[Rhodes22-list] Lee helm

[Chris on LBI]

Shawn,

I'm happy to hear of your experience. We are back on the water this 
season and have been out twice using the adjusted rudder angle where we 
force a vertical leading edge by cleating the up-haul line. Our 
experience is the same as yours ... no more lee helm.

Both of the outings were dominated by long reaches so I could not 
re-check pointing ability. The next test will be to substantiate the 
results from late last season where we seemed to be sailing about 5 
degrees higher with the vertical rudder.

For those who did not follow the discussion last season, I questioned 
why the leading edge of my rudder swept forward (about 18 degrees) when 
I secured the down-haul. Apparently, on most Rhodes, this is not the 
case; instead there is a hard stop keeping the leading edge vertical 
when the down-haul is pulled tight. I've attached a photo of my rudder 
in the position it takes if not restricted by the up-haul. The 
hypothesis is that this forward angle causes lee helm and limiting 
pointing ability on Rhodes equipped with this vintage rudder/tiller 
assembly.

Chris





On 5/30/2023 6:26 PM, Shawn Boles wrote:
> Hi All:
>
> I couldn't sail at all last year due to septicemia, and so this year I was
> anxious to get back in the water and finally did so last week.
>
> As some of you know I spent the last several years or so chasing how to
> correct lee  helm, including an ill-fated attempt to rake the mast.(blush)
>
> I tried the method suggested in a set of emails over the past year- lifting
> and locking the kick up rudder so it is slightly aft of the stern, rather
> than tightly pulled to the stern. It worked!
>
> All hail the list.
>
> Cheers,
> Shawn
> s/v Sweet Baboo
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