Weather Helm - How can I reduce it ?

[JVB]

Even sailing with a 150% Genoa and with the main "twisted off" (main-sail traveler to the upwind side) my MacGregor 26-D will overcome opposing rudder and round up into the wind. Just when I'm getting some good wind, heeling 10 to 15 degrees, and moving well enough to be fun this happens. It gets away from me completely, i.e I can't stay on course unless I release the main sheet. What else can I do to reduce the weather helm tendency ?

 

[novelman17128]

Weather helm

On both my previous 24' Windrose sailboat and my present 22' MacGregor/Venture sailboat I have/had severe weather helm when the wind exceeded 10 knots. I have stopped using my 150 genoa and now use only my 130 iib to 12 knots and then change over to a "blade jib" (75%). And if the wind gets above 15 knots I put one reef into my main and at about 20 knots I put the second reef in. By doing this I actually sail faster than when I am overpowered with a genoa. The other day I passed two 30' plus sailboats with full main and 150 genoa up in 15 knots of wind. I am a firm believer in minimizing sail in windy and/or rough seas conditions. Try it, you will like it.Novelman

 

[Justin_NSA]

maybe?

I would think you would want your traveler adjusted to the leeward side, not windward to reduce weather helm. Flatten your sails as much as possible. If that doesn't work, reef your main like Novelman suggests.

 

[Nevada City Bob]

Tilt your mast

Tighten up the forestay and you will reduce the weather helm a great deal.

 

[JVB]

More foresail helps

My weather helm problem is less pronounced with the big foresail than a little one, which makes sense to me, i.e. more sail pushing the bow downwind means less tendency to turn into the wind. "Twisting off" the main by moving the traveler to the upwind side is supposed to dump wind from the lower aft section of the mainsail thereby reducing the force trying to turn the boat into the wind. I have not yet tried adjusting the mast angle to more forward at the top. That advice makes sense as it will move the center of wind pressure forward a bit.

 

[Ramblin' Rod - Mac 26D - SeaQuell]

You have a severe problem

A stock Mac 26D should not round up until you've hit 45 to 50 degrees of heel, if balanced any wheere near reasonable.The following conditions can cause excessive weather helm. 1. Sailing under main alone. 2. Main sheeted in hard, foresail eased.3. Rudder not fully deployed.4. Dagger board or centre board not fully deployed.5. Mast raked too far aft.6. Pulling your traveller to windward excessively.

 

[Abby Normal]

Rudder

Definitely check the rudder position. As the other comment says it needs to be fully deployed. If you are relying soley on the up/downhaul rope, it can move back and would limit your heeling ability.

 

[Chris & Lenore - Teliki - Mac 26S]

Traveller comments

We tend to experiment a great deal with Teliki. In 10 - 15 kt winds an upwind traveller setting will introduce more "twist" and deeper draft in the main than you want or need. You will also heel more than you want or need. You now have less rudder in the water and more lift from the main - since it is behind the center of lateral resistance the boat rotates to windward aroun d the CLR. You don't have enough rudder in the water to hold her off.There are many other forces at play here i.e. it's not this simple, please don't rip me apart - but it sounds like you need to depower your main (flatter sail) and reduce heel (less main sail).We found this works (for us) in higher winds:- adjust headsail for the point of sail (sheeting angle AND sheet tension)- tighten main halyard and outhaul as much as possible- adjust traveller position and main sheet to give the smallest "slot" between head and main where the main is not backwinded. Close hauled, this tends to have the traveller only slightly to windward and the main sheet hauled in as tight as we can get it.- if we are heeling beyond 20 degrees, the main gets reefed accordinglyTeliki goes like a skinnned cat when we do this - and we can take our hand off the tiller for a good 30 seconds at a time. With the stock rudder, the main sheet needed to be VERY tight i.e. flattest sail possible. With the Ida rudder, it doesn't have to be so tight.I might mention that the stock rudder has material "relieved" near the head so it can pivot forward about 1.5 inches (at the bottom) further than stock. This seems to provide a little more "aerodynamic balance" effect but it still takes more deflection than the Ida, due to a lower lift airfoil section.Chris