Rig tune and weather helm (long post)
Rake is adjusted by the forestay. It can be reduced a bit by tightening the forestay turnbuckle while slacking the backstay and upper shrouds first. I wouldn't recommend doing it to reduce your weather helm. The time spent adjusting the standing rigging (seven turnbuckles) isn't worth the results. Adjusting mast bend and mainsheet tension is a lot more effective. More importantly, they can be changed quickly while under way, so you can adjust your rig as wind and course dictate. Mast bend and mainsheet tension dramatically affect the leech (trailing edge) of the mainsail. Low leech tension allows the sail to twist and spill air off the top, reducing heel and weather helm. Under these conditions the top batten points to leeward relative to the boom. High leech tension has the opposite effect. A tight leech spills little or no air, leading to increased heeling force and weather helm. Leech tension can be controlled two ways when sailing upwind: ) with the mainsheet: When sailing close-hauled the mainsheet pulls the boom in and DOWN. The downward pull tightens the leech, with the results described above. b) with the backstay: The forestay and upper shrouds on the H23 all meet at the same place up on the mast but the backstay is attached at the masthead, about six feet higher. When the backstay is tensioned, it pulls the masthead back and pushes the middle of the mast forward. This happens because the point on the mast where the upper srouds and forestay meet DOES NOT MOVE. The mast essentially bends like a bow. This does two things simultaneously; eases leech tension (as the head and tack of the sail move closer to each other) and reduces sail draft (as the middle of the mast moves forward it tensions the sail in the horizontal direction). Pre-bend is created by tightening the upper shrouds. This works because the H23 spreaders are swept back. Recommended pre-bend (with no tension on the backstay) is about an inch or so (more rather than less). To measure pre-bend, put some parallel marks at one-inch intervals extending aft from the luff (leading edge) of the mainsail at about the height of the spreaders. Attach a piece of light bungee (1/8-inch is OK) to the mainsail halyard shackle before you raise the main. After the mainsail is raised, pull the bungee to the gooseneck. It will cross the marks near the middle of the sail and clearly indicate the amount of pre-bend. The third control is the traveler. See recent posts and archives for info on this control. The problem with the stock H23 is that the backstay is not adjustable (neither is the traveler - see recent posts). Making the backstay adjustable is a simple fix and will improve your upwind sailing tremendously. There are several ways to do it, including a four-wheeled triangular plate that rides on the split backstay and the various rigs shown in the Harken catalog. All will require a couple of blocks (including one with a cleat) and some 1/4-inch line. I don't have pictures of my setup and my mast is down at the moment but if the weatheris good I'll put the mast up on the weekend and take a picture. Stay tuned. Peter H23 "Raven"
