Weather Helm on C22
Weather Helm on C22
What are the best ways to minimize strong weather helm besides the obvious option of reducing sail area to reduce heel?
1977 C-22 S/V Bailout
1962 Pearson Triton Tramp
1962 Pearson Triton Tramp
I'm guessing here...flatten main...reef main...increase headsail...adjust the headsail by moving clew forward or back( I have no idea which way)...adjust traveler and vang on main to change twist. I know that all these will change the power of the sails and the balance of the boat. The headsail tries to move the boat to lee and the main tries to move the boat windward. There are many many videos on Youtube to watch about this.
Bill
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I am trying to make any other adjustments instead of slowing the boat dramatically. If I have to reef a main even though it's only blowing 10 or 12, I have to think this boat is designed better than that. I have noticed the aft end of the boat definitely sits really low, but I thought that should actually increase lee helm. I tightened the forestay to pull the masthead forward. Guess maybe I need to work on the sail twist with the traveler.
1977 C-22 S/V Bailout
1962 Pearson Triton Tramp
1962 Pearson Triton Tramp
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One thing that doesn't get mentioned much is age and condition of mainsail. If it's "poochy" it may be generating a big airfoil and bunch of lift you don't want.
The little C15 was a weather helm handful and hard to keep upright upwind, until I replaced the main with something that would flatten and hold a consistent shape.
The little C15 was a weather helm handful and hard to keep upright upwind, until I replaced the main with something that would flatten and hold a consistent shape.
- gregcrawford
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The only weather helm I ever have is when I have the main up but not the head sail.
Previous posts have dealt with sails, but the swing keel may also be part of the equation.
I generally lower the keel all the way, and then crank it back up four or five turns on the winch. This will move the balance point further aft, limiting the weather helm. This may help if you have the keel all the way down while experiencing the weather helm.
Previous posts have dealt with sails, but the swing keel may also be part of the equation.
I generally lower the keel all the way, and then crank it back up four or five turns on the winch. This will move the balance point further aft, limiting the weather helm. This may help if you have the keel all the way down while experiencing the weather helm.
- gregcrawford
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Yes, I think so. I have sailed mine in 20+ winds with 35 mph gusts before. That is, of course, an interesting little bit of sailing, and I don't recommend it. 10 to 15 mph is ideal in my book.
If you are sailing in winds higher than 10-15, you should have one hand on your mainsheet to spill wind anyway if you encounter a gust. Sailing on an inland lake here in Tennessee, the wind seldom comes from one direction or at one speed longer than a few minutes.
I have had the boat heeled over by a gust so quickly that I couldn't spill enough wind and she rounded up on me when the rudder lost bite. I dumped about 20 gallons of water in the cockpit, not to mention the water in my pants.
I should have had the mainsail reefed, but I had not rigged the reefing line yet that season.
I would heartily recommend that you have reef points put in if you don't have them already. I only have one reef point, but two would be better. With those and a storm sized head sail, you would easily reach hull speed without heeling too much in any higher winds you should be out playing in.
I certainly could have used a deeper reef point while sailing in Pamlico Sound for the first time. The winds there were above 20 with 35 gusts. Not fun at all.
If you are sailing in winds higher than 10-15, you should have one hand on your mainsheet to spill wind anyway if you encounter a gust. Sailing on an inland lake here in Tennessee, the wind seldom comes from one direction or at one speed longer than a few minutes.
I have had the boat heeled over by a gust so quickly that I couldn't spill enough wind and she rounded up on me when the rudder lost bite. I dumped about 20 gallons of water in the cockpit, not to mention the water in my pants.
I should have had the mainsail reefed, but I had not rigged the reefing line yet that season.
I would heartily recommend that you have reef points put in if you don't have them already. I only have one reef point, but two would be better. With those and a storm sized head sail, you would easily reach hull speed without heeling too much in any higher winds you should be out playing in.
I certainly could have used a deeper reef point while sailing in Pamlico Sound for the first time. The winds there were above 20 with 35 gusts. Not fun at all.