C-320 rounding up

[Andy]

Can anyone offer some help? Anytime the breeze exceeds 18kts our Catalina rounds up into wind with no rudder left to control it! Even with reefs in and aggresive mainsheet dumping it can't be stopped. Has anyone else experienced this? The boat is 12 mths old and has a standard fitout. Any sugestions on where to start appreciated.Ta!

 

[Gene Foraker]

Weather helm

My initial reaction was you may not be reefing properly or the winds may be higher than you realize. That would be observed if you are heeling over too far. Do you have an inclinometer? The newer Catalinas with wide sterns don't like their rails to the water. They must be sailed more upright.The other problems could be old, baggy sails (or not flattened enough with controls) or mast rake. If everthing else is correct, you should have a slight weather helm of only a few degrees of rudder at 7 to 10 knots of wind, neutral helm below that. If you have more, then the top of the mast may be raked too far aft. You can tighten the forestay turnbuckle to move the mast forward a little. This moves the center of effort of the sails forward and reduces weather helm. You mayl have to adjust all of the rest of the shrouds also. If not sure on how to tune the rig, get help some someone who does. Your manual may have some guidence. Under no circumstances should you ever have "lee helm".

 

[Julian]

Rounding Up

Andy,I find that my 320 also has a strong tendency to round up when heeled substantially. Maybe you know this, but I have found that using the traveller to reduce power on the main is a must -- seemingly more so than on other boats that I've sailed. While letting out the mainsheet will spill wind, the fullness of the large main works against you. Early use of the traveller will keep the main tight as you drop it to leeward. Don't worry if the jib backwinds the main a bit. You might also experiment with letting out the jib more, and/or rolling it in a bit if you have a larger genoa. In 25 knots true (common on SF Bay), I sail well balanced with one reef, and a 100% working jib.Also, avoid sailing broadside to incoming swells. This will tend to heel the boat, unbalance the hull, and round up.What you're describing is no fun, for you or for white-knuckled passengers. Once you learn to deal with this trait, the 320 sails great. Hope this helps.

 

[Peter Clancy]

Common Problem

Every boat I've owned and most I've sailed on will tend to round up in high enough wind conditions. As a begining sailor on smaller boats I felt this characterstic was a good way to avoid heeling too far over causing a knock down. My C320 is no different. Reducing sail area for current conditions and releasing the traveler in heavy puffs usually prevents a round up.