lift to the hull.
Water flowing past the hull, keel, and rudder of a sailboat is subject to the same basic rules as air flowing past the sails. The only difference between the sails and underwater appendages is that the latter are symmetrical while the former are asymmetrical. But the angle of attack (which we call "angle of incidence" for wind hitting the sails and "yaw angle" for water hitting the keel) solves the problem of getting "lift" from the keel.
Check out Colgate's thoughts:http://www.sailnet.com/forums/buying-bo ... sails.html
I new being in fluidynamics engineering would finally pay-off!
"The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails." - William Arthur Ward
jerecaustin.com
jerecaustin.com
All of Guillaume's points are spot on.
The other one I would like to add is when you have excessive weather helm and the wind is strong, leave the forsail large and slowly reduce the main a step at a time to the point til it is eliminated. Try practicing this in a med. wind and watch how the helm responds. This is good and fun practice for all crew.
The other one I would like to add is when you have excessive weather helm and the wind is strong, leave the forsail large and slowly reduce the main a step at a time to the point til it is eliminated. Try practicing this in a med. wind and watch how the helm responds. This is good and fun practice for all crew.
"The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails." - William Arthur Ward
jerecaustin.com
jerecaustin.com
I agree with the posts as quite often I will steer with sheets try this if headsail is pulling bow and you have to pull on tiller ease out on jib sheet and you will notice effort on tiller reduces and if the boat keeps wanting to come into the wind increase headsail or ease on main sheet.
Catch the wind and ride the wave, Have fun
Lyle
1980 C-26 #1100
S/V My Getaway
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34432376@N06/
Lyle
1980 C-26 #1100
S/V My Getaway
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34432376@N06/
Now for the real reason you have weather helm when the wind picks up......
While sail balance, mast position, keel position and so on all contribute to the problem if not correctly adjusted the main cause is a direct result of the design of the hull, mainly it's width to length ration. When the boat heels over it is going to head up. It's wide girth, which adds stability, tends to steer the boat away from the direction of heel. For proof take the sails down crank the motor up and have someone steer the boat straight while it is level and it will go straight as an arrow, now walk to one side so the boat heels over see what happens. No matter what you do you will always be fighting this tendency. Keep the heel to a minimum and balance the rig. He who heels less will win the day. I'm not saying you have to be flat to be fast but you need to minimize it.
While sail balance, mast position, keel position and so on all contribute to the problem if not correctly adjusted the main cause is a direct result of the design of the hull, mainly it's width to length ration. When the boat heels over it is going to head up. It's wide girth, which adds stability, tends to steer the boat away from the direction of heel. For proof take the sails down crank the motor up and have someone steer the boat straight while it is level and it will go straight as an arrow, now walk to one side so the boat heels over see what happens. No matter what you do you will always be fighting this tendency. Keep the heel to a minimum and balance the rig. He who heels less will win the day. I'm not saying you have to be flat to be fast but you need to minimize it.
