[Rhodes22-list] Balanced Helm
Ware, Joseph W.
rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org
Tue, 27 Aug 2002 08:28:29 -0400
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As long as we are here, help me get it straight. I have a mental block with
lee and weather helm. If the wind is coming over the port side, I am on a
port tack. If the boat is trying to head into the wind, I. E. bow to port,
and I am sitting on the high side, the port side, and I am puling the tiller
toward me, I. E. trying to head the boat away from the wind to starboard,
which is this lee or weather helm? Is the opposite true? If I was pushing
the tiller award me, I. E. trying to head the boat into the wind to port...
I be confused.
Also in light air, I am balanced. I have issues only as the wind picks up,
I'm trying to understand the dynamics. I know I need to roll in some of the
genny to stabilize the boat.
Joe
W/V/ Whisper
-----Original Message-----
From: Roger Pihlaja [mailto:cen09402@centurytel.net]
Sent: Tuesday, August 27, 2002 8:12 AM
To: rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org
Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Balanced Helm
Mary Lou, Joe, Et All,
If you are having lee helm with the 175% genoa in light air, then consider
trying the following before you lengthen the forestay:
Slack off slightly on the mainsail's outhaul on the boom. This will
increase the fullness or maximum draft in the mainsail's shape. In light
air, increasing the draft on the mainsail will power it up relative to the
genoa, which should move the sail plan's center of effort aft & thus
decrease your lee helm. (& make you go faster as well!) The downside is
that the new sail shape will be less forgiving of sail trimming & helmsman
errors. i.e., the "groove" will be narrower.
+
Tighten up the mainsail's leech line. This will cause the mainsail's leech
to curve ("hook") to windward. This will cause the mainsail's center of
effort to move aft, which will decrease lee helm.
+
Make certain you are using the main sheet & traveller properly. Watch your
mainsail's leech telltales to be certain you are not overtrimming the
mainsail, thus causing the airflow to stall. If you stall the airflow over
the mainsail, the sail plan's center of effort will move forward & increase
lee helm.
+
Make certain you are not overtrimming the genoa. The exhaust airflow coming
off an overtrimmed genoa will blanket the mainsail & induce the airflow on
the leeward side of the mainsail to stall. See above bullet point
If these techniques solve your light air lee helm issues; then, it will be
better than permanently raking the mast further aft, which will increase
weather helm under all conditions. Remember, these sail shape adjustments
are subtle & a little bit of sail shape or sail trim change can have a
significant effect.
Good luck!
Roger Pihlaja
S/V Dynamic Equilibrium
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<DIV><SPAN class=711002212-27082002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>As
long as we are here, help me get it straight. I have a mental block with
lee and weather helm. If the wind is coming over the port side, I am on a
port tack. If the boat is trying to head into the wind, I. E. bow to port,
and I am sitting on the high side, the port side, and I am puling the tiller
toward me, I. E. trying to head the boat away from the wind to starboard, which
is this lee or weather helm? Is the opposite true? If I was pushing
the tiller award me, I. E. trying to head the boat into the wind to
port...</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=711002212-27082002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=711002212-27082002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=711002212-27082002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>I be
confused.</FONT></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=711002212-27082002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=711002212-27082002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>Also
in light air, I am balanced. I have issues only as the wind picks up, I'm
trying to understand the dynamics. I know I need to roll in some of the
genny to stabilize the boat.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=711002212-27082002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=711002212-27082002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2>Joe</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=711002212-27082002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>W/V/
Whisper</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=711002212-27082002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> Roger Pihlaja
[mailto:cen09402@centurytel.net]<BR><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, August 27, 2002 8:12
AM<BR><B>To:</B> rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org<BR><B>Subject:</B> [Rhodes22-list]
Balanced Helm<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Mary Lou, Joe, Et All,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>If you are having lee helm with the 175% genoa in
light air, then consider trying the following before you lengthen the
forestay:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Slack off slightly on the mainsail's outhaul on the
boom. This will increase the fullness or maximum draft in the mainsail's
shape. In light air, increasing the draft on the mainsail will power it up
relative to the genoa, which should move the sail plan's center of effort aft
& thus decrease your lee helm. (& make you go faster as
well!) The downside is that the new sail shape will be less forgiving of
sail trimming & helmsman errors. i.e., the "groove" will be
narrower.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> +</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Tighten up the mainsail's leech line. This
will cause the mainsail's leech to curve ("hook") to windward. This will
cause the mainsail's center of effort to move aft, which will decrease lee
helm.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> +</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Make certain you are using the main sheet &
traveller properly. Watch your mainsail's leech telltales to be certain
you are not overtrimming the mainsail, thus causing the airflow to stall.
If you stall the airflow over the mainsail, the sail plan's center of effort
will move forward & increase lee helm.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> +</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Make certain you are not overtrimming the
genoa. The exhaust airflow coming off an overtrimmed genoa will blanket
the mainsail & induce the airflow on the leeward side of the mainsail to
stall. See above bullet point</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>If these techniques solve your light air lee helm
issues; then, it will be better than permanently raking the mast further aft,
which will increase weather helm under all conditions. Remember, these
sail shape adjustments are subtle & a little bit of sail shape or sail trim
change can have a significant effect.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Good luck!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Roger Pihlaja</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>S/V Dynamic Equilibrium</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
<P><br>
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Notice: This e-mail message, together with any attachments, contains information of Merck & Co., Inc. (Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, USA) that may be confidential, proprietary copyrighted and/or legally privileged, and is intended solely for the use of the individual or entity named in this message. If you are not the intended recipient, and have received this message in error, please immediately return this by e-mail and then delete it.<br>
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