I have an 89 Legend 37 and hard on the wind have excess weather helm. The solution is to shorten the forestay. She has a Hood furler, and the drum is located in the anchor locker. I don't have a manual for the furler. How do I get access to the turnbuckle?
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Slide it up
Del, I beleive that the roller head has a type of removable "donut" around the headstay that will allow you to slide the roller head up the headstay and out of the way. This will expose the turnbuckle at the base.
Del, I beleive that the roller head has a type of removable "donut" around the headstay that will allow you to slide the roller head up the headstay and out of the way. This will expose the turnbuckle at the base.
Sliding it up
Try your best to get a manual. I did it with a manual and found it difficult at best. For example the parts which must be taken off can easily be lost. After sliding it up, it should be held with a vise grip so that you can work on the turn-buckle. Perhaps, if you can't find another owner with a simular Hood, it will be on internet or even email Hood for instructions.
Try your best to get a manual. I did it with a manual and found it difficult at best. For example the parts which must be taken off can easily be lost. After sliding it up, it should be held with a vise grip so that you can work on the turn-buckle. Perhaps, if you can't find another owner with a simular Hood, it will be on internet or even email Hood for instructions.
What is the condition of the sails?
Del - in your discussion there is no mention of the condition of the sails and for a boat of this vintage of of the things to look at is the draft in the sails. Over time the bolt rope will shrink slightly but enough to increase the draft of the main. Then there is the general "wear and tear" useage on the sails which will cause the fabric to stretch and there by an increase in the draft. If the sails aren't too bad a recut is a cheap stopgap measure to improve sail shape. If one goes the recut route then this will by some time while you shop for a set of new sails. A backstay adjuster will help too.
Del - in your discussion there is no mention of the condition of the sails and for a boat of this vintage of of the things to look at is the draft in the sails. Over time the bolt rope will shrink slightly but enough to increase the draft of the main. Then there is the general "wear and tear" useage on the sails which will cause the fabric to stretch and there by an increase in the draft. If the sails aren't too bad a recut is a cheap stopgap measure to improve sail shape. If one goes the recut route then this will by some time while you shop for a set of new sails. A backstay adjuster will help too.
response to John Nantz
The sails are in pretty good shape for the age of the boat. Draft on the main looks pretty good. We have good speed and pointing, but still lots of weather helm. Regarding the backstay adjustor, does it help with a fractional rig? I am thinking that putting tension on the backstay will flatten the main versus put tension on the headstay as with a masthead rig. I am new to a fractional rig so probably have lots to learn.
The sails are in pretty good shape for the age of the boat. Draft on the main looks pretty good. We have good speed and pointing, but still lots of weather helm. Regarding the backstay adjustor, does it help with a fractional rig? I am thinking that putting tension on the backstay will flatten the main versus put tension on the headstay as with a masthead rig. I am new to a fractional rig so probably have lots to learn.
Hood Furler Removal
Del, You should access the Hood homepage I believe there are some drawings online. But basically here goes. Remove the head sail. Look for a small allen head set screw on one side and about 3 inches below the top of the drum extension. (about 3 feet above the deck) Not sure about yours but mine is made out of nylon. Remove it, don't loose it. That will loosen one side of the split collar that fits inside of the drum extension. Wiggle and remove that portion of the collar, don't loose it. Take ahold of the luff extrusion and pull it up to relieve the pressure/weight. Look on the other side of the drum extension from the allen screw and you will find a flush round thumb button. Press in on the button and it will free the other side of the split collar. Remove it but don't loose it. Slide the luff extension down so it bottoms out on the bearing collar inside the drum. Go inside the anchor well and remove the shackle that holds the drum down against the headstay fitting. Remember how it is aligned. Don't loose the shackle. Now the drum should slide up over the luff extension. Move it up to about head height. Take the jib halyard and tie it to the luff extension below the drum. You should now be able to tighten the halyard and hold the extension and drum up out of the way. The turnbuckle should be visible and you can do what you want. I agree with the others though and don't think that will solve your problem. But you asked how to access the turnbuckle. Good luck Les s/v Mutual Fun
Del, You should access the Hood homepage I believe there are some drawings online. But basically here goes. Remove the head sail. Look for a small allen head set screw on one side and about 3 inches below the top of the drum extension. (about 3 feet above the deck) Not sure about yours but mine is made out of nylon. Remove it, don't loose it. That will loosen one side of the split collar that fits inside of the drum extension. Wiggle and remove that portion of the collar, don't loose it. Take ahold of the luff extrusion and pull it up to relieve the pressure/weight. Look on the other side of the drum extension from the allen screw and you will find a flush round thumb button. Press in on the button and it will free the other side of the split collar. Remove it but don't loose it. Slide the luff extension down so it bottoms out on the bearing collar inside the drum. Go inside the anchor well and remove the shackle that holds the drum down against the headstay fitting. Remember how it is aligned. Don't loose the shackle. Now the drum should slide up over the luff extension. Move it up to about head height. Take the jib halyard and tie it to the luff extension below the drum. You should now be able to tighten the halyard and hold the extension and drum up out of the way. The turnbuckle should be visible and you can do what you want. I agree with the others though and don't think that will solve your problem. But you asked how to access the turnbuckle. Good luck Les s/v Mutual Fun
look at the whole rig
i have a 89 35.5, pretty much the same rig, if your forestay is excessively loose there are several points where you can add tension to the forestay, backstay adjusters help, also your upper shrouds play a part in pulling the mast back. in regards to excessive weather helm can you explain your sailing conditions further, wind speed, sail plan used ect? with a fractional rig you have alot of main sail this also helps provide forward thrust, which alows you to use a smaller jib, what size jib are you using? to large of a jib will also give you excess wx helm. 100% to a 125% jib works good at keeping my boat balanced. also this year i replaced my furler with a pro furl, i mounted it above deck and it works great.
i have a 89 35.5, pretty much the same rig, if your forestay is excessively loose there are several points where you can add tension to the forestay, backstay adjusters help, also your upper shrouds play a part in pulling the mast back. in regards to excessive weather helm can you explain your sailing conditions further, wind speed, sail plan used ect? with a fractional rig you have alot of main sail this also helps provide forward thrust, which alows you to use a smaller jib, what size jib are you using? to large of a jib will also give you excess wx helm. 100% to a 125% jib works good at keeping my boat balanced. also this year i replaced my furler with a pro furl, i mounted it above deck and it works great.
Mast Rake
Del, I race a Hunter Legend 35 with a fractional rig that is the same as the HL 37. When you change the length of the forestay you are changing mast rake. Rake is not adjusted by the backstay. That is called prebend. Before you change the rake you need to do a lot of measuring. First, with the side stays in proper tension measure the distance aft that the main haylard, when hanging streight down, makes with the boom. This need be done on a no wind day with a heavy weight on the end of the haylard to keep it stay. According to Hunter factory folks my rake haylard distance is 10 inches measured on the boom aft of the mast. My mast is exactly 50'long (high) above the cabin top. Yours may be a bit longer. 10 inches may be your number also. A call to the Hunter rigging shop may produce your rake haylard distance. You need to press them for a number. They are slow to come up with the answeres. If you decide to change the rake you need to loosen the headstay, re-rig the side stays aft with an equal number of turns on the turnbuckels and then let out (that is retighten) the headstay - recheck side stay tension and the rake haylard distance and see if you have increased the rake distance on the boom an inch or two. This is a tricky re-rig procedure as it will also require a few test sails to make sure the mast is true ie. does not lean in one direction or the other. You need be keenly aware of the mast movement in the mast shoe at the foot of the mast. You do not want to lean the mast back so that it is tilted in the shoe and thus put a high structural load on the back side of the shoe. Mast rake is an important factor. If you have too much you will develop a lot of weather helm. Some boats need a lot of rake eg. Hobie 16. I control weather helm by keeping a close tab on travel position. If I am going to weather and the helm is heavy, then I call for my main sheet crew to let the traveler down towards the lee side of the track. I try and keep the boom over center on a point, which puts the travel to weather. Sometimes too far to weather. Weather helm is also controled by the headsail. Jib car position is important. Double check as to why you are using the slot you've selected. The proper position is where all three teltales on the headsail lift at the same time. You do have the three teltales on your headsail ?? As I stated above, changing the rake requires a lot of pre planning. Make sure you know where you are now and how to get back to that setting after you have changed it. As to the prebend and the backstay adjuster, that is another issue unto itself. A fractional rig is a lot different than a mast head rig. If fractional is good enough for the America's Cup than it is great for us Hunter guys. Sail on, Bob Dean Pensacola, FL
Del, I race a Hunter Legend 35 with a fractional rig that is the same as the HL 37. When you change the length of the forestay you are changing mast rake. Rake is not adjusted by the backstay. That is called prebend. Before you change the rake you need to do a lot of measuring. First, with the side stays in proper tension measure the distance aft that the main haylard, when hanging streight down, makes with the boom. This need be done on a no wind day with a heavy weight on the end of the haylard to keep it stay. According to Hunter factory folks my rake haylard distance is 10 inches measured on the boom aft of the mast. My mast is exactly 50'long (high) above the cabin top. Yours may be a bit longer. 10 inches may be your number also. A call to the Hunter rigging shop may produce your rake haylard distance. You need to press them for a number. They are slow to come up with the answeres. If you decide to change the rake you need to loosen the headstay, re-rig the side stays aft with an equal number of turns on the turnbuckels and then let out (that is retighten) the headstay - recheck side stay tension and the rake haylard distance and see if you have increased the rake distance on the boom an inch or two. This is a tricky re-rig procedure as it will also require a few test sails to make sure the mast is true ie. does not lean in one direction or the other. You need be keenly aware of the mast movement in the mast shoe at the foot of the mast. You do not want to lean the mast back so that it is tilted in the shoe and thus put a high structural load on the back side of the shoe. Mast rake is an important factor. If you have too much you will develop a lot of weather helm. Some boats need a lot of rake eg. Hobie 16. I control weather helm by keeping a close tab on travel position. If I am going to weather and the helm is heavy, then I call for my main sheet crew to let the traveler down towards the lee side of the track. I try and keep the boom over center on a point, which puts the travel to weather. Sometimes too far to weather. Weather helm is also controled by the headsail. Jib car position is important. Double check as to why you are using the slot you've selected. The proper position is where all three teltales on the headsail lift at the same time. You do have the three teltales on your headsail ?? As I stated above, changing the rake requires a lot of pre planning. Make sure you know where you are now and how to get back to that setting after you have changed it. As to the prebend and the backstay adjuster, that is another issue unto itself. A fractional rig is a lot different than a mast head rig. If fractional is good enough for the America's Cup than it is great for us Hunter guys. Sail on, Bob Dean Pensacola, FL
reply to "look at the whole rig"
The recent race was 13-15 knots steady, gusts a bit more. We tried full main and also with flattening reef, which did not help much. I have a 107% jib.
The recent race was 13-15 knots steady, gusts a bit more. We tried full main and also with flattening reef, which did not help much. I have a 107% jib.
Mast Rake
Del, Bob Dean here again. I race in 10 to 15 mph wind with a 135 and do not reef until it goes over 24. A 110 jib (107) will work fine in just about any normal wind (0-30mph). But I go back to my last message. What is your rake now ?? How was rake measured ?? On a point, where is your boom (traveler car) ?? How much outhaul do you have ?? Where are your jib cars ?? How much rudder are you actually using? Is your wheel top spoke marked with a tape or wrap ?? If your top spoke does not match a neutral rudder, then the wheel position (cables) need adjusting How many crew do you have on the rail ?? On a big boat like a HL37 you need rail weight to reduce heel and keep the boat flat. I have found that a backstay adjustment will not effect weather helm to a dereee that you can feel the change. Weather helm is a major factor in boat speed. All the race books make a big too doo about getting the rudder back to a neutral or near neutral position. My main sheet crew is constantly watching my wheel to see where the neutral mark is. In a race, my traveler is moved a lot so as to effect rudder position. Traveler position in a race is never a set and walk away item. BD
Del, Bob Dean here again. I race in 10 to 15 mph wind with a 135 and do not reef until it goes over 24. A 110 jib (107) will work fine in just about any normal wind (0-30mph). But I go back to my last message. What is your rake now ?? How was rake measured ?? On a point, where is your boom (traveler car) ?? How much outhaul do you have ?? Where are your jib cars ?? How much rudder are you actually using? Is your wheel top spoke marked with a tape or wrap ?? If your top spoke does not match a neutral rudder, then the wheel position (cables) need adjusting How many crew do you have on the rail ?? On a big boat like a HL37 you need rail weight to reduce heel and keep the boat flat. I have found that a backstay adjustment will not effect weather helm to a dereee that you can feel the change. Weather helm is a major factor in boat speed. All the race books make a big too doo about getting the rudder back to a neutral or near neutral position. My main sheet crew is constantly watching my wheel to see where the neutral mark is. In a race, my traveler is moved a lot so as to effect rudder position. Traveler position in a race is never a set and walk away item. BD
response to Bob Dean
Bob, thanks for all the info and the time you are taking to respond. Your hints are helping a lot. It is obvious I have lots to learn! Let me try to respond to the questions in your two messages. 1. regarding mast rake, I have not made any measurements, will do as soon as I get a chance. 2. on a point. we have the boom slightly off center, the traveller car pretty much right under the boom, in an effort to get the main flat. 3. the jib cars are set so that the tell tales break evenly, I have four sets on the luff. 4. the wheel is marked for centered rudder, I have up to 1/4 turn of "weather rudder", don't know how to relate that to degrees of rudder angle. 5. we had four crew on the rail. 6. I sent an email to the Hunter factory asking for information on rigging dimensions. thanks again, Del
Bob, thanks for all the info and the time you are taking to respond. Your hints are helping a lot. It is obvious I have lots to learn! Let me try to respond to the questions in your two messages. 1. regarding mast rake, I have not made any measurements, will do as soon as I get a chance. 2. on a point. we have the boom slightly off center, the traveller car pretty much right under the boom, in an effort to get the main flat. 3. the jib cars are set so that the tell tales break evenly, I have four sets on the luff. 4. the wheel is marked for centered rudder, I have up to 1/4 turn of "weather rudder", don't know how to relate that to degrees of rudder angle. 5. we had four crew on the rail. 6. I sent an email to the Hunter factory asking for information on rigging dimensions. thanks again, Del
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