Helm balance on older mac 22's

[Todd]

I was looking at a 1974 mac 22 to buy at a local boat yard. Judging by how far aft the swing keel is mounted and pivots, I worry the boat will have heavy weather helm with any degree of keel down -- short of full keel. Can anyone answer this question for me? Answer here or e-mail me at sprocket80@hotmail.com

 

[Todd]

restating the question

I meant to say a strong Lee helm

 

[Doug Rodrigues]

Right the first time...

Todd,I can only compare your question with the 1972 Venture 2-22 that I just sold. That boat had a strong weather helm. Experimenting in very strong winds with a maximum heel angle, the boat would heel-over so much that the rudder would loose effectiveness and turn the boat into the wind. Of course you wouldn't normally sail like that. Anyway, the weather helm was stronger in that Venture 2-22 than with the Mac 25 I now have. But for what it's worth, that 2-22 was a fun boat....just too small for what I wanted to use it for.

 

[Todd]

follow up Doug?

Did you find any tuning tricks or running with the centerbord partially up to help with the weather helm?

 

[Doug Rodrigues]

Kept the swing keel locked.

No Todd, I never experimented with the swing keel unlocked. The San Francisco Bay waters were too rough for me to take that chance. Of interest though, I believe that the keel pivot on the 2-22 is further away from the keel winch than in the 25...for what that's worth. On the 25, I can crank the winch handle and insert the locking bolt as the holes line-up. I could never do that in the 2-22. Does this mean that the 2-22 (and 22) keel is attached further forward from center than in the 25? Maybe that's why the 2-22 has more weather helm. However, what I was planning to do was to add a couple of inches to the leading edge of the rudder. The boat was sold prior to me accomplishing that task.