i am in australia and am just purchasing a 250. it has a masthead rig so i wondered if raking my mast forward would ease the problem . i am told that it can be difficult to launch in shallow water with a gentle gradient is there any suggestions?
weather helm on 250
- Thread starter trevor clarke
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go sailing first.... trim your sails to balance the helm, you may not have the weather helm you are anticipating.... if so then experiment with mast rake. If you have a pin hole shroud adjuster on your headstay it's quite easy to set your mast rake for daily sailing conditions... otherwise you have to mess with the turnbuckle.
A blown out mainsail that's too baggy to be depowered by flattening will cause a lot of weather helm.
Learn about backstay adjusters and how they affect mast bend and headstay tension.
If you have a fixed keel then launching on a gentle gradient may in fact not allow you to get the trailer in deep enough water...... the solution is to build a tongue extension.... google that... heh, heh... but for a quick fix, a length or chain, strong rope or webbing to let the trailer extend further without submerging your vehicle may help.
A blown out mainsail that's too baggy to be depowered by flattening will cause a lot of weather helm.
Learn about backstay adjusters and how they affect mast bend and headstay tension.
If you have a fixed keel then launching on a gentle gradient may in fact not allow you to get the trailer in deep enough water...... the solution is to build a tongue extension.... google that... heh, heh... but for a quick fix, a length or chain, strong rope or webbing to let the trailer extend further without submerging your vehicle may help.
First, insure that your rigging is at proper tension - at about 15% tension in 'all' wire as a starting point. A too loose forestay can quite easily mimic so-called weather helm. A too loose forestay will promote a boat to 'skid' off to leeward and the developed 'skid' will cause side forces to the rudder which can cause the helmsman to 'erroneously perceive' as 'weather helm'.
Rig tuning: http://www.riggingandsails.com/pdf/selden-tuning.pdf If you dont have a rigging tension meter, there is a section included on how to arrive at 'proper' tension without a gage - just a meter stick, etc.
Secondly, be sure that the mainsail is 'properly raised' ... especially woven dacron mainsails NEED to be 'stretched out' along the luff via proper halyard tension; otherwise, the location or position of where the draft is maximized will be too far aft; hence, weather helm. Here's how to 'properly raise' a dacron mainsail: http://forums.sbo.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=120970 ... see post #1.
Lastly, if the above cannot correct 'weather helm', then and only then, consider to change the amount of mast rake.
hope this helps ;-)
Rig tuning: http://www.riggingandsails.com/pdf/selden-tuning.pdf If you dont have a rigging tension meter, there is a section included on how to arrive at 'proper' tension without a gage - just a meter stick, etc.
Secondly, be sure that the mainsail is 'properly raised' ... especially woven dacron mainsails NEED to be 'stretched out' along the luff via proper halyard tension; otherwise, the location or position of where the draft is maximized will be too far aft; hence, weather helm. Here's how to 'properly raise' a dacron mainsail: http://forums.sbo.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=120970 ... see post #1.
Lastly, if the above cannot correct 'weather helm', then and only then, consider to change the amount of mast rake.
hope this helps ;-)
gday thank you for your replies hell joe that is a foto of a bloody big catalina you have there From what you are saying it seems that it is not an inherent problem with the 250 so i am releaved. from postings i have previously read on 250s it seemed to indicate that it is an issue so i will implement your suggestions. The previous owner has replaced the mast and rig with a mast head rig. Ido not know if the 250 originally came with that type of rig or not it seems a little to traditional . there arent any other 250s in sth australia that i am aware of to compare. Iam raising this point because if it is an issue i am wondreing if a mast head rig changes or makes it easier to correct . My 250 has a retractable keel and is used mainly in lower Murray river and Coorong lakes Gippsland lakes areas of south aust and victoria [some googling for you to do] . The trailer does come with a tongue extension but hell the bloody stern seems so high so i welcome your suggestions guys and keep you posted.
thanks for reply on mainsail and rigging and sails reference i will file that one In my reply to Joe i was concerned that weather helm was an inherent problem with the 250 .Mine has the retactable keel waterballast and masthead rig replaced a year ago and am unsure if that is original design. yes do have extended tongue and i do have a bloody big rope ha ha!
In case you don't have it here's a C250 owner's manual,
Rig tuning is discussed in item 15.... may or may not help with your concerns. The other question about launch on a shallow ramp may be answered in item 20 "water ballast system".... where it says
Rig tuning is discussed in item 15.... may or may not help with your concerns. The other question about launch on a shallow ramp may be answered in item 20 "water ballast system".... where it says
The Catalina 250 is a masthead rig.
Joe a big thank you for the most practicle and usefull info for me . it has succesfully answered my questions that have been plaguing me [ an ausie saying is you are worth your weight in cockey **** mate ] meaning in an upbuilding wayyou are a very valuable resource a cockey is a native parrot and it is very difficult to gather its pellets so there. Well if you ever come down under love to have stay old sun.
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