First sail for my 170 awful weather helm!!! In 10 knots?!

[Photoman369]

ok first thanks to all who post here. I made several mods before my first sail. The Johnson adjustable stays to the upper and lower shrouds. Great time saver. Also saw how to hold up the mast with the topping lift while I attach the ballbearing quick pin in the jib furler.
All great stuff
One question why do they have the tiller handle in the way of pinning the rudder onto the boat? You have to remove it to get the spindle in?

The first sail the boat slipped along under just the main. It was 8kntsnith gusts to 15 so I opted for just the main for my first time out and the admiral doesn’t like heeling.
It was very responsive almost too responsive. To both weight placement and the tiller.
I’ll get used to that. And love it.
But I was experiencing huge weatherhelm so much that the tiller was as far over as it could go and I was still slipping so badly sideways I had to give in and jibe through to get back on course. I was using a 50lb thrust trolling motor. Which got in the way of the tiller having to go over so far. But I had to use a few times o get out of trouble, from the severe weatherhelm.

What the he## is going on here I thought this suck, this stinks!!,,,

Oh wait

Then I dropped the center board! LMAO wow we surged forward on course and with the tiller pin straight to my course. DUH me!!

The admiral smiled politely.

Now we had some fun and the responsiveness was beyond what I had hoped. We hit a couple puffs but never went beyond I estimate 10 degrees. Just playing out the boom was all it needed and we were scooting along.

I’m very happy I bought this easy to rig and launch daysailer. My setup time will just keep getting better, even as a first time it was only 25 minutes.

I did find I cold not leave the boom on the mast with the sail when I take it down. I was hoping to cut down some rigging time. But all in all very happy. Just need to get the sun shield on the job resewn. Or maybe take it off since I don’t keep th mast up and exclusively trailer this boat. Might be better sail shape for light wind without the weight of the sun shield.

Cheers to you all.

 

[kappykaplan]

@Photoman369 - glad to see you figured out the problem and went on to enjoy your sail.

 

[Parsons]

That's a great story.
We've all been there, forgetting some crucial, but not obvious, step.

 

[shemandr]

Yeah I think you can lose that sun shade if you dry sail the boat. And I think sail shape will be better especially in light air.

 

[Doug J]

Just to let you know, Weather Helm refers to the tendency of a boat to turn into the wind, to head up. Sliding sideways due to the centerboard not being down is not weather helm.

 

[rgranger]

[QUOTE="Doug Sliding sideways due to the centerboard not being down is not weather helm.[/QUOTE]
Leeway

 

[Photoman369]

Just to let you know, Weather Helm refers to the tendency of a boat to turn into the wind, to head up. Sliding sideways due to the centerboard not being down is not weather helm.

What is it?

 

[kappykaplan]

As @rgranger said, it's leeway.

 

[Photoman369]

Ah thanks I didn’t see that.

 

[BobbyFunn]

Congrats on purchase.

Me thinks you are bragging on 25 min setup .

Sailing without centerboard down is a good way to turtle that boat. Without hiking straps id leave it down, even when downwind.

No centerboard down is throwing away half your boat if you consider the centerboard as your underwater "mainsail".

 

[BobbyFunn]

I was using a 50lb thrust trolling motor. Which got in the way of the tiller having to go over so far.

If that is a minkota its pretty easy to remove the top from the long stem, disconnect the wires, take about a foot off the stwm, then reconnect. I did this for the same reason you mention. I set my length so that thw motor all the way down is perfect for the prop. This also means the motor housing fits low and under tiller without the heavy metal dangling 4 feet off the mount.

Youll still snack on rudder if using both at same time. Motor handle is used for close quarters manuvering (with rudder up), rudder when on a long straight stretch.

 

[Photoman369]

If that is a minkota its pretty easy to remove the top from the long stem, disconnect the wires, take about a foot off the stwm, then reconnect. I did this for the same reason you mention. I set my length so that thw motor all the way down is perfect for the prop. This also means the motor housing fits low and under tiller without the heavy metal dangling 4 feet off the mount.

Youll still snack on rudder if using both at same time. Motor handle is used for close quarters manuvering (with rudder up), rudder when on a long straight stretch.

Thanks for the info.
I’m still deciding if I’ll keep the electric or get a small gas. I have to figure out to mount battery. I don’t want to drill holes to run the wires up front.

 

[Photoman369]

Congrats on purchase.

Me thinks you are bragging on 25 min setup .

Sailing without centerboard down is a good way to turtle that boat. Without hiking straps id leave it down, even when downwind.

No centerboard down is throwing away half your boat if you consider the centerboard as your underwater "mainsail".


View attachment 152971

Well I’m used to settings up a macgregor 26x. So I have system. And this mast is so light it pops right up. The shrouds stay attached and you just snap down the adjusters. Ball bearing quick release on jib. I didn’t take much in the way of gear so yeah it was 25ish and ready to dip.

 

[BobbyFunn]

Im about to switch to a 2-3hp gas. My 170 came with two belt loops screwed to deck just infront of rudder post. I got a case for the battery and it came with a strap for the loops. It held the battery in my flip test. My son forgot to strap the battery once and when we heeled our brains switched to high speed memory mode and we saw the battery slide in slow motion from one side to the other with the sound a 50lbs wight makes on plastic.

In my dreams i have cut a hole on the cubby floor and mounted a recessed "live bait" tank to hold battery. Then heavy guage wire to the rudder post. Rudder post then has quick plugs for motor.

Battery is 50lbs, motor is about 25.

Gas motor is about 35lbs and you can carry extra fuel. 50lbs thrust is on the cusp of useless with wind on the nose.

 

[Photoman369]

Heading into wind and wanting to get in fast is my concern. I’m thinking either Honda 2.3 but the clutch concerns me, heading forward right away when you start it. Also looking at Yamaha 2.5 long shafts on both.

 

[rgranger]

Me thinks you are bragging on 25 min...
View attachment 152971

I used to prep my Mac 22 in 20 min. My H26 takes me a few hours

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Feel free to call me. I think you have my number

 

[JimInPB]

Heading into wind and wanting to get in fast is my concern. I’m thinking either Honda 2.3 but the clutch concerns me, heading forward right away when you start it. Also looking at Yamaha 2.5 long shafts on both.

The Honda 2.3 is plenty. The clutch took me a little getting used to, but it does work once you get the hang of it.

The fact that the Honda is air cooled means that you will never need to repair a water pump.

The Honda seems to have more corrosion issues in salt water compared to other outboards that I have owned in the past. A little wipe with an oily rag on things like bolt heads is needed more often than I like.

I very much prefer a long shaft to a standard shaft outboard on that boat.

 

[Photoman369]

The Honda 2.3 is plenty. The clutch took me a little getting used to, but it does work once you get the hang of it.

The fact that the Honda is air cooled means that you will never need to repair a water pump.

The Honda seems to have more corrosion issues in salt water compared to other outboards that I have owned in the past. A little wipe with an oily rag on things like bolt heads is needed more often than I like.

I very much prefer a long shaft to a standard shaft outboard on that boat.

I ended up going with the Yamaha 2.5 long shaft. Not so much for the extra .2 hp but for the shift, neutral and forward, you still have to spin it around for reverse. I’ve noticed a little rust being produced on bolts and such too. Have to wipe down and reoil. I use AMSoil lanolin spray it works great on my car.