We finally got out in some good wind yesterday - steady 10 with gusts up to 25- and I discovered that my 260 actually develops some lee helm during strong gusts. This is obviously not a good situation and I need to adjust the rigging. I would welcome any advice on the process. One of the things I really like about the 260 is the ability to raise and lower the mast without having to adjust tension on the shrouds. I do not want to lose this by overtightening anything. Thanks for any help.
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Michael Stephens
Rig tension
When I tuned my rig to specs it is definately not easy to pull or insert the pin on the furling drum when stepping. You should expect to loosen the shrouds to step the mast. What a difference it makes in the way she sails though.
When I tuned my rig to specs it is definately not easy to pull or insert the pin on the furling drum when stepping. You should expect to loosen the shrouds to step the mast. What a difference it makes in the way she sails though.
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Calvin
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alan
R U sure.
The only time I have "lee" helm in my 26 is when the jib is flying with the main down or luffing. alan
The only time I have "lee" helm in my 26 is when the jib is flying with the main down or luffing. alan
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Calvin
I am sure...
When the heel gets to the point where you are in danger of falling out of the boat there should be a good bit of weather helm. In my case, there is not. In addition, I have to really let the main out to bring the boat back down, all the while pushing on the tiller - but not really very hard. It is strange, very strange. I do know the difference between lee and weather helm.
When the heel gets to the point where you are in danger of falling out of the boat there should be a good bit of weather helm. In my case, there is not. In addition, I have to really let the main out to bring the boat back down, all the while pushing on the tiller - but not really very hard. It is strange, very strange. I do know the difference between lee and weather helm.
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Crazy Dave Condon
Calvin
If experienceing too much lee helm, try moving the rake of the masrt foward. There is alot on tuning discussion but for one who has tuned 100 plus Hunter 26 and 260 sailboats, I think I know a little bit. If you want to call me, call Greg Emerson at Hunter for my number and call me next Monday and I will give you some tips. Crazy Dave Condon
If experienceing too much lee helm, try moving the rake of the masrt foward. There is alot on tuning discussion but for one who has tuned 100 plus Hunter 26 and 260 sailboats, I think I know a little bit. If you want to call me, call Greg Emerson at Hunter for my number and call me next Monday and I will give you some tips. Crazy Dave Condon
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Calvin
Dave
Could this be as simple as tightening the forestay? I have tuned a Catalina 250 but this Hunter rig is a bit more complex with cross shrouds etc. I admit since the problem with my previous sailboats has always been excessive weather helm my mind is wired backwards to address this problem. I would rather tighten the forestay than get involved with the upper and lower shrouds. Do you think this has hope...? By the way, I have read many many of the posts on this forum and I do not remember seeing this problem posted before. Is there possibly something wrong with my boat?
Could this be as simple as tightening the forestay? I have tuned a Catalina 250 but this Hunter rig is a bit more complex with cross shrouds etc. I admit since the problem with my previous sailboats has always been excessive weather helm my mind is wired backwards to address this problem. I would rather tighten the forestay than get involved with the upper and lower shrouds. Do you think this has hope...? By the way, I have read many many of the posts on this forum and I do not remember seeing this problem posted before. Is there possibly something wrong with my boat?
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alan
Calvin, that is definately not how my boat ...
responds to hard heeling. The rudder stalls and I round up. Sometimes in a gust the boat will experience very momentary lee helm but always wants to round up in the end. If the wind keeps up, I reef the main first which corrects the situation. Let us know what you find. alan
responds to hard heeling. The rudder stalls and I round up. Sometimes in a gust the boat will experience very momentary lee helm but always wants to round up in the end. If the wind keeps up, I reef the main first which corrects the situation. Let us know what you find. alan
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Calvin
Correcting Lee Helm
Did a little reading last night about weather and lee helm. I am going to tighten the upper and lower shrouds and move the mast head back. This should introduce a little weather helm. Is the proper procedure for tightening shrouds on the 260 to first tighten the upper and then the lowers or is it vice versa?
Did a little reading last night about weather and lee helm. I am going to tighten the upper and lower shrouds and move the mast head back. This should introduce a little weather helm. Is the proper procedure for tightening shrouds on the 260 to first tighten the upper and then the lowers or is it vice versa?
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Jeff Peltier
Centerboard
Don't forget about the centerboard. If it is partially down, that would move the balance point back. This techniqe is used to fine tune during racing, but if overdone can cause lee helm. Clearly, if you can put the pin in the forestay without loosening, your rig is way too loose. Jeff Peltier
Don't forget about the centerboard. If it is partially down, that would move the balance point back. This techniqe is used to fine tune during racing, but if overdone can cause lee helm. Clearly, if you can put the pin in the forestay without loosening, your rig is way too loose. Jeff Peltier
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Calvin
Centerboard
The centerboard may not be all the way down. The rope for the centerboard is an exact length with a knot on the end that jams up against the spinlock (?) with some tension still on it. I am going to replace the rope soon. It is too cold now to swim under the boat and see the situation. I will tighten everything up this weekend and see how it goes.
The centerboard may not be all the way down. The rope for the centerboard is an exact length with a knot on the end that jams up against the spinlock (?) with some tension still on it. I am going to replace the rope soon. It is too cold now to swim under the boat and see the situation. I will tighten everything up this weekend and see how it goes.
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Mark
Not sure about that Jeff
Jeff we never touch the turnbuckles on the shrouds to enable the forestay to be attached. They are set and left for the season and perhaps checking every so often to make sure they are right. When we pull down on the mainsheet to pull down the gin pole we use considerable force on the sheet to get it down tight. As the manual states when the rigging is first tunes it is not nessesary to adjust shrouds each time the mast is raised. BNy the way a number of people wind up the forestay to get tension. This is a no no cos the forestay should always remain the same so as to achieve corect rake. (this will get some discussin) but thats a fact. Once the forestay is set and rake correct leave it. Perhaps this is part of the reason why this yacht is having lee helm?
Jeff we never touch the turnbuckles on the shrouds to enable the forestay to be attached. They are set and left for the season and perhaps checking every so often to make sure they are right. When we pull down on the mainsheet to pull down the gin pole we use considerable force on the sheet to get it down tight. As the manual states when the rigging is first tunes it is not nessesary to adjust shrouds each time the mast is raised. BNy the way a number of people wind up the forestay to get tension. This is a no no cos the forestay should always remain the same so as to achieve corect rake. (this will get some discussin) but thats a fact. Once the forestay is set and rake correct leave it. Perhaps this is part of the reason why this yacht is having lee helm?
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Jeff Peltier
Forestay
I agree on the rake. That's why I have mine marked so it ends up where it was when I tuned it. I worry about putting that much tension on a halyard without a backup to keep the mast from coming down if it breaks. I'm sure there are other opinions though. Jeff Peltier
I agree on the rake. That's why I have mine marked so it ends up where it was when I tuned it. I worry about putting that much tension on a halyard without a backup to keep the mast from coming down if it breaks. I'm sure there are other opinions though. Jeff Peltier
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Mark
Jeff
When I raise the mast I am always concerned about the strength of the splice on the head sail halyard and the consequence if it should break under such high load. So what I do every time is I also attach the spinaker halyard to the gin pole alonside the head sail halyard. I tension this up almost as tight as the head sail halyard and tie off firstly around the starboard winch and then to the jib cleat. Does not really take any more time and it is a good safety back up. regards
When I raise the mast I am always concerned about the strength of the splice on the head sail halyard and the consequence if it should break under such high load. So what I do every time is I also attach the spinaker halyard to the gin pole alonside the head sail halyard. I tension this up almost as tight as the head sail halyard and tie off firstly around the starboard winch and then to the jib cleat. Does not really take any more time and it is a good safety back up. regards
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Jeff Peltier
That's a good backup also.
Unfortunating I moved my headsail halyard up for a spinnaker halyard and don't have a spare, as I have the CDI roller furler. Sounds like you have a good system also, with a safety backup that saves a little time in not having to re-tighten the forestay. Jeff
Unfortunating I moved my headsail halyard up for a spinnaker halyard and don't have a spare, as I have the CDI roller furler. Sounds like you have a good system also, with a safety backup that saves a little time in not having to re-tighten the forestay. Jeff
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