[Rhodes22-list] Balanced Helm
Toad the Wet Sprocket
rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org
Tue, 27 Aug 2002 08:54:17 -0400
<html><div style='background-color:'><P>Richard,</P>
<P> Help a newbie out. What is a leech line? Probably just what it sounds like but as I have not gotten any sails for my boat and never seeing a leech line I need mo' info please.<BR><BR>Todd<BR><BR>Please respond to <A href="mailto:sprocket80@hotmail.com">sprocket80@hotmail.com</A> </P>
<P> </P>
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<DIV></DIV>From: "Roger Pihlaja" <CEN09402@CENTURYTEL.NET>
<DIV></DIV>Reply-To: rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org
<DIV></DIV>To: <RHODES22-LIST@RHODES22.ORG>
<DIV></DIV>Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Balanced Helm
<DIV></DIV>Date: Tue, 27 Aug 2002 08:12:07 -0400
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<DIV></DIV>Mary Lou, Joe, Et All,
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<DIV></DIV>If you are having lee helm with the 175% genoa in light air, then consider trying the following before you lengthen the forestay:
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<DIV></DIV>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.
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<DIV></DIV>+
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<DIV></DIV>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.
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<DIV></DIV>+
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<DIV></DIV>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.
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<DIV></DIV>+
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<DIV></DIV>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
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<DIV></DIV>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.
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<DIV></DIV>Good luck!
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<DIV></DIV>Roger Pihlaja
<DIV></DIV>S/V Dynamic Equilibrium
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>-----Original Message-----
<DIV></DIV>From: Mary Lou Troy [mailto:mltroy@netreach.net]
<DIV></DIV>Sent: Monday, August 26, 2002 9:18 PM
<DIV></DIV>To: rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org
<DIV></DIV>Subject: RE: [Rhodes22-list] Balanced Helm
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<DIV></DIV>If you are fighting to keep the boat from falling off the wind you have lee
<DIV></DIV>helm not weather helm.
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<DIV></DIV>With the 175 jib, lee helm can be a real issue. It certainly is on
<DIV></DIV>Fretless. In light to moderate winds when we have the full job and main out
<DIV></DIV>we have lee helm that we can only reduce by furling the jib somewhat. In
<DIV></DIV>very light air, lee helm isn't an issue and we're glad for the 175. We have
<DIV></DIV>tightened the back stay as much as we can with the backstay adjuster. Our
<DIV></DIV>next step is shorten the backstays one more notch so that we have a bit
<DIV></DIV>more leverage with the adjuster. We are also going to try setting the
<DIV></DIV>rudder so that it not quite all the way forward. The next step (next
<DIV></DIV>season) will be to let the jib stay out a notch. Stan suggested moving the
<DIV></DIV>knot on the centerboard line to let the board drop a bit further. That
<DIV></DIV>helped a bit.
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<DIV></DIV>Any other ideas? We would be happy to hear other suggestions.
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<DIV></DIV>Mary Lou
<DIV></DIV>1991 R22 Fretless
<DIV></DIV>Swan Creek, MD / Ft. Washington, PA
<DIV></DIV></div><br clear=all><hr>Join the world’s largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail. <a href='http://g.msn.com/1HM1ENUS/c157??PI=44364'>Click Here</a><br></html>