Sailing my WB 260 with wheel steering, when close-hauled or on a reach it seems to tug very hard, wanting to round up into the wind. I've gotten used to this, but is this normal? Do I need to trim my sails differently or adjust the boom vang or something else? Embarrasing such an elementary question.. -Greg
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Mike Pajewski
A couple things
Greg, The 26/260 will develop weather helm when the wind starts to build. This is not too unusual. This will be made worse if your forestay is too loose or the rudder is not adjusted properly. I am assuming that the 260 has the same rudder adjustements as the 26. On my 26, whenyou lower thw rudder, it needs to be adjusted just right. If it is pushed down too far it will develop a forward rake. This usually aggraveates weather helm. If not down far enough, it is raked too far aft and feels very stiff. Those are usually the first things I check. In most cases, it will be too much sail and it's time to reef. Mike Pajewski' H26 "Loon"
Greg, The 26/260 will develop weather helm when the wind starts to build. This is not too unusual. This will be made worse if your forestay is too loose or the rudder is not adjusted properly. I am assuming that the 260 has the same rudder adjustements as the 26. On my 26, whenyou lower thw rudder, it needs to be adjusted just right. If it is pushed down too far it will develop a forward rake. This usually aggraveates weather helm. If not down far enough, it is raked too far aft and feels very stiff. Those are usually the first things I check. In most cases, it will be too much sail and it's time to reef. Mike Pajewski' H26 "Loon"
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Mark Cooper
Not an embarrassing question at all
And I'm no expert; but here's another idea to try. Let your sheets out a little more. Start with the main and go in about 3 - 6 inch increments. Then let the jib out a little (again 3 - 6 inches). I find that I usually err on the side of sheeting in too much and that can cause weather helm (and also very slow movement in light breezes). The old expression is "when in doubt, let it out". If I have my theory correct, if you sail with just your main sail up, then your boat has a tendency to turn toward the wind. If you sail with just the jib, it has a tendency to turn away from it.
And I'm no expert; but here's another idea to try. Let your sheets out a little more. Start with the main and go in about 3 - 6 inch increments. Then let the jib out a little (again 3 - 6 inches). I find that I usually err on the side of sheeting in too much and that can cause weather helm (and also very slow movement in light breezes). The old expression is "when in doubt, let it out". If I have my theory correct, if you sail with just your main sail up, then your boat has a tendency to turn toward the wind. If you sail with just the jib, it has a tendency to turn away from it.
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Bryan C.
Correcting weather helm
There have been tons of posts on the weather helm (which is the tendancy of the boat to want to turn into the wind) issue. Do an archive search and you'll be entertained for hours. As a general rule, weather helm is created by healing and the force of wind against the mainsail (which are related factors) The jib will offset weather helm (pushes bow away from wind) but can contribute to it by causing additional heal. Things you can do (not necessarily in order): (1) Let the main out (2) reef the main (3) depower the main by flattening the arc of the mainsail with the mainsail halyard and the vang and outhaul. Really, you can completely elimate weather helm with your sails and steer the boat that way. Let the main all they way out while on a reach and see what happens. If your weather helm is a chronic problem, it might indicate more advanced rigging tuning is required relating to the degree of mast rake and mast bend. I'd do a lot of reading before messing around with rigging adjustment, however.
There have been tons of posts on the weather helm (which is the tendancy of the boat to want to turn into the wind) issue. Do an archive search and you'll be entertained for hours. As a general rule, weather helm is created by healing and the force of wind against the mainsail (which are related factors) The jib will offset weather helm (pushes bow away from wind) but can contribute to it by causing additional heal. Things you can do (not necessarily in order): (1) Let the main out (2) reef the main (3) depower the main by flattening the arc of the mainsail with the mainsail halyard and the vang and outhaul. Really, you can completely elimate weather helm with your sails and steer the boat that way. Let the main all they way out while on a reach and see what happens. If your weather helm is a chronic problem, it might indicate more advanced rigging tuning is required relating to the degree of mast rake and mast bend. I'd do a lot of reading before messing around with rigging adjustment, however.
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Russ King
Raise the centerboard, too
Unlike fixed keel boats, trailerables have a moveable centerboard, which makes it just one more item that can be 'tuned'. Raising the centerboard a bit will move the centerboard aft, which moves the center of lateral resistance aft, which will reduce weather helm. You will likely make more leeway, though.
Unlike fixed keel boats, trailerables have a moveable centerboard, which makes it just one more item that can be 'tuned'. Raising the centerboard a bit will move the centerboard aft, which moves the center of lateral resistance aft, which will reduce weather helm. You will likely make more leeway, though.
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Greg
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Edward Smith
Using Center Board to Reduce Weather Helm
is something I have not tried and it sounds reasonable. I'll give it a test this week should winds be adeguate and thank you all for the post and replys.
is something I have not tried and it sounds reasonable. I'll give it a test this week should winds be adeguate and thank you all for the post and replys.
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Kevin Larson & Eric Hegland
Simple solution
Weather helm happens when the wind's center of effort on the sails is aft of the boat's center of balance. The stern of the boat wants to get pushed down and the bow turn up and this effect has to be corrected with the rudder by trying to turn downwind, hence you get weather helm. Since we race our Hunter 26 twice a week, we're very concerned with balancing the boat without giving up any speed or pointing ability. Proper weather helm when beating to windward is around 5-8 degrees to weather or so. This provides some lift without the penalty of too much drag. If we have more weather helm than this, we tune our standing rigging to rake the mast forward slightly and then we test our handling again. Then if we have neutral or lee helm we rake the mast back slightly. Both of these adjustments move the mainsail forward or back which moves the wind's center of effort forward or back to balance the boat. You can make some temporary adjustments out on the water by moving your traveler down (if you have one) or releasing your vang to put some twist in the mainsail and dump power off of the top of the sail. I think we've caused enough damage for now.
Weather helm happens when the wind's center of effort on the sails is aft of the boat's center of balance. The stern of the boat wants to get pushed down and the bow turn up and this effect has to be corrected with the rudder by trying to turn downwind, hence you get weather helm. Since we race our Hunter 26 twice a week, we're very concerned with balancing the boat without giving up any speed or pointing ability. Proper weather helm when beating to windward is around 5-8 degrees to weather or so. This provides some lift without the penalty of too much drag. If we have more weather helm than this, we tune our standing rigging to rake the mast forward slightly and then we test our handling again. Then if we have neutral or lee helm we rake the mast back slightly. Both of these adjustments move the mainsail forward or back which moves the wind's center of effort forward or back to balance the boat. You can make some temporary adjustments out on the water by moving your traveler down (if you have one) or releasing your vang to put some twist in the mainsail and dump power off of the top of the sail. I think we've caused enough damage for now.
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