I have not been able to get rid of weather helm. That year(1968) and model did not have a much needed bow sprit. Thought about rigging another head sail as a cutter but don't know? Anyone have this problem or better yet solved this problem?
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Weather helm...
can be your friend, if you know how to use it!!! I guess you are a more experienced boat designer than the guys who laid out your hull? If it is a "much needed" design change, maybe you can fill us all in. By the way, what "31 offshore ketch" are you talking about???
can be your friend, if you know how to use it!!! I guess you are a more experienced boat designer than the guys who laid out your hull? If it is a "much needed" design change, maybe you can fill us all in. By the way, what "31 offshore ketch" are you talking about???
Drop Trav...
Try dropping the traveller, then twist off the jib, if those don't help enough- reduce sail area... or just feather up. Without being unpleasant, the other response is correct- boat designers are professionals. Cobbling your boat is asking for trouble. B
Try dropping the traveller, then twist off the jib, if those don't help enough- reduce sail area... or just feather up. Without being unpleasant, the other response is correct- boat designers are professionals. Cobbling your boat is asking for trouble. B
Some more details?
When do you get weather helm? All the time or just in heavy winds? How much weather helm do you have? What condition are your sails? There are lots of things you can do. Flatten the main with the outhaul, cunningham, main halyard. Reef the main. Drop the traveler.
When do you get weather helm? All the time or just in heavy winds? How much weather helm do you have? What condition are your sails? There are lots of things you can do. Flatten the main with the outhaul, cunningham, main halyard. Reef the main. Drop the traveler.
I sail a ketch....
My 'new to me ' boat is a ketch and recently sailed it across the Gulf from Florida to Tx. I never sailed a ketch before, so this happened to me also. All i did was let the Mizzen out just a little and that cured the problem. Just think of the mizzen as a 'tail feather' or weather vane. This usually only happened when in 20 plus winds and close hauled. At one point, when someone else was at the wheel, they couldnt seem to fall off and we had a small oil and gas platform right in our path. Boat would not respond and we were dead on target. I let the mizzen out and we regained steering. Before you think about making a cutter or more properly a 'double headstayed rig', you ought to go onto a more boat specific site and see if they were ever manufactured with a double headstay. Then you will be able to talk to others that have that arrangement and get the dimentions and specifics. Good Luck.
My 'new to me ' boat is a ketch and recently sailed it across the Gulf from Florida to Tx. I never sailed a ketch before, so this happened to me also. All i did was let the Mizzen out just a little and that cured the problem. Just think of the mizzen as a 'tail feather' or weather vane. This usually only happened when in 20 plus winds and close hauled. At one point, when someone else was at the wheel, they couldnt seem to fall off and we had a small oil and gas platform right in our path. Boat would not respond and we were dead on target. I let the mizzen out and we regained steering. Before you think about making a cutter or more properly a 'double headstayed rig', you ought to go onto a more boat specific site and see if they were ever manufactured with a double headstay. Then you will be able to talk to others that have that arrangement and get the dimentions and specifics. Good Luck.
Be Warned, You probably know
alot more than I do. ..No, there is no probably belonging in that sentence. But just to pass on my limited experience. On an old trailer boat I once had if the mast wasn't set at the right angle when retensioning the backstay it wouldn't steer at all. If you've had any rigging replaced or adjusted you might want to look at that. 1/4" can make a huge difference.
alot more than I do. ..No, there is no probably belonging in that sentence. But just to pass on my limited experience. On an old trailer boat I once had if the mast wasn't set at the right angle when retensioning the backstay it wouldn't steer at all. If you've had any rigging replaced or adjusted you might want to look at that. 1/4" can make a huge difference.
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