[Rhodes22-list] Balanced Helm
Roger Pihlaja
rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org
Tue, 27 Aug 2002 09:41:51 -0400
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Joe,
OK, stop thinking about what tack you are on, which side you're sitting =
on, & whether you are pushing or pulling on the tiller. With the tiller =
on center, what does the boat "want" to do? If the bow of the boat =
tries to turn into the wind (heads up), then you have weather helm. If =
the bow of the boat tries to turn downwind or away from the wind (bears =
off), then you have lee helm. No tendancy to turn either upwind or =
downwind equals neutral helm.
Does that help?
Roger Pihlaja
S/V Dynamic Equilibrium
----- Original Message -----=20
From: Ware, Joseph W.=20
To: 'rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org'=20
Sent: Tuesday, August 27, 2002 8:28 AM
Subject: RE: [Rhodes22-list] Balanced Helm
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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entity named in this message. If you are not the intended recipient, and =
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Joe,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>OK, stop thinking about what tack you =
are on, which=20
side you're sitting on, & whether you are pushing or pulling on the=20
tiller. With the tiller on center, what does the boat "want" to =
do? =20
If the bow of the boat tries to turn into the wind (heads up), then you =
have=20
weather helm. If the bow of the boat tries to turn downwind or =
away from=20
the wind (bears off), then you have lee helm. No tendancy to turn =
either=20
upwind or downwind equals neutral helm.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Does that help?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Roger Pihlaja</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>S/V Dynamic Equilibrium</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr=20
style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV=20
style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>=20
<A title=3Djoseph_ware@merck.com =
href=3D"mailto:joseph_ware@merck.com">Ware,=20
Joseph W.</A> </DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=3Drhodes22-list@rhodes22.org=20
=
href=3D"mailto:'rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org'">'rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org'=
</A>=20
</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, August 27, 2002 =
8:28=20
AM</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> RE: [Rhodes22-list] =
Balanced=20
Helm</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D711002212-27082002><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff size=3D2>As=20
long as we are here, help me get it straight. I have a mental =
block with=20
lee and weather helm. If the wind is coming over the port side, =
I am on=20
a port tack. If the boat is trying to head into the wind, I. E. =
bow to=20
port, and I am sitting on the high side, the port side, and I am =
puling the=20
tiller toward me, I. E. trying to head the boat away from the wind to=20
starboard, which is this lee or weather helm? Is the opposite=20
true? If I was pushing the tiller award me, I. E. trying to head =
the=20
boat into the wind to port...</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D711002212-27082002><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff=20
size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D711002212-27082002><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff=20
size=3D2><SPAN class=3D711002212-27082002><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff size=3D2>I=20
be confused.</FONT></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D711002212-27082002><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff=20
size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D711002212-27082002><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff size=3D2>Also=20
in light air, I am balanced. I have issues only as the wind =
picks up,=20
I'm trying to understand the dynamics. I know I need to roll in =
some of=20
the genny to stabilize the boat.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D711002212-27082002><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff=20
size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D711002212-27082002><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff=20
size=3D2>Joe</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D711002212-27082002><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff size=3D2>W/V/=20
Whisper</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D711002212-27082002><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff=20
size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV class=3DOutlookMessageHeader dir=3Dltr align=3Dleft><FONT =
face=3DTahoma=20
size=3D2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> Roger Pihlaja=20
[mailto:cen09402@centurytel.net]<BR><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, August 27, =
2002 8:12=20
AM<BR><B>To:</B> rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org<BR><B>Subject:</B> =
[Rhodes22-list]=20
Balanced Helm<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Mary Lou, Joe, Et All,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>If you are having lee helm with the =
175% genoa in=20
light air, then consider trying the following before you lengthen the=20
forestay:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Slack off slightly on the mainsail's =
outhaul on=20
the boom. This will increase the fullness or maximum draft in =
the=20
mainsail's shape. In light air, increasing the draft on the =
mainsail=20
will power it up relative to the genoa, which should move the sail =
plan's=20
center of effort aft & thus decrease your lee helm. (& =
make you=20
go faster as well!) The downside is that the new sail shape will =
be less=20
forgiving of sail trimming & helmsman errors. i.e., the =
"groove"=20
will be narrower.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> +</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Tighten up the mainsail's leech =
line. This=20
will cause the mainsail's leech to curve ("hook") to windward. =
This will=20
cause the mainsail's center of effort to move aft, which will decrease =
lee=20
helm.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> +</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Make certain you are using the main =
sheet &=20
traveller properly. Watch your mainsail's leech telltales to be =
certain=20
you are not overtrimming the mainsail, thus causing the airflow to=20
stall. If you stall the airflow over the mainsail, the sail =
plan's=20
center of effort will move forward & increase lee =
helm.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> +</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Make certain you are not overtrimming =
the=20
genoa. The exhaust airflow coming off an overtrimmed genoa will =
blanket=20
the mainsail & induce the airflow on the leeward side of the =
mainsail to=20
stall. See above bullet point</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>If these techniques solve your light =
air lee helm=20
issues; then, it will be better than permanently raking the mast =
further aft,=20
which will increase weather helm under all conditions. Remember, =
these=20
sail shape adjustments are subtle & a little bit of sail shape or =
sail=20
trim change can have a significant effect.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Good luck!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Roger Pihlaja</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>S/V Dynamic Equilibrium</FONT></DIV>
=
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This e-mail message, together with any attachments, contains =
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Merck & Co., Inc. (Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, USA) that may =
be=20
confidential, proprietary copyrighted and/or legally privileged, and =
is=20
intended solely for the use of the individual or entity named in this =
message.=20
If you are not the intended recipient, and have received this message =
in=20
error, please immediately return this by e-mail and then delete=20
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