Backstay adjuster, shrowd tension guage
Hey Walt, That was some heavy weather you were out in! If that didn't scare you off, little will. I'd recommend that you pick up a few texts on the basic principles of monohull sailing. Go to your favorite bookstore and find a text that you feel comfortable with. Everyone has a favorite (Chapman's), but I think your first text should be one that you like so you can digest it easily - especially one with tons of diagrams so the physics concepts come across clear. Tackle the more intricate texts after you get a solid foundation.The boat will "round up" when under sail, but not under bare poles. It's pretty much at the mercy of the wind without sails, so you definately want to be hands-on when it comes to the tiller and throttle. The reason your ship bears off is called freeboard, which is a term that refers to the portion of the boat from the waterline to the top of the cabin which is exposed to the wind. I consider this area to be like a billboard in regards to the wind - something that can be unweildy. You were probably not able overcome the force of the freeboard with your engine, and so you got blown downwind - a dangerous situation if the shore is behind you. You also need to be careful in this situation in high seas, as you might broach, and that can result in taking on water.As far as your forestay goes - I wouldn't move that at all. Sufficient pressure on the backstay adjuster should be enough to give you weather helm under sail power. Also, check into a tension guage, or if you are cheap (like me), borrow one of your dockmates'. You should really have the precise tension on the shrouds to avoid undue stress on the mast and standing rigging. Also, one of the best things you can do is to take a fellow C-27 owner out and give him some helm time. He or she will be able to point out trim, tuning, handling and rigging improvements.Best of luck, and read read read!Rob