New C30 Owner

[StellaMaris]

I have a catalina 30 mkII and under full throttle my boat also turns to port. At around 1500 rpms its not noticeable. As I speed up it starts to tug at the wheel.

Don't forget that weather helm effects the boat as well. Does it always turn to port no mater what point of sail? On both tacks?


Anthony
San Francisco Bay
Stella Maris- Catalina 30 MKII

 

[Ima90sJezus]

Don't forget that weather helm effects the boat as well. Does it always turn to port no mater what point of sail? On both tacks?

Definately always pulling to port, no matter what point of sail. I'll have to investigate further if I get a chance to take her out this weekend.

 

[BillyK]

Definately always pulling to port, no matter what point of sail. I'll have to investigate further if I get a chance to take her out this weekend.

i guess the question is just how hard is she pulling.. mine does pull but its less than 1-2lbs of force on the wheel.. which i considering not really pulling at all based on my experience with other boats..

 

[gpd955]

Is your wheel marked for center? If you are turning to port when your weel is "center" it could be that your mark (usually tape or some decorative cord) is off and your rudder is not centered because of that. "Center" the wheel and then check the rudder to see if it is off center.

Or maybe she just needs a front end alignment!!

 

[BillyK]

i guess the question is just how hard is she pulling.. mine does pull but its less than 1-2lbs of force on the wheel.. which i considering not really pulling at all based on my experience with other boats..

Just took the boat out today and really paid attention to how she pulls.. At all throttle settings and speed there is only a slight pull to port.. Enough to turn her hand off but not much more than that.. In reverse there is no pull in either direction.

 

[DanM]

Ima,

What you are describing for the pull under power is normal (at least for our vintage of boats). Imagine the water being forced aft of your prop with the rudder sitting right there behind the prop. It's not prop walk exactly, but there is water being forced against one side of the rudder more than the other depending on which way your prop turns.

Undersail what you are likely feeling is "weather helm" (or lee helm perhaps if you were sailing with just the foresail), but this is normal as well, and can be trimmed out somewhat as you gain experience in trimming the boat under sail. I think the common logic is that a little weather helm is a good thing in that the boat will round up into the wind if it becomes overpowered.

"Sail Power" by Wallace Ross (if you can find a copy anymore) is a great book and goes into great detail on these forces.

DanM.

 

[rbmcintire]

Also, do a visual up your mast mainsail track to see that it's straight. Take the main halyard, touch the bottom tip of the shackle to the starboard chainplate and stopper off the halyard at that length. Take the shackle in hand and walk it over to the port chainplate and see if the distance on the halyard is the same, and that your mast is in column.

It won't take a rigger more than 30 minutes but if you want to do some simple straightening, I'd go for it. Do adjustments with the turnbuckles, not too tight, and consider it may be better to ease the opposite side. Look for rig tuning guides at Catalina30.org, but remember to take your own boat's condition into account. A good rigger will be able to feel it out. Your rig will definitely have a bearing on the weatherhelm and the tracking on points of sail.

Rob