Hello!
I've had my '07 Capri 22 since 2021 and have enjoyed sailing it with the kiddos and generally just having fun out on the water with it. I did follow the tuning guide from North Sails initially.
I'm getting more into racing and I'm trying to tune and balance the rigging as best I can. In heavier winds [ ~15 knots gusts to ~20 ] I'm having a lot of weather helm to the point that it's often forcing me to round up whether I want to or not. Even at times letting the main sheet out in a gust/puff it's still forcing the front of the boat to windward. I do understand that weather helm is desirable over lee helm - but the amount I'm getting is, IMHO, too much.
Today I took two turns off of my backstay and went out [in 15, gusts to ~20] and it felt better but still not where I wanted to be. I took three more turns off and again - better - but still not where I'd like to be.
I do have a CDI Flexible Furler [came with the boat] so I can't adjust the forestay while out sailing but I can take the time to do it if needed at the dock. Seems I have to pull the headsail off, pull the pin on the drum, raise the drum, and access the turnbuckle.
Honestly I'm not sure how loose on the backstay is too loose. I do have a Loos PT-1 gauge but I've not seen any numbers/recommendations on the backstay when it comes to tuning guides. I imagine I don't want the backstay loose/floppy/untensioned.
From what I understand, having a wing keel, I really want to avoid mast rake otherwise I'll slip sideways and lose speed. Also from what I understand with more rake I'll have more weather helm as raking the mast backwards removes the center of effort backwards. I believe this means that the pressure on the main will be more aft pushing the back of the boat leeward and the front of the boat windward.
When it comes to tuning the rigging and checking rake - do I want to tune the uppers and lowers and then look at rake? Do I just want the backstay only just taught or is there a particular tension I should be looking for?
I do have a RudderCraft kick-up rudder that is longer than OEM which helps but I am putting a LOT of force into the tiller to keep the boat tracking straight in any sort of gusts. In 15 knots constant I'm not having to put a lot of pressure but if I let go of the tiller I will definitely round up.
I absolutely don't mind adjusting the rigging / pulling the furler apart / doing what I have to do to tune this better - but I'm hoping to get some "been there, done that" advice - or at minimum things to look for and things to avoid.
I'm planning on leveling the boat front to back with a spirit level on the mast step [moving weight around, since it's on the water, until it's level front to back] and then hanging a weight from the main halyard and seeing where it hangs relative to the mast.
I really have no idea how many turns are on the turnbuckle on the headstay - it is still set wherever the previous owner had set it. I'm also not sure if I can trust the 'just have 4 threads showing' since the CDI Furler comes with it's own T-Bolt [that I presume is of different length from the factory otherwise - why replace it?].
At the end of the day the boys and I are loving sailing and we're having fun - but it just occurred to me that I probably should take more time to make sure everything is set up properly and that I'm not slowing us down with some silly mistakes such as perhaps the forestay being too long/not adjusted properly or having too much rake, etc.
Ideally I want us to move as fast forwards as we can as opposed to slipping sideways - at least as much as I can with a wing keel.
Attached is a picture of the kiddo's sailing with me .
Thanks ahead of time for any and all assistance and advice you may have!
I've had my '07 Capri 22 since 2021 and have enjoyed sailing it with the kiddos and generally just having fun out on the water with it. I did follow the tuning guide from North Sails initially.
I'm getting more into racing and I'm trying to tune and balance the rigging as best I can. In heavier winds [ ~15 knots gusts to ~20 ] I'm having a lot of weather helm to the point that it's often forcing me to round up whether I want to or not. Even at times letting the main sheet out in a gust/puff it's still forcing the front of the boat to windward. I do understand that weather helm is desirable over lee helm - but the amount I'm getting is, IMHO, too much.
Today I took two turns off of my backstay and went out [in 15, gusts to ~20] and it felt better but still not where I wanted to be. I took three more turns off and again - better - but still not where I'd like to be.
I do have a CDI Flexible Furler [came with the boat] so I can't adjust the forestay while out sailing but I can take the time to do it if needed at the dock. Seems I have to pull the headsail off, pull the pin on the drum, raise the drum, and access the turnbuckle.
Honestly I'm not sure how loose on the backstay is too loose. I do have a Loos PT-1 gauge but I've not seen any numbers/recommendations on the backstay when it comes to tuning guides. I imagine I don't want the backstay loose/floppy/untensioned.
From what I understand, having a wing keel, I really want to avoid mast rake otherwise I'll slip sideways and lose speed. Also from what I understand with more rake I'll have more weather helm as raking the mast backwards removes the center of effort backwards. I believe this means that the pressure on the main will be more aft pushing the back of the boat leeward and the front of the boat windward.
When it comes to tuning the rigging and checking rake - do I want to tune the uppers and lowers and then look at rake? Do I just want the backstay only just taught or is there a particular tension I should be looking for?
I do have a RudderCraft kick-up rudder that is longer than OEM which helps but I am putting a LOT of force into the tiller to keep the boat tracking straight in any sort of gusts. In 15 knots constant I'm not having to put a lot of pressure but if I let go of the tiller I will definitely round up.
I absolutely don't mind adjusting the rigging / pulling the furler apart / doing what I have to do to tune this better - but I'm hoping to get some "been there, done that" advice - or at minimum things to look for and things to avoid.
I'm planning on leveling the boat front to back with a spirit level on the mast step [moving weight around, since it's on the water, until it's level front to back] and then hanging a weight from the main halyard and seeing where it hangs relative to the mast.
I really have no idea how many turns are on the turnbuckle on the headstay - it is still set wherever the previous owner had set it. I'm also not sure if I can trust the 'just have 4 threads showing' since the CDI Furler comes with it's own T-Bolt [that I presume is of different length from the factory otherwise - why replace it?].
At the end of the day the boys and I are loving sailing and we're having fun - but it just occurred to me that I probably should take more time to make sure everything is set up properly and that I'm not slowing us down with some silly mistakes such as perhaps the forestay being too long/not adjusted properly or having too much rake, etc.
Ideally I want us to move as fast forwards as we can as opposed to slipping sideways - at least as much as I can with a wing keel.
Attached is a picture of the kiddo's sailing with me .
Thanks ahead of time for any and all assistance and advice you may have!