I am a relatively new sailor, and a brand new 28.5 owner. My boat is a 1986 model with shoal draft. My sails include a standard main and 155 genoa on a Hood roller furler. I have (what seems to me to be) severe weather helm. For instance, yesterday we were out in 10 - 15 kn winds; sails were sheeted flat as possible (genoa with the cars in the most aft position possible; the outhaul tight, the back stay tight and the cunningham tight. Nevertheless, we frequently heeled to 30 degrees and from about a 15 degree heel on up, I had to turn the wheel a quarter turn or even more to maintain course. Of course, at this rate, the rudder is acting as a very effective brake! I've spent the last 3 - 4 hours reading the strings about weather helm, and think my problem may be excessive mast rake. I measured the rake as suggested in the strings (i.e. put a weight on the main halyard and measure its distance from the bottom of the mast) and determined that the rake is approximately 15 1/2 inches. Is this too much? I'm afraid that tightening up the head stay is going to be a real pain (with the roller furler) and don't want to mess with it if it's a waste of time, but I need to do something to reduce the weather help. Any ideas would be really appreciated. Ken
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John
28.5 Mast Rake
Ken, I have a 1988 28.5 and believe I have a similar problem, but maybe not quite as severe. I've just "eye-balled" the rake but it looks like it is too much and I believe the weather helm is excessive. Another problem is that I don't have much thread left on the backstay turnbuckles).. I will interested in the responses you receive... (sure seems like 15" would be too much??) John
Ken, I have a 1988 28.5 and believe I have a similar problem, but maybe not quite as severe. I've just "eye-balled" the rake but it looks like it is too much and I believe the weather helm is excessive. Another problem is that I don't have much thread left on the backstay turnbuckles).. I will interested in the responses you receive... (sure seems like 15" would be too much??) John
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Eric Lorgus
Time to reef way before 30 degrees heel
Ken, I have a 1987 28.5. I've never measured my mast "rake", but I have an adjustable backstay, so its tension is one of the many variables I use to trim the boat. You're right about the rudder acting as a brake if you have to crank in a lot of deflection to stay your course. At 15 knots, you might want to try putting in one reef. You will never get any decent boat speed at 30 degrees heel in a 28.5. Eric Lorgus s/v Explorer (87H285)
Ken, I have a 1987 28.5. I've never measured my mast "rake", but I have an adjustable backstay, so its tension is one of the many variables I use to trim the boat. You're right about the rudder acting as a brake if you have to crank in a lot of deflection to stay your course. At 15 knots, you might want to try putting in one reef. You will never get any decent boat speed at 30 degrees heel in a 28.5. Eric Lorgus s/v Explorer (87H285)
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Dick Vance
Time To De-Power
Mast rake is a factor but the greatest contributor is usually too much sail power for the conditions. When heel is excessive or too much weather helm. Here are some steps to depower, and in the order I would usually follow with a masthead rig as the wind increases: 1) Put some twist in the main by raising the traveler to windward and letting the mainsheet out. Make sure the vang is off so the boom can rise to induce the twist. 2) Reduce headsail size....with your roller furling, crank some in. This only works so far with roller furling as the sail loses too much shape if rollled in too far. 3) Reef the main. If the first isn't enough, put in a second reef if you have one. 4) If you still have too much weather helm, then it's time to foot off and not try to sail quite as close to the wind, easing the jib and main. With too much heel, you will be making a lot of leeway and not going in your intended direction anyway. HTH Dick Vance H-25.5 "Honey Bear"
Mast rake is a factor but the greatest contributor is usually too much sail power for the conditions. When heel is excessive or too much weather helm. Here are some steps to depower, and in the order I would usually follow with a masthead rig as the wind increases: 1) Put some twist in the main by raising the traveler to windward and letting the mainsheet out. Make sure the vang is off so the boom can rise to induce the twist. 2) Reduce headsail size....with your roller furling, crank some in. This only works so far with roller furling as the sail loses too much shape if rollled in too far. 3) Reef the main. If the first isn't enough, put in a second reef if you have one. 4) If you still have too much weather helm, then it's time to foot off and not try to sail quite as close to the wind, easing the jib and main. With too much heel, you will be making a lot of leeway and not going in your intended direction anyway. HTH Dick Vance H-25.5 "Honey Bear"
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Bill
Pre-Bend
Have you tuned your mast, including the upper jumpers? I corrected my weather helm by reading and following the tuning instructions very carefully. Yesterday it was blowing about 10-12. I have a 150 on a roller furler, original sails, and the boat tracked very nicely on a close reach. I do not have a steering brake and could go a least 1 minute without touching the wheel. You do need to reef at about 15 however. Unfortunately it is best to put in th epre-bend while the mast is on the ground. Hope this gives you some encouragement.
Have you tuned your mast, including the upper jumpers? I corrected my weather helm by reading and following the tuning instructions very carefully. Yesterday it was blowing about 10-12. I have a 150 on a roller furler, original sails, and the boat tracked very nicely on a close reach. I do not have a steering brake and could go a least 1 minute without touching the wheel. You do need to reef at about 15 however. Unfortunately it is best to put in th epre-bend while the mast is on the ground. Hope this gives you some encouragement.
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Bill Fullaway
Try this
The bend on your mast is also from your inner stays(the ones that go to mast). Try loosening them, they lessen your bend. Another thing I have found that has helped is a back stay adjuster. The boat is very tender. 15 knots with a 155 is way too much for that boat. With some practice try feathering up wind. When you feel the sails fill burn off the heel by going up into the wind. You can track up wind beautifully when you get the technique down.
The bend on your mast is also from your inner stays(the ones that go to mast). Try loosening them, they lessen your bend. Another thing I have found that has helped is a back stay adjuster. The boat is very tender. 15 knots with a 155 is way too much for that boat. With some practice try feathering up wind. When you feel the sails fill burn off the heel by going up into the wind. You can track up wind beautifully when you get the technique down.
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Jim McCue
Where's your trav anchored???
I've been out in heavier wind without concern about the rake of the mast. Over the years I've seen a number of 28.5 sailors that are (even in light winds) up to their leeward toerails. Usually they have their trav anchored and cinched tight to leeward -thinking they are easing out the wind. Not so- With a big genny up you may also be "squeezing the slot" between the jib and main- which will add to your heel. Try move your trav achor point slight better than half position to windward. That will put a twist in your main and spill wind out the top and minmize your heel. See that your main haul out is adequately cinched too. You will find a "g" spot for the boat and if properly balanced it should be relatively easy with only modest weather helm. It may heel but onmy to 20-25 degrees Perhaps only in a hard puff will you need to really "steer" it. Try it. Jim McCue PS> I found it helpful to add a port side car (my boat came with only one which was on the starboard side) to keep the line from abbraiding the cabin edge when power sailing (car mostly forward in light winds). My winches are located forward in the cockpit.
I've been out in heavier wind without concern about the rake of the mast. Over the years I've seen a number of 28.5 sailors that are (even in light winds) up to their leeward toerails. Usually they have their trav anchored and cinched tight to leeward -thinking they are easing out the wind. Not so- With a big genny up you may also be "squeezing the slot" between the jib and main- which will add to your heel. Try move your trav achor point slight better than half position to windward. That will put a twist in your main and spill wind out the top and minmize your heel. See that your main haul out is adequately cinched too. You will find a "g" spot for the boat and if properly balanced it should be relatively easy with only modest weather helm. It may heel but onmy to 20-25 degrees Perhaps only in a hard puff will you need to really "steer" it. Try it. Jim McCue PS> I found it helpful to add a port side car (my boat came with only one which was on the starboard side) to keep the line from abbraiding the cabin edge when power sailing (car mostly forward in light winds). My winches are located forward in the cockpit.
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schaefer
don't agree with any
i've been sailing my 28.5 86 fir 12 years now...and for many of them with tooooo much sail up...we are all a little thick when it comes to taking down sail...at 15 knts i have the main reefed and if it goes any higher the roller is taken in too...consistently sail at 6 to 7 with no weather helm....try it...schaefer
i've been sailing my 28.5 86 fir 12 years now...and for many of them with tooooo much sail up...we are all a little thick when it comes to taking down sail...at 15 knts i have the main reefed and if it goes any higher the roller is taken in too...consistently sail at 6 to 7 with no weather helm....try it...schaefer
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Dave Teal
Similar problem in 31.5
The hull shape of the 28.5 is very similar to the 31.5. When I bought my 31.5 new in 1987 I assumed the boatyard knew how to rig the boat. Boy, was I wrong! After suffering through 2 years of the boat rounding up in even mild gusts, I raked the mast forward significantly. This entailed loosening shrouds and backstay and tightening forestay (Harken roller furler). My racing main was designed for a straight mast, so I took a lot of the pre-bend out. Since then I've been able to control the boat using the helm in all but the strongest gusts. With proper sail trim I have 2 - 6 deg of helm. There is a slight lee helm in very light airs, but putting crew to leeward usually solves that as, on heel, the hull shape increases weather helm. When heel regularly exceeds 25 deg, I reef the main and ease the sheets on the 155% jib. In races of any length, I switch to my #2. Good luck.
The hull shape of the 28.5 is very similar to the 31.5. When I bought my 31.5 new in 1987 I assumed the boatyard knew how to rig the boat. Boy, was I wrong! After suffering through 2 years of the boat rounding up in even mild gusts, I raked the mast forward significantly. This entailed loosening shrouds and backstay and tightening forestay (Harken roller furler). My racing main was designed for a straight mast, so I took a lot of the pre-bend out. Since then I've been able to control the boat using the helm in all but the strongest gusts. With proper sail trim I have 2 - 6 deg of helm. There is a slight lee helm in very light airs, but putting crew to leeward usually solves that as, on heel, the hull shape increases weather helm. When heel regularly exceeds 25 deg, I reef the main and ease the sheets on the 155% jib. In races of any length, I switch to my #2. Good luck.
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John
too much sail
I to sail a 28.5 86" with a shoal keel and have 110' head sail. I start over powering at 18 knots of wind. All the other remarks for depowering are good. With a shoal keel you will have to depower earlyer than the deep keel boats. Good luck
I to sail a 28.5 86" with a shoal keel and have 110' head sail. I start over powering at 18 knots of wind. All the other remarks for depowering are good. With a shoal keel you will have to depower earlyer than the deep keel boats. Good luck
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