I have quite a bit of weather helm on my H33. I tried to tune the mast using the eyeball method. Any suggestions? Maybe someone can offer the order in which the stays and shrouds should be adjusted. I have double shrouds on each side. Will tension on the foremost shroud make the mast tilt aft? Maybe I just have to experiment more. Also my forestay (which is a rollerfurling) seems loose and I get some vibration from it. I tried to loosen all shrouds and tighen split backstay but still have some play and I teally tightened it. Maybe the shrouds control this tension also. (confused)
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Ken Palmer
Tuning the mast
I also have an H33, and the only tuning that I do to the mast is to tighten the split-backstay under windy conditions. I do not re-adjust my shrouds for different wind conditions. They may do that on small boats, but I have never heard of anybody doing it on the larger boats. You failed to mention what type of conditions you have when your 33 has so much weather helm. If my boat is difficult to control, it is under windy conditions (above 15 knots), and it means I have too much sail up. The easiest thing to do is to furl in some of that genoa, but I find the best thing to do is to reef the main, and keep the genoa all the way out to power the boat. Of course, if its really blowing, I reef the main and furl the genny. Ken Palmer, S/V Liberty
I also have an H33, and the only tuning that I do to the mast is to tighten the split-backstay under windy conditions. I do not re-adjust my shrouds for different wind conditions. They may do that on small boats, but I have never heard of anybody doing it on the larger boats. You failed to mention what type of conditions you have when your 33 has so much weather helm. If my boat is difficult to control, it is under windy conditions (above 15 knots), and it means I have too much sail up. The easiest thing to do is to furl in some of that genoa, but I find the best thing to do is to reef the main, and keep the genoa all the way out to power the boat. Of course, if its really blowing, I reef the main and furl the genny. Ken Palmer, S/V Liberty
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bob skipper
If you are on an attack normally your travler should be slightly to weather. too ease the weather helm move your travler to Lee just a bit until you you feel an ease on the helm. be sure to use the travler not the main sheet. it works for me.
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steven f.
sail trim
Sail trim is the best way to settle a boat out (assuming the mast is somewhat correctly tuned). If your fighting the helm the boat is probably overpowered. Easing the main-traveler is a great way to de-power the main. I have a tendency to reef the main around 15 kts. this gives me better sail balance . If I still need to reduce sail I than start to furl the jib in. One other way to de-power your boat is to move the jib car back, this flattens the jib which in turn eases the power of the jib. Try these simple things before you start messing with the rigging unless your sure your mast is in need of tuning.
Sail trim is the best way to settle a boat out (assuming the mast is somewhat correctly tuned). If your fighting the helm the boat is probably overpowered. Easing the main-traveler is a great way to de-power the main. I have a tendency to reef the main around 15 kts. this gives me better sail balance . If I still need to reduce sail I than start to furl the jib in. One other way to de-power your boat is to move the jib car back, this flattens the jib which in turn eases the power of the jib. Try these simple things before you start messing with the rigging unless your sure your mast is in need of tuning.
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Ernie Rodriguez
Forestay
You may need to shorten your forestay in order to tune the mast. I had a similar situation with my Hunter 36 in that I could not use the larger head sail unless the wind was below 10 knots. I ended up taking the forestay down, shortening it, and then was able to "rake" the mast forward such that now I can use the larger headsail with winds up to about 20knots without becoming overpowered.
You may need to shorten your forestay in order to tune the mast. I had a similar situation with my Hunter 36 in that I could not use the larger head sail unless the wind was below 10 knots. I ended up taking the forestay down, shortening it, and then was able to "rake" the mast forward such that now I can use the larger headsail with winds up to about 20knots without becoming overpowered.
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Ron
Too much Sail
I had a similar problem on an H23 I owned. Even though the boat seemed to handle the unreefed main well, it had terrible weather helm. I mean it would wear you out just hanging on to the tiller. I assume your weather helm is in winds of around 12 knots and up??? Try tugging a reef into the main and see what it does to handling and performance. Hope it works out for you... Ron H37C
I had a similar problem on an H23 I owned. Even though the boat seemed to handle the unreefed main well, it had terrible weather helm. I mean it would wear you out just hanging on to the tiller. I assume your weather helm is in winds of around 12 knots and up??? Try tugging a reef into the main and see what it does to handling and performance. Hope it works out for you... Ron H37C
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Sam Lust
Severe Weather
My 33 exhibits severe weather helm also. This is probably made worse by the fact that it is a shoal draft, which I believe is more prone to the problem. It is certainly sensitive to mast rake. Changing mine from a slightly aft rake to dead upright helped. You should be able to adjust your rigging easily to bring it snug. A Loos gage makes it easy, but without one, the rule of thumb is that your leward shroud should not go more than slightly slack. If the leewards are sloppy when heeled to 20 degrees or so they'r too loose. Head stay should bend off only slightly. The real trick is sail trim. Twist is important. Trimming the main in too tight is the killer. Run your traveler down to leeward and snug up the main sheet. The trick is to keep the boat "on it's feet".
My 33 exhibits severe weather helm also. This is probably made worse by the fact that it is a shoal draft, which I believe is more prone to the problem. It is certainly sensitive to mast rake. Changing mine from a slightly aft rake to dead upright helped. You should be able to adjust your rigging easily to bring it snug. A Loos gage makes it easy, but without one, the rule of thumb is that your leward shroud should not go more than slightly slack. If the leewards are sloppy when heeled to 20 degrees or so they'r too loose. Head stay should bend off only slightly. The real trick is sail trim. Twist is important. Trimming the main in too tight is the killer. Run your traveler down to leeward and snug up the main sheet. The trick is to keep the boat "on it's feet".
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